Rwandan President Paul Kagame speaking at a summit attended by UNCTAD executive secretary Mukhisa Kituyi and Alibaba president Jack Ma
Over 3000 youths that have attended the three day Youth Connekt Africa at the Kigali International Convention Center have been urged by their leaders to develop themselves and in so doing make sustainable commitments to the development of the African continent.
Initially 7000 youths from across the continent expressed interest in attending the summit in Rwanda but not all could be accommodated.
However, at the end of the summit the Minister of Youth and ICT in Rwanda Prof. Philbert Nsengimana noted that they have over the three days learned that they could create the 50 jobs to employ themselves and others come year 2020.
“On behalf all the participants I express our gratitude to have among the leaders present President Paul Kagame to be with the youths amidst such a busiest season of the year. We have learned quite a lot in the three days and now we know where the 50 jobs that Africa needs to create by 2020 are,” the MYICT minister said at the closing day of the summit.
At the third day of the summit leaders reminded youths that for Africa to develop is when they concert their efforts on ensuring the improved delivery of services and closing down the gaps in businesses by investing innovatively.
The summit also attracted Africa’s top leaders including the Africa Development Bank (AfDB) president Akinwumi_Adesina, UNCTAD Executive secretary Mukhisa Mituyi , UNDP Assistant Secretary General and Africa region director Mar Dieye, Africa Solar founder American Music star Akon Thiam and the Alibaba president Jack Man all of them expressing interest in a more viable business in Africa.
The participants came from 90 countries to attend the summit organized by UNDP and UNCTAD.
“The potential is in Africa, the only thinking missing is participation and infrastructure,” said American musician and founder of Africa Solar Akon at the closing ceremony of the first Youth Connekt Africa.
On the other hand UNCTAD Executive secretary Kituyi urged youths and African leaders to use diplomatic approaches in addressing the various needs that can redefine the course of development in Africa.
“Our Diplomacy should be to the service of Africa,” the UNCTAD executive secretary said.
Jack Ma, the Alibaba president, called on the continent’s leadership to ensure there are more free trade zones to improve trade with non-African countries.
Alibaba president Jack Ma
Alibaba president Jack Ma
“Africa needs Free Trade Zones for small businesses not just the big businesses. Internet will be the infrastructure of the economy and education. Please connect to the internet,” he said.
Rwandan President Paul Kagame urged the youths not waste time on lessons learned the hard way in Rwanda but should learn to live their own lives.
“We cannot waste the lessons Rwanda learned the hard way. The only way is to look in their eyes and say go to hell. What the young people owe Africa is what they owe to themselves. Every single day we get lessons of how we should live our lives.”
He noted that Africans should work together as fellow countrymen and invest in themselves.
“It is like we are doing business to please someone else or to answer someone else’s needs. We need to do business, trade with each other and invest in each other as Africans.”
The future of Africa’s e-commerce, he said, is bigger than in China.
