Libya attends Pan-African Youth Leadership Summit in Addis Ababa
Tripoli, Libya (PANA) - The Libyan Minister for Youth, Fathalla Elzuni, took part in the opening of the Conference on African Youth Leadership, organised in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa, under the theme: “Unleashing the potential of youth for a prosperous Africa”.
The opening ceremony of the l meeting, which runs from 3 to 5 April, was attended by the President of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, Taye Atskeselassie, the Vice-President of the African Union Commission, Ambassador Salma Haddadi, senior government officials, youth ministers from the participating African countries, youth leaders from all over Africa and youth development organisations, according to a statement issued on Thursday by the Libyan Ministry of Youth.
The Summit represents a key platform that brings together young leaders and decision-makers to enrich discussions, exchange experiences and build effective partnerships that will help support young peoples' aspirations for a better future, the statement said. It added that it also reflects Africa's commitment to empowering its youth and preparing them to play an active role in shaping the continent's future by encouraging their spirit of innovation and entrepreneurship.
Organised by the African Union (AU), the summit aims to strengthen the participation of young people in efforts to achieve peace and sustainable development on the continent and to consolidate unity among young Africans by discussing key issues such as diplomacy and the role of youth in protecting African interests at international level.
The summit was held at the Victory Memorial Museum in Adwa, with around 1,000 young people taking part. The event will also include an exhibition of start-ups and various cultural activities.
The Libyan Minister is expected to review the country's experience in empowering young people (the Return to Life Plan) to support them and develop policies to involve them in decision-making.
Thanks to the great interest and support shown by the Government of National Unity, it has become a model for young people at local and national level, manifesting itself in several forms.
These include the establishment of a system of local youth councils and the possibility for young people to be present in these locally elected councils, to participate in taking several decisions in favour of young people and to develop policies that support their rights and their participation in decision-making.
Mr Elzuni will also be holding a series of bilateral meetings with various youth leaders from across the African continent to strengthen networking, support joint action and exchange expertise between the different youth leaders and councils in Africa.
The presence of the Minister for Youth is, according to the press release, part of Libya's commitment to continue its efforts to implement the objectives of the plan to relaunch youth diplomacy in its African context. It's also to contribute to the development of strategies that strengthen the role of African youth in achieving comprehensive development and laying the foundations for effective leadership that will pave the way for a more stable and advanced future for the African continent.
-0- PANA BY/JSG/BBA/MA 4April2025
