2nd African Youth SDGs Summit launched

The 2nd African Youth SDGs Summit, the biggest gathering of African youths working towards the successful realization of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in Africa, themed: “Partnership with Youth to Achieve the SDGs: Moving from Policy to Practice,” has been launched Tuesday in Accra, Ghana.

The 2nd edition of the African Youth SDGs Summit will be held November 6th to 9th, 2018 at Pentecost Convention Center, Kasoa-Accra and is expected to attract over 700 delegates from across Africa and beyond. It would be recalled that the maiden edition of the Summit was held under the theme: ‘Youth as Drivers of Sustainable Development’ in Accra, between 1st and 2nd of November, 2017.

“Youth are the drivers of change, therefore, should be seen as critically-important partners in development; sustainable development should be about youths. We must come to a point where nothing is done in Africa without the active participation of our youths – from idea creation to implementation,” says Emmanuel Ametepey, convener of the African Youth SDGs Summit while unveiling its 2nd edition.

“Through this Summit, we believe we can ignite deeper conversations on the role of national governments, the UN, AU and CSOs in building meaningful partnerships with youths to accelerate sustainable development on the continent.”

Being the largest gathering of African youths working on the SDGs, stakeholders are hopeful that the Summit will not only serve as a platform for networking among young people but will also create an opportunity for the sharing of ideas and more importantly, holding national governments in Africa accountable for the SDGs.

It would also be recalled that last February, the African Youth SDGs Summit was announced as one the 38 finalists of the United Nations SDG Action Awards, in the ‘Connector Category’. The Awards recognised the most outstanding and innovative efforts inspiring global action for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The 3-day Summit will explore creative solutions for key SDG themes  such as Young People and Health; Gender Equality; Sanitation and Open Defecation; Smart Agriculture and Climate Change; Migration as well as Youth Employment.

Opportunity exist for local and international NGOs, national governments, UN system agencies , the privates sector, philanthropic foundations and academic institutions to shape and set the agenda for this important gathering. For further information, visit www.youthsdgssummit.org