A powerful finale to the 5th African Youth Symposium, Egyptian youth advocate Hassan Ghazaly on Wednesday delivered the official outcomes of the continent-wide conference to Johannesburg Executive Mayor Dada Morero and APRM Chairperson Ambassador Marie-Antoinette Vilakazi, marking a defining moment for young Africans pushing for a stronger voice in governance.
Ghazaly, a member of the APRM Focal Point Committee and Founder of the Global Solidarity Network, presented the resolutions at the Pan-African Parliament, where the two-day summit themed “Youth in Governance: From Promise to Prosperity” gathered some of Africa’s most influential political, civil society, and youth development leaders.
The high-level forum featured prominent figures including PAP President H.E. Fortune Charumbira; PAP Youth Committee Chair Hon. Laila Daahi; AYU Secretary-General Ahmed Bennegh; NYDA Chair Dr. Sunshine Monihenh Leimenh; and former AU Commission Chair Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, among several others. Delegates from major continental institutions, international partners, and youth-led organizations also took part.
The Symposium ran a packed, action-driven agenda—academic and political roundtables, innovation showcases, youth success stories, AU-level engagements, and a special exhibition spotlighting emerging African changemakers. Discussions were anchored on five core pillars: Peace and Security, Gen-Z Governance Participation, Inclusive Development and Jobs, AU Youth Policy Reform, and Restorative Justice & Reparations.
Presenting the Summit’s final recommendations, Ghazaly declared that African youth are determined to move “from promise to prosperity” through bold governance reforms and transparent leadership. He pressed for an urgent review of the African Youth Charter, now marking 20 years, warning that without decisive action, millions of young people risk being left behind.
He stressed that youth inclusion is inseparable from sustainable peace, calling on AU leaders to act swiftly to protect civilians and end the spiraling crises in Sudan, eastern DRC, the Sahel, and other conflict zones. He further urged electoral reforms to bridge the widening age gap between leaders and citizens by lowering candidacy fees and opening political space for youth and independent candidates.
On the economic front, Ghazaly voiced deep concern over rising youth unemployment, skills mismatch, drug abuse, and mental health challenges. He called for coordinated government efforts to boost entrepreneurship, strengthen national youth development agencies, and push Africa toward value-added industrial development instead of raw material exports.
He also emphasized the need to fully operationalize the AfCFTA, leverage the Pan-African Payment and Settlement System (PAPSS), and institutionalize gender-responsive budgeting to ensure women are not left behind in the new development drive.
“Prosperity is not a gift to be granted,” Ghazaly said in his closing remarks. “It is built through collective effort, visionary leadership, and accountable governance. This is our pledge—courage, solidarity, and innovation—toward a peaceful, prosperous, and truly unified African continent.”
With Johannesburg now holding the blueprint of Africa’s young leaders, the message from the continent’s rising generation is unmistakably clear: the time for youth-driven governance is now.
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