AfDB to hold dialogue on youth employment in Africa

2 Jul 2012

The African Development Bank (AfDB) Group is organising a High Level Policy Dialogue Seminar on Youth Employment in Africa in Lusaka, Zambia, on Monday, 9 July 2012, which will focus on the challenges and opportunities faced by the following countries in the Southern Africa region: Angola, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique and Zambia.

The countries concerned fall under the same Regional Department at the Bank, and face similar challenges of addressing the issue of unemployment among young people.

Africa has the youngest population in the world and, by 2030; nearly one in four young people will be African. This presents Africa with an enormous opportunity - but it could also present a significant risk and substantial threat to social cohesion and political stability if policymakers fail to create sustainable livelihoods for this group.

The AfDB, African Union (AU), Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), and the International Labor Organisation (ILO) recently put in place a joint initiative to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of youth employment efforts and facilitate the implementation of existing plans, with the long-term objective of boosting youth employment in Africa and providing a response to these challenges.

The AfDB invites media to attend a press conference, hosted by the bank's chief economist and vice president, Prof. Mthuli Ncube, together with high ranking ministers participating in the seminar which will take place during the seminar. The panel will discuss key points around the Policy Seminar, as well as the steps being taken to address Youth Unemployment.

For more, go to www.afdb.org/en/news-and-events/youth.