Pan African Youth Union President, Francine Muyumba urges stakeholders to strengthen The Africa Youth Development Fund

The Pan African Youth Union President, Francine Muyumba engaging with Dr. Akinwumi Ayodeji Adesina the President of the Africa Development Bank

 

Upon honoring her invitation from the Rwandan Government to attend the Youth Connect Africa Summit in Kigali under the theme Realising Africa’s Youth potential, The Pan African Youth Union President Ms. Francine Muyumba visited Kigali from the 19^th – 21^st July, 2017.

During her visit in Rwanda, together with the DRC Ambassador to Rwanda, she engaged with the Congolese Diaspora youth residing in Rwanda and also the DRC Diaspora leaders in Rwanda.

In her stay in Rwanda, Francine Muyumba urged stakeholders to fully invest in the recently established African Youth Development Fund which was adopted by all African Union Heads of States and Government during the recently concluded 29^th African Union Heads of States and Government Summit.

Pan African Youth Union President , Ms. Francine Muyumba during the Session in the Africa Connect Youth Summit

The Africa Youth Development Fund was allocated seven Million US Dollars (7M USD) which will be used to strengthen Pan African Youth Union, the African Union official youth body that coordinates the National Youth Councils and other Organisations, strengthen the African Union Youth Volunteers program, while 70% will be used to fund entrepreneurial start up projects.

The Pan African Youth Union President engaged with the President of the Africa Development Bank Dr. Akinwumi  Ayodeji Adesina about the Africa Youth Development Fund and agreed on a follow-up meeting to discuss the logistics.

In her session Demographic Dividend, which was sponsored by One Campaign, Francine Muyumba shared the panel with Mr.  Donald Kaberuka former President of the Africa Development Bank and currently the African Union High Representative for financing the Union & Peace Fund and Mr.  Christian Angermayer, Founder& CEO, Apeiron Investment Group. This session was moderated by Mrs.  Zain Verjee former CNN anchor and founder of Akoma.

Pan African Youth Union President, Ms. Francine Muyumba engaging with some of the youth delegates during the Conference

During this interactive session, Ms. Francine Muyumba insisted that for Demographic Dividend to be achieved, leaders must first invest in its youth. She also added by stating that “All this cannot be achieved if the Member States do not solve the issues of Food Security, Health security, Education for or women and young men and Clandestine Immigration issue which has led to loss of many African lives” She also stressed on the importance of engaging with the African Diaspora so as to remit their skills and experiences back to Africa for the benefit of the Continent.

 

She urged the private sector and government stakeholders present in the Conference to support the adopted African Youth Development Fund by Africa’s Heads of States stating that “Africa will only move forward if we combine efforts and have one voice”