{"id":8249,"date":"2018-03-04T11:58:04","date_gmt":"2018-03-04T18:58:04","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/nigerianews.ca\/?post_type=news&p=8249"},"modified":"2018-03-04T12:45:39","modified_gmt":"2018-03-04T19:45:39","slug":"must-watch-video-by-mo-ibrahim","status":"publish","type":"news","link":"https:\/\/nigerianews.ca\/news\/must-watch-video-by-mo-ibrahim\/","title":{"rendered":"[MUST WATCH VIDEO] Africa\u2019s future depends on its young people \u2013 Mo Ibrahim"},"content":{"rendered":"

Mo Ibrahim, The Chair of Mo Ibrahim Foundation, has said the future of Africa would depend on its ability to harness the energy and meet the expectations of its young people.<\/p>\n

The London-based foundation discussed the topic: \u201cAfrica at a Tipping Point\u2019\u2019 during its forum in Marrakech, Morocco<\/p>\n

Sixty percent of the continent\u2019s population was already under 25 years of age, and the number would rise to 452 million by 2050.<\/p>\n

\u201cToo many young Africans feel devoid of economic prospects and robbed of any say on the future of their own continent,\u201d a report from the Mo Ibrahim Foundation<\/p>\n

\u201cThe commodity cycle may have fuelled GDP growth for many African countries but it has created almost no jobs,\u201d the reports indicates.<\/p>\n

\u201cOver the last 10 years, while Africa\u2019s real GDP has grown at an annual average of 4.5 per cent, youth unemployment levels remained high.\u2019\u2019<\/p>\n

In spite of being the second-largest African economy, South Africa was not able to provide jobs for more than half of its youth population.<\/p>\n

He noted that \u201cyoung people spend more years in school but only a few have been effectively equipped with the skills the economy need.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn spite of having some of the most educated population, with gross enrollment ratios in tertiary education, Egypt and Tunisia have some of the highest youth unemployment rates on the continent.<\/p>\n

\u201cAlso, free and fair elections have indeed multiplied over the last decade, but voter turnout is declining and scepticism about elected representatives is growing, especially among the young people.<\/p>\n

\u201cDisenchantment with democracy and the lack of economic opportunity form a `toxic brew\u2019, bound to strengthen the appeal of migration and violent extremism.<\/p>\n

\u201cTerrorism has become a well-organised multi-billion dollar criminal enterprise with growing control over drugs trade, human trafficking and other parts of the black market.\u2019\u2019<\/p>\n

The energy and ambitions of Africa\u2019s young people is a great resource and the best hope for strengthening the continent\u2019s progress.<\/p>\n

African youths\u2019 expectations could turn into frustration and anger, \u201cunless they find a job and get a chance to influence their own future.\u2019\u2019<\/p>\n

WATCH THE ATTACHED VIDEO where MO IBRAHIM spoke about the need for Youth Leadership in Africa<\/p>\n

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