Mahama Calls On The AU To Empower Women And The Youth

The future of Africa rests on the potential of its youth, according to Ghanaian President John Dramani Mahama, who spoke at the recent African Union (AU) Institutional Reforms.

People under 25 make up more than 60% of the continent’s population.

President Mahama went on to say that the Union’s structures need to enable women and youth to assume leadership positions at all governmental levels. Their opinions will be heard during the policymaking process thanks to this.

Mr. Mahama said that the election of Ghana’s first female vice president recently was evidence of his dedication to inclusive leadership.

“Africa’s future lies in its youth, and over 60% of our population is under 25. Yet, their voices are largely absent in policymaking. We must institutionalise frameworks that empower our young people and women to lead at all levels of governance”, he noted.

Although a single African market has been established by the African Continental Free Trade Area Agreement, he stated that much more needs to be done to remove trade barriers, harmonize regulatory frameworks, and make infrastructure investments in order to fully realize the potential of intra-African trade.