LocationsEmpowering Zambian Youth: Insights from the 2024 YouthConnekt Africa Summit
November 26, 2024
Zambia, a nation rich in cultural diversity and youthful potential, recently demonstrated its unwavering commitment to youth empowerment by participating in the 2024 YouthConnekt Africa (YCA) Summit, held in Kigali, Rwanda. The summit, an influential platform for youth engagement across the continent, provided Zambia with an opportunity to showcase its progressive initiatives, forge new partnerships, and advocate for the empowerment of its vibrant youth population.
The YCA Summit, which began in Rwanda in 2012 and now spans 33 African countries, has become a beacon of innovation and opportunity for young people. This year’s edition brought together over 20,000 participants, including innovators, policymakers, and key stakeholders, to address the challenges facing African youth and explore transformative solutions. Zambia stood out as a country deeply invested in leveraging its youthful demographic to drive sustainable development.
Guided by policies like the National Youth Policy, Zambia is committed to creating opportunities for skills development, innovation, and entrepreneurship. The country’s Youth Resource Centres and digital transformation initiatives are further equipping young people with the tools needed to thrive in the digital economy, preparing them for the challenges and opportunities of a rapidly evolving world.
The Zambian delegation at the Zambia-focused session during the YouthConnekt Africa Summit.
The Internship, Volunteer, Apprenticeship, and Graduate (IVAG) Programme is another standout initiative championing youth development in Zambia. By providing practical work experience, the program addresses unemployment while ensuring young people are equipped with the skills to excel in the workforce. International partnerships, particularly with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), have further bolstered Zambia’s efforts, enabling initiatives like the Youth Digital Platform, which expands access to essential digital tools and training.
Zambia’s engagement at the summit also highlighted its strategic focus on harnessing the potential of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). The agreement, which reduces trade barriers and opens up larger markets, represents a game-changing opportunity for Zambian youth-led enterprises, particularly in sectors like technology and agribusiness. By integrating youth into regional value chains, Zambia is empowering its young entrepreneurs to scale their businesses and contribute meaningfully to Africa’s socio-economic transformation.
The conversations at the summit emphasized how AfCFTA can unlock unprecedented opportunities for youth. For Zambia, this means fostering a generation of entrepreneurs who are not only building businesses but also shaping the future of Africa’s economic landscape.
Participation in the summit also allowed Zambia to build crucial partnerships with regional organizations, development partners, and private-sector actors committed to youth empowerment. These collaborations are essential for mobilizing resources, providing technical support, and scaling impactful initiatives.
On the sidelines of the summit, Zambia’s Minister of Youth, Sport, and Arts, Hon. Elvis Nkandu, met with UNDP Regional Director Ahunna Eziakonwa to discuss scaling up transformative youth initiatives. Key highlights included plans for the groundbreaking timbuktoo MineTech Hub, aimed at empowering youth in the mining sector through innovation and skills development, and linking Zambia’s youth programs to the Lobito Corridor, fostering regional economic integration. The meeting also emphasized the Programme's upcoming transition into a Youth Fellowship Programme. The Regional Director reaffirmed UNDP’s commitment to Zambia’s youth agenda, recommending strategic collaborations with regional and global initiatives to enhance impact.
Minister of Youth, Sport, and Arts, Hon. Elvis Nkandu, with UNDP Regional Director for Africa, Ahunna Eziakonwa after a sideline meeting
Zambia's active participation in the YouthConnekt Africa Summit extended through timbuktoo’s UniPod initiative, with a technician from the Mukuba UniPod representing the country in the UniPod Design Challenge. This involvement highlighted Zambia's commitment to empowering young artisans through advanced technical training and mentorship, equipping them to transform their creative skills into market-ready products. During the UniPod Youth Café, the Zambian representative inspired fellow innovators by emphasizing the importance of courage and passion in pursuing innovation, reinforcing Zambia's role in fostering a culture of collaboration and ambition among African youth. These engagements underscore Zambia's alignment with continental efforts to drive youth empowerment and innovation.
The YouthConnekt Africa Summit reaffirmed Zambia’s commitment to its youth, showcasing the nation’s proactive approach to creating sustainable opportunities for the next generation. By capitalizing on the insights and connections gained, Zambia is poised to enhance its youth-focused initiatives, ensuring young people remain at the center of its development agenda.
The Zambian delegation also held a bilateral meeting with Rwanda’s Minister of Youth and Arts to exchange insights on strategies for youth development and employment creation. The discussions highlighted Rwanda’s innovative approaches to fostering youth discipline, mindset change, and entrepreneurship, while exploring opportunities for collaboration on youth-led innovation programs. The meeting also reinforced Zambia’s bid to host future YouthConnekt Africa Summits, reflecting a shared vision for enhancing youth opportunities across the continent.
Zambia’s participation in the 2024 YCA Summit underscored the country’s dedication to empowering its youth as key drivers of economic and social progress. Through strategic investments in skills development, innovation, and regional collaboration, Zambia is not only shaping the future of its young population but also contributing to a continent-wide vision of youth-led growth
As Zambia continues its journey toward unlocking the potential of its youthful population, it is clear that the country is setting an example for how investing in young people can build a brighter, more prosperous future for all.
