Editor's note: Bereket Sisay is a journalist and political commentator of African affairs. The article reflects the author's opinions, and not necessarily the views of CGTN.

The African Continental Free Trade Area Conference on Women and Youth in Trade was held in Dar es Salaam earlier this month. Speaking at the opening of the conference, Tanzania's President, Samia Suluhu, said that "if Africa was to build a strong economy, it should learn from China, which has made massive investments in youth through science and technology."

Furthermore, the president indicated that "If we walk in China's footsteps and with the abundant resources that Africa is blessed with, our youth will play a pivotal role in shaping our economies." Yes, it is true that China has efficaciously invested in its large youth population and has been able to reap the benefits too. According to the 2021 report of the International Youth Sustainable Development Index, China has registered a significant achievement in the development of young people as the country has considered its youth as one of the most powerful forces of social and economic development and prioritized their development.  Moreover, China has committed to further nurturing its young population as a catalyst for its perpetually growing economy and, in return, to benefiting the youth with their engagement as well. 

Today, almost 60 percent of the African population is under the age of 25. Furthermore, by 2030, young Africans are expected to constitute 42 percent of the global youth. The youth population in Africa is expected to grow rapidly in the foreseeable future. In addition, there is an increased concentration of the population at working age. The share of the population at working age (between 25 and 64 years old) has been increasing in recent years, according to World Population Prospects 2022. This figurative information provides Africa with a time-bound opportunity to capitalize on the youth and working population size to accelerate economic growth per capita. This is the harbinger of Africa's potential future. But, there is an important question that we should ask: how can African youth become a more important element in the social and economic development?

All tasks should be begun by having faith in youth as the most important component of economic transformation. No development project can succeed without the involvement and participation of youth, who also generate benefits throughout the course. It's incumbent on decision makers to craft policies and strategies that reasonably impact young people's creative talents. In particular, the prevailing education system, which tends to theorize in the ivory tower, must see a significant shift toward innovation. Equipping youths with the necessary practical knowledge and skills should be a priority at the expense of others.  Aside from innovative ideas, entrepreneurship skills — how to create, run, and manage a business — need to be embraced by the educational system at large.

The penetration of science and technology within the curriculum are also expected to stretch as it is required to swiftly deal with the myriad of challenges the continent faces. It must be recognized that, by far, a credible solution to the ever-changing environment is youth innovation in science and technology. Besides, the youth agenda should also be incorporated into different developmental policies of African countries. It's true that African youth could have a comparative advantage if they invest and work in the agriculture sector, as Africa is endowed with natural resources, including a large swath of arable land and plenty of both surface and underground water. Therefore, investing in the agricultural sector is far more than promising. Yet, other sectors such as manufacturing, industries, mining, and so forth are equally vital and could have a huge opportunity to transform the economy.

And so, African governments should focus on expanding an enabling environment where creative and innovative ideas can flourish. It is clear that these sorts of initiatives are capital intensive as they may seem and have been testing African financial capability for many years, even to date. The African Union and member countries have developed several youth development policies and programs aimed at ensuring the continent benefits from its demographic dividend.  There is no option other than working on to mobilize resources to create as the continent's future rests on its youth population. Any domestic developmental efforts need to mainstream the youth as part and parcel of their core activity while informing external assistance to veer toward empowering and benefiting youth. 

The grim reality of the continent can only be changed through youth engagement — no more, no less. Unfortunately, there is still a large number of unemployed youth in Africa, and limited economic prospects on the continent are now leading to high rates of youth migration, with ensuing humanitarian risks. This situation must be altered once and for all, and investing in youth to empower them to fundamentally transform themselves and the continent is the only viable option. This definitely leads us to realize "the Africa we want," even ahead of schedule.

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