The 4th China-Africa Young Leaders Forum opens in Shenzhen

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Coming together from 40 different countries, participants from across the African continent say they are looking for ways to drive development. They say they are hoping to meet the same challenge: to make growth happen.

Nene Fatoumata Tall, PCA de la Lonase from Senegal, told CGTN that her country's "biggest problem is youth unemployment and the lack of infrastructure." She said working with China and employing the country's fast growth could help.

Aklilu T Gebre, vice chairman from the League of Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front, said growth is also the biggest challenge as the country still have some 20 percent of its population living under the poverty line.

African youth leaders attending the forum say it's their responsibility to transform the continent in the next 50 years, according to Agenda 2063 that reimagines the future for African countries. They also say they will be drawing on Chinese solutions, including the ones they witness here, in the pilot zone of development.

CGTN Photo‍

Aklilu T Gebre said he's impressed with what China has done, from policy to specific programs.

"What we have seen in the last few days is like miracle. We hope to become a country with moderate income by 2025. And Chinese lesson will be the backbone of our development journey," Gebre said.

Chinese representatives say its growth model might not apply to other countries but it still could be useful.

Wang Heming, deputy head with the Bureau of Africa Affairs, Int'l Department of CPC Central Committee, said: "The reform and opening-up has been successful for the last 40 years because it was led by the CPC and tailored to the local environment. Such a Chinese model of development, in politics as in economic development, may be a welcome alternative for African countries."

And as African youth leaders say they are in the community of shared destiny, they just might find shared solutions.