UN chief sees young Africans vital to sustainable development

UN Secretary-general Ban Ki- moon on Wednesday said that Africa's young people are vital to sustainable development in the continent, where progress in anti- poverty efforts "remains fragile."

Ban, who is in Ethiopia on Wednesday on a visit, made the statement in his message to mark Africa Day, which falls on May 25, calling on Africa to take advantage of the skills and talents of its youth to promote sustainable development.

The secretary-general spent Africa Day in Ethiopia, his final leg of a three-country, five-day visit to the continent, which has also taken him to Cote d'Ivoire and Nigeria, according to UN sources at the New York Headquarters.

"Empowering youth is essential for sustainable economic growth and sustainable management of the Earth's ecosystems and resources; the clear challenge for many countries now is to pay just as much attention to sustainable political progress," Ban said.

"I am marking Africa Day this year with a visit to the continent aimed at mobilizing global support for reducing child and maternal mortality rates," the secretary-general said. " Progress in this area has been slower than it is on all the other Millennium Development Goals, despite proven policies, practices and technologies."

"Our new Global Strategy for Women's and Children's Health aims to save millions of lives by bringing together all relevant partners and scaling up what works, including many home-grown African strategies for success," he said.

"On Africa Day, we recognize the people and promise of Africa," he said. "The continent has just experienced a decade of rapid economic growth -- a stark contrast to the stagnation and reversals of previous years."

"Many of the world's fastest-growing economies are in sub- Saharan Africa, and attractive investment opportunities are proliferating," he said. "Africa has also made gains in consolidating democracy. The United Nations will continue to support the African people's efforts to realize their right to choose their own leaders and ensure that elections are a route to peace, not violence."

Africa Day, originally known as "Africa Freedom Day" or " African Liberation Day," commemorates the founding of the Organization of African Unity, which is now the African Union, on May 25, 1963 by the then 30 newly independent African countries.

The theme of this year's observance of the Day is "Accelerating Youth Empowerment for Sustainable Development."

The theme "highlights one of Africa's greatest untapped resources: its young people," Ban said. "Africa is the world's youngest continent; 70 percent of the population is under the age of 30."

"Despite advances in education and economic growth, progress remains fragile, inequalities are widespread and young Africans face major difficulties in finding decent jobs and participating in decision-making," he said.

"As Africans strive to overcome threats to peace and development, the continent will continue to need strong and dedicated support from all its partners," Ban said. "On Africa Day, let us reaffirm our commitment to work in partnership with Africans of all ages to realize their potential by building an environment conducive to prosperity, democracy and peace."

Posted in: UN chief sees young Africans vital to sustainable development