African Youth @ Forefront of Second New York Forum Africa

Over 1,500 participants (economic decision-makers, politicians, and international investors) and 10 Heads of State are meeting since Friday for the second edition of the New York Forum AFRICA which will continue until 16 June 2013 in Libreville, Gabon.

This forum aims at promoting inclusive economic development which, first and foremost, benefits young African people.

The second edition of the New York Forum Africa was inaugurated on Friday in Libreville by Ali Bongo Ondimba, President of the Republic of Gabon, and by Richard Attias, organiser and founder of the New York Forum.

Integration of African youth and economic growth of the continent were defined as the top priorities.

“The fact that we are instilling so much passion and energy into this Forum is for a single reason: for young Africans, of any sex”, stated Richard Attias at the opening of the Forum.

“Economic decision-makers and politicians should ensure that African youth is made a top priority”. To underline the urgent need for integration of youth into the African growth strategy, it is reiterated that some 150 million young people were unemployed across the entire continent.

“The priority of our continent is our youth. Economic growth is meaningless if young Africans cannot benefit from it. Growth should be inclusive and people-oriented”, underlined President Ali Bongo Ondimba.

In the presence of Heads of State from the Economic and Monetary Community of Central Africa (CEMAC), who were meeting in an Extraordinary Session on the fringe of the Forum, Ali Bongo issued words of encouragement to his African counterparts so as to “collectively rise to the challenge of transforming the continent, to break free from the spiral of under-development and poverty by relying on our own resources. We are resolute towards making a break. We, the African people, must no longer be mere spectators, but rather stakeholders in our own development”.

Whilst many experts consider African development to be the most promising in the 21st century, Larry Summers, Professor and former Advisor to President Clinton and President Obama, asked to take the floor following inauguration, underlined that “in a world where lending countries talk and borrowing countries listen, it is about time that Africa found its voice and the world listened. Senegal has a lower borrowing rate that Greece, and Ghana has a lower rate than Ireland, whilst Gabon has a lower borrowing rate than Belgium and Chile”.

The New York Forum Africa centres on several major themes focusing on economic and commercial issues for Africa today, amongst which figure trade, transparency, confidence, investment, infrastructure, and growth.