HON. BETHEL AMADI DESCRIBES YOUTH UNEMPLOYMENT AS AN EMERGING THREAT TO PEACE AND SECURITY IN AFRICA - ADDRESSES THE 4TH AFRICA-EUROPE HEADS OF STATE SUMMIT HELD IN BRUSSELS, BELGIUM.



HON. BETHEL AMADI DESCRIBES YOUTH UNEMPLOYMENT AS AN EMERGING THREAT TO PEACE AND SECURITY IN AFRICA
 - ADDRESSES THE 4TH AFRICA-EUROPE HEADS OF STATE SUMMIT HELD IN BRUSSELS, BELGIUM.

The President of the Pan African Parliament, His Excellency Hon Bethel Nnaemeka Amadi, has described youth unemployment as an emerging threat to peace and security in Africa. Addressing the 4th Summit of Europe and Africa Heads of State held in Brussels, Belgium Hon. Bethel Amadi stated that African Parliamentarians note with grave concern the unresolved conflicts and civil wars in Somalia, Congo DRC and Western Sahara and more recently Mali, South Sudan, Central Africa Republic and the upsurge in terrorist activities on the continent.
The Pan African Parliament President stated his shared recognition that achieving peace is a multidimensional endeavour and that peace can no longer be separated from the world’s development framework and should be one of the core dimensions of the new Joint Africa Europe Strategic framework. Considering the negative impact of conflict on development, Hon Amadi stated that there is an urgent need to address the root causes and drivers of violence and conflicts on the continent. The sustained commitment of the Joint Africa Europe Strategy to Africa`s security infrastructure embodies tremendous hope, especially as we embrace peace and security as a precursor for development and growth.
Hon Amadi stated that one emerging threat to peace and security in Africa is youth unemployment which is three times the continents overall unemployment average. Recent demographic figures show that by 2025, 25% of the global population of persons under the age of 25 years will be living in Africa. This youthful population could be a demographic dividend or a disaster in waiting.
He urged the leaders of Europe to embrace a more humane migration policy and stated that every year, thousands of young Africans risk life and limb to cross the Sahara desert and the Mediterranean Sea in a desperate effort to migrate to Europe. Many die in the process and most of those who make it to Europe end up as irregular migrants often facing physical and psychological abuse, imprisonment or become victims of international criminal gangs and thereby challenged Europe and Africa to develop mechanisms to curb this trend. “While we call on African leaders to provide an enabling environment and opportunity for our youths to realise their legitimate aspirations at home, we implore our European neighbours to evolve more favourable migration policy frameworks that would allow young Africans to migrate legally in pursuit of education, skills and opportunities” stated Amadi.

Hon Amadi proffered solution with his submission that one key response to youth unemployment and migration is increased intra Africa trade which has enormous potentials to foster economic growth on the continent. The current low level of intra Africa trade is a missed development opportunity given our abundant natural and human resources. He challenged the Heads of States to increase focus on value addition and product beneficiation to create sustainable economic development and prioritize infrastructure projects, energy, industrialisation, technology transfer and human capacity development on the new Joint Africa Europe Strategy.
Hon Amadi lampooned the recent Economic Partnership Agreements between the European Union and Africa´s sub-regional groups which is causing further fragmentation and impeding intra Africa trade opportunities. He expressed disappointment that while Africa seeks foreign Direct Investments, and despite huge exploitative tax exemptions being granted, none of the profits on these investments is retained in African economies and the magnitude of capital outflows, including illicit ones, remain serious obstacles to sustainable development.
Re-emphasizing his long term commitment to deepening democratic governance, Hon. Bethel Amadi stated that it is in recognition of the fact that democratic deficits lie at the core of state fragility, social and political violence that Africa and Europe should recommit to fight impunity, promote the protection of fundamental human rights, gender equality and the rule of law.
“Our priority remains for our leaders to provide African citizens with education, skills, healthcare, food security, employment opportunities in a peaceful and democratic environment and develop governance structures that are participatory, transparent and accountable to the citizens” stated Amadi.
He called on African leaders to accelerate the ratification and domestication of the African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance and all other African Union Human Rights legal instruments which he said is integral to consolidating Africa’s continued record of impressive economic growth with significant reductions in poverty levels, increased school enrolment and improved healthcare delivery.

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