{"id":23666,"date":"2017-05-04T21:00:25","date_gmt":"2017-05-04T21:00:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.one.org\/africa\/?post_type=one_press&p=23666"},"modified":"2017-05-04T21:00:25","modified_gmt":"2017-05-04T21:00:25","slug":"african-governments-must-double-youth-investments-or-face-looming-crisis","status":"publish","type":"one_press","link":"https:\/\/www.one.org\/africa\/press\/african-governments-must-double-youth-investments-or-face-looming-crisis\/","title":{"rendered":"African governments must double youth investments or face looming crisis"},"content":{"rendered":"

World Economic Forum, Durban, South Africa: the ONE Campaign urges African governments to increase investments in Africa\u2019s exploding youth population, focused on education, employment and empowerment or face deeper poverty and widespread instability.<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

DURBAN, South Africa – ONE urges African leaders attending the World Economic Forum on Africa (WEFA) to take bold actions to reap the benefits of Africa\u2019s fast-growing population, estimated to almost double by 2050. WEFA\u2019s meeting of regional and global leaders from business, government and civil society focused on economic development opportunities issues facing the continent. ONE is calling on African governments to urgently increase and implement investments in young people between 2017 and 2020 to avoid plunging the continent into a crisis.<\/span><\/p>\n

The African continent stands to add $15 trillion to its economy over the next 30 years, but these gains are largely dependent on governments making investments now to ensure that young people have the skills they need to contribute to the workforce, as well as job opportunities, and health, social and financial support.\u00a0Turning the increase in Africa\u2019s population into concrete benefits will require smart policies and investments in education, employment and empowerment, particularly for women and young people, who face additional barriers to completing their education, entering and advancing within the workforce, and achieving overall empowerment.<\/span><\/p>\n

ONE recommends a doubling of development financing from the current $60 billion to $120 b<\/span>illion by 2020 to meet the needs of the continent\u2019s growing population<\/span>. African governments should be at the forefront of making these investments with development partners backing them.<\/span><\/p>\n

If African leaders invest with ambition, urgency and efficiency between 2017 and 2020, the continent\u2019s youth can drive a surge in inclusive growth that will benefit the world as a whole. If they do not, the world might witness a colossal socially destabilising effect of nations driven by a massive hopeless and disenfranchised youth population, with severe consequences for continental and global security.<\/span><\/p>\n

ONE Africa Interim Director, Nachilala Nkombo said:<\/b>\u00a0\u201cAfrica heads of states at their July 2017 AU summit must agree on a set of investment targets to be made starting from 2017-2020 required to prevent a demographic\u00a0disaster and ensure a dividend. Africa states urgently need the implementation of smart policies and targeted investments that focus on delivering education, employment and empowerment for its exploding youth population. \u00a0Failure by our governments to grasp this opportunity will result in increased deepened poverty, conflicts, terrorism and famine that will spill over individual country\u2019s\u00a0borders.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAs the G20 focuses on Africa this year, it is important that they focus their partnerships and Compacts with Africa between 2017 – 2020 on investments and reforms that will accelerate the creation of millions of opportunities and jobs for Africa\u2019s exploding population.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Notes to editors<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n