YouthConnekt Africa Hub
Vision
Connecting African youth for socio-economic transformation.
Mission
YouthConnekt Africa Hub is a Pan-African platform that seeks to empower young people by enhancing their knowledge, experiences and skills while investing in their ideas, innovations and initiatives so that Africa makes progress in harnessing its demographic dividends by 2030.
YouthConnekt Africa Initiative has been endorsed by the African Union Executive Council as a model implementation framework of the Africa Youth Charter, with the YouthConnekt Africa Secretariat as its implementing partner.
We take a platform approach to solving challenging development issues by bringing the youth together with Heads of State, Policymakers, Business Leaders in the private sector and Development Partners to address the needs of the youth.
Our goals
Jobs & Entrepreneurship
Create 10 million jobs in sustainable job environments in emerging industries.
Gender
Develop sustainable initiatives & policies that reduce gender inequality in education, jobs, technology & leadership.
Education / Skills
Create 25 million opportunities through training & enrolment in workplaces.
Technology & Innovation
Connect incubation hubs across the continent & provide access to markets, capital & partnership opportunities. Nurture 5,000 digital ambassadors in every country in Africa. Connect & digitally empower 100,000,000 Africans.
Civic Participation & Leadership
Identify, nurture & grow 1 million leaders.
How are we getting there?
Policies
We bridge the gaps between nations by bringing together government leaders & policy influencer to share knowledge, exchange strategic ideas and implement policies to advance the achievement of goals for youth in alignment with the African Youth Charter and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
Programs
We identify existing programs aligned with the YouthConnekt Africa goals, and facilitate a platform to work together to achieve our common goals. These programs also assist in measuring, monitoring & maintaining successful initiatives aligned with the YouthConnekt objectives.
Partnerships
We seek partnerships with private sector, government institutions, civic society, development partners, and academia to deliver programs, bring other partners on board, innovate & provide solutions for implementation.
About the Summit
Over the last 6 years, the YouthConnekt Africa Summit, first hosted in Kigali in 2017, has grown to become Africa’s largest annual convening that connects youth from across the continent and beyond with policy influencers, political leaders, and public, private, and development sector institutions to engage, discuss, design, and accelerate youth empowerment efforts at a continental level.
Hosted by the Government of the Republic of Rwanda, in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), this 5th edition of the YouthConnekt Africa Summit aspires to deliver even more strongly this year, building on its unique convening power, rich conversations, to impact policies and investments made for continued youth development across the continent.
Inspired by the African Union’s theme of the year, this year’s summit will focus on building the resilience of young people on the African continent to accelerate human capital and socio-economic development.
Who is attending?
- Heads of State
- Ministers of Youth
- Governments Officials
- AU Commission Leaders
- Heads of Development Partners
- International Organizations
- Business leaders
- Innovation & Incubation labs
- Academia
- Youth (Entrepreneurs, youth leaders, innovators, students)
- Artists, youth in diaspora and youth living with disabilities
- Media
Thematic areas
- En Route to COP 27
- Youth Discourse for Peace
- Reimagining Business for Africa’s Cultural and Creative Industry and Sports Economy
- Leapfrogging into the Digital Era
- Made in Africa: The Future of Africa’s Production and Trade
- Forum on the Future of Agriculture and Food Systems in Africa
- Making the Case for Youth Mental and Sexual Health
What to expect
Over three days, 10,000+ delegates you will be able to participate in different activities aligned cutting across the thematic tracks
Thought leadership roundtables.
A seat at the big table with policy makers.
Xchange Lounges.
Connekt with like-minded change makers.
Masterclasses.
Learn. Elevate. Change the world.
Spotlight presentations.
Get inspired by trailblazers who shape our world.
High level Plenaries.
Discuss. Debate. Determine...your future.
Keynote Speakers
Usha Rao-Monari
Associate Administrator, UNDP
Chae Jin-Weon
Ambassador of Republic of Korea to Rwanda
Hon. Rosemary Mbabazi
Minister of Youth and Culture, Rwanda
Oulie Keita
Executive Director, YouthConnekt Africa Hub
Chido Mpemba
African Union Commission Chairperson's Evvoy, South Africa
Ms. Lydia Zigomo
Regional Director for UNFPA, East and Southern Africa
Maxime Houinato
Regional Director, UN Women East and Southern Africa Regional Office
Maxwell Gomera
Resident Representative for Rwanda, UNDP
Programme
Wednesday
12 October 2022
Pre-Summit Meetings
Thursday
13 October 2022
BK Arena
Friday
14 October 2022
Intare Conference Arena
Saturday
15 October 2022
Intare Conference Arena
8am - 8pm
10th -11th Oct: Accreditation for local delegates
12th Oct: Accreditation for international delegates
Venue: BK Arena
9am - 6pm
YouthConnekt Africa Technical Committee Meeting
Lead institution: YouthConnekt Africa Hub, MYCULTURE
Location: Lemigo
Format: Boardroom
Invitation only
YouthConnekt Fellows, Leadership Workshop
Lead institution: Mastercard Foundation, YouthConnekt Africa Hub
Location: Lemigo
Format: Boardroom
Climate Champions / Solve for Africa Workshop
Lead institution: UNDP Rwanda
Location: Lemigo
Format: Boardroom
AFCFTA Bootcamp
Lead institution: UNDP Africa
8am
Grand Opening
5pm - 10pm
City Immersion
6pm - 10pm
YouthConnekt Africa Banquet
Dinner for VIP Delegates: Government officials / Diplomatic corps / Private sector
Invite only
8.30am – 9.45am
Private Sector Roundtable
Room: Pavilion 2, Intare
Format: Breakfast
Invitation only
9am – 10am
A just transition to a more resilient, inclusive sustainable climate future for Africa.
Lead institution: UNDP, Rwanda Green Fund, Ministry of Environment.
Room: Auditorium, Intare
Format: Plenary
Opportunities for Youth Led SMEs in the AfCFTA
Room: Pavillion 2
9am – 11am
Youth Policy Room
Room: Gasabo, Intare
Topic: Building entrepreneurial ecosystems
Masterclasses: Ethical and Entrepreneurial Leadership
Room: Ubumwe, Intare
Format: Masterclass
Deal Room
Room: Karisimbi, Intare
Format: Pitch presentations
Masterclasses: I am an Entrepreneur
Lead institution: Zora Bots
Room: Amahoro, Intare
Format: Masterclass
Made in Africa Marketplace
Room: Exhibition Area
10am – 10.50am
The Future of Africa’s Agriculture and Food Systems
Lead institution: FAO, AGRA
Room: Auditorium, Intare
Format: Plenary
Sparking the Her- Volution in STEM: What it takes
Lead institution: UN Women
Room: Pavilion 2, Intare
Format: Panel
11am – 12.45pm
Investing in Young People’s Health: Access to Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) and Mental Health (MH)
Room: Auditorium, Intare
12.45pm – 2pm
Lunch
2pm – 3pm
Delivering innovative nancing for Youth Enterprise in Africa
Lead institution: Africa Development Bank (AfDB), YouthConnekt Africa Hub
Room: Auditorium, Intare
Format: Plenary
Youth Policy Rountable: Creative Economy 101
Room: Gasabo, Intare
Format: Roundtable
Masterclasses: Paving the way for the youth into the future Masterclass
Room: Karisimbi, Intare
Format: Masterclass
Masterclass: Experience Sharing by African Girls Can Code Initiative (AGCCI)
Lead institution: UNDP, Rwanda Green Fund, Ministry of Environment.
Room: Ubumwe, Intare
Format: Pitch presentations
Masterclasses: Fit for Finance
Room: Amahoro, Intare
Format: Masterclass
Shifting the African Development Narrative through Media.
Room: Pavillion1
3pm
Creating Opportunities for Africa’s Young People: Moving from rhetoric to action.
Lead institution: ONE Campaign
Room: Auditorium, Intare
Format: Plenary
3pm – 6pm
Hackathon Pitch: Ending Early and Unintended Pregnancies
Lead institution: UNFPA
Room: Karisimbi, Intare
YouthConnekt Africa Steering Committee
Room: Pavillion 2, Intare
Format: Boardroom
4pm – 6pm
Youth Innovators Networking
Room: Karisimbi Lobby
Driving Africa’s Development through Digital Leadership
Room: Gasabo
Masterclasses: Fit for Finance
Room: Ubumwe
Made in Africa Marketplace
Venue: Tents
4.30pm
Made in Africa Concert
Venue Intare Arena
Room: Auditorium
9.30am – 10.30am
Skilling for Africa’s Digital Economy Roundtable
Room: Pavilion 2, Intare
Format: Breakfast
Invitation only
10am – 11am
Leapfrogging into the Digital Era
Lead institution: Ministry of ICT & Innovation (Rwanda), YouthConnekt Africa Hub
Room: Auditorium, Intare
Format: Plenary
Masterclasses: African Union training on Mobilisation, Conversations, Advocacy and Partnerships
Room: Gasabo, Intare
Masterclasses: Boosting youth engagement through job matching and skilling
Room: Ubumwe
Session Lead: Generation Unlimited
Masterclasses: A youth driven approach to address mental health challenges for social cohesion
Room: Amahoro
Made in Africa Marketplace
Room: Exhibition Area
10am – 12pm
Re-imagining Business for Africa’s CCI & Sports Economies
Session Lead: MYCULTURE, Imbuto Foundation
Room: Auditorium
2pm – 4pm
Grand Closing Ceremony
Format: Plenary
5pm
City Immersion
Format: City tour, Partner Activities
Session Lead: City of Kigali
Our partners
