By Linda Naa Deide Aryeetey, GNA
Accra, July 6, GNA – Dr Zenator Agyeman-Rawlings, Second Vice-President of the Pan-African Parliament, has urged African youth to champion peace, justice and inclusive governance to help safeguard the continent’s future.
She said Africa’s progress depended on young people taking active leadership roles in promoting peace and accountable governance.
Dr Agyeman-Rawlings made the call at the opening of the Sixth African Youth Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Summit in Accra.
The three-day summit, organised by Youth Advocates Ghana, brought together youth leaders, policymakers, development partners and representatives of international organisations from across Africa and the diaspora.
Dr Agyeman-Rawlings urged young Africans to become ambassadors for peace, justice and inclusivity.
“Do not stand aside when you see the wrong thing being done, even if it doesn’t affect you right away. Silence allows injustice to flourish until entire communities become victims,” she said.
Mr Emmanuel Ametepey, Convener of the African Youth SDGs Summit and Executive Director of Youth Advocates Ghana, described the gathering as one of Africa’s largest youth-led platforms advancing the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
Held on the theme: “Reimagining Africa through Youth-Driven Solutions,” the summit seeks to position young Africans as architects of the continent’s development rather than passive beneficiaries of external interventions.
Mr Ametepey said the summit was founded on the conviction that young Africans should not merely be consulted but should actively shape development policies and decisions affecting their future.
“Africa’s future is not an inheritance; it is a construction project, and young people are the builders,” he said.
Mr Ametepey noted that with only four years remaining to the 2030 deadline for achieving the SDGs, many targets relating to climate action, education, health, gender equality, governance and poverty reduction remained off track.
He said the summit would provide a platform for policy dialogue, innovation, networking and collaboration among young leaders across the continent.
Mr Ametepey urged governments, development partners and international organisations to translate the summit’s recommendations into concrete actions, stressing that young people were demanding accountability rather than symbolic participation.
The Sixth African Youth SDGs Summit is expected to strengthen collaboration among young leaders across the continent while promoting innovative solutions to accelerate Africa’s progress towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030.
Activities at the conference include high-level panel discussions, workshops, exhibitions, the African Youth SDGs Awards and the presentation of the African Youth SDGs Declaration 2026, which contains policy recommendations to be submitted to African governments, the African Union and the United Nations.
GNA
Edited by Kenneth Sackey
Reporter: Linda Naa Deide Aryeetey
Email: [email protected]