Africa’s challenges of Insecurity stems from Poverty, massive Youth Unemployment – AfDB President
The President of the African Development Bank (AfDB), Mr Akinwumi Adesina, has identified youth unemployment and poverty as the factors driving insecurity and migration on the continent.
Adesina, in a statement issued by the bank on Friday, said this at a Diplomatic Luncheon he hosted for Ambassadors in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire.
He said: “Youth unemployment and poverty are among the factors that drive insecurity as well as migration. The AfDB is tackling this issue through its Jobs for Youth in Africa strategy.
“I do not believe that the future of Africa’s youth lies in Europe, USA, Latin America, Asia, or anywhere else in the world. Their future must lie in an Africa that is growing well, with inclusive growth, and able to deliver quality jobs and livelihoods for its youth,” Adesina said.
According to him, Africa’s demographic asset, with 477 million youths under the age of 35, should not become a global externality.
He said the aim of the bank’s Jobs for Youth in Africa strategy was to create 25 million jobs and to provide skills for 50 million young people.
“I am delighted that the Independent Development Evaluation Department of AfDB found that the bank’s work has created 12 million jobs already, three million directly and nine million indirectly.
“The bank is implementing several initiatives to expand economic opportunities and skills enhancement for the youths.
“This includes Technical and Vocational Training, Computer Coding for Employment, as well as Enable Youth programme in agriculture to develop entrepreneurs in food and agriculture,” he said.
Adesina said tAfDB’s Enable Youth programme, with financing of $490 million, had already developed 41,000 youth entrepreneurs in agriculture and created over 63,000 direct jobs.
