All-Africa Students Union begins 2013 Youth Summit
The third edition of the All-Africa Students Union (AASU) Youth Summit has began in Accra.
The six day summit, which is being attended by student delegations from 55 Africa countries, is on the theme: “The African Renaissance: looking back to move forward”.
Mr Fred Awaah, Secretary General of AASU, in his opening remarks, said the summit would be used to assess the current state of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and make projections on thematic areas of youth development for the United Nations (UN) Post 2015 Development agenda.
He said the summit would also discuss the issue of Information and Communication Technology based learning and quality assurance in Africa, including other topics that would shape the destiny of the youth on the continent.
Mr Awaah said after deliberations by participants, a policy document would be prepared and sent to all stakeholders for the necessary action.
Miss Cynthia Prah, National Information Officer at the UN Information Centre, said even though there was substantial progress by some African countries with regard to the achievements of MDGs, there were still a lot to be achieved especially in the area of poverty, hunger, diseases and gender equality.
She urged the participants to include in their deliberations issues on disability and international migration adding that members of AASU should hook on to the various social platforms by the UN in order to make their voices heard.
In a speech read on her behalf, Ms Hannah Tetteh, Minister for Foreign Affairs, said at the African Union Summit in May this year, African leaders pledged to eradicate diseases and poverty through education and training to propel Africa to a strategic position and called on the participants to support the leaders to achieve their targets.
She also called for a massive infrastructure development across the continent to ensure free movement of people and goods.
Ms Tetteh urged participants to take advantage of the Summit to draft a new constitution and also publish their communiqué in the media, with a copy sent to the leaders on the continent.
Mr Mark Nii Akwei Ankrah, Managing Director of State Housing Company, in his key note address, urged the youth to desist from thinking that they are mere spectators and powerless; and take the lead in the development of the continent.
Source: GNA