breaking the ice

It is impossible to describe a process that lasted over a year and that was based on 5 regional consultations in Africa and Europe including the African Diaspora. Henceforth I will share the 3 key elements of our work that are the basis for all our recommendations, the 3 elements are:
What can we, as youth organisations offer?
What are the basic requirements we have?
What are we asking from you?

Youth organisations offer an outreach and multiplying effect and therefore play a key role in reducing the gap between where decisions are made and where they are implemented. We are engaged in opening up political processes at all levels, and making them accessible to young people. Our wish and ability is to contribute with a spirit of enquiry, new thinking and competence. While the list of problems that need to be tackled continues to grow, the willingness and enthusiasm of young people to contribute to the global partnership for development remains unbroken.

The basic requirement for this work is more support. True cooperation between African and European youth needs a reliable framework, needs programmes to support both – people to people exchange and political coordination. If we want to make sure the concerns and challenges of young people are addressed it needs to be possible that youth organisations can meet and work with each other. It is indispensable that young people are heard and listened to in policy development. Youth organisations need to be partners when policies are defined, implemented, monitored and evaluated.

Therefore it is essential that you life up to the targets you have already set for your countries. The slow and delayed progress in achieving the Millennium Development Goals is, frankly speaking, a major disappointment for all, and particularly, for the youth of the world: this failure in acting to solve humanity’s most agonising problems is unsatisfactory and dangerous. In addition it is high time that the European Youth Pact is implemented at all levels and the African Youth Charter is ratified by ever more states. We hope the Africa – EU strategy will be a tool to support the attainment of existing commitments.

Dear Excellencies - let me conclude:
It is imperative to cooperate with youth organisations.
It is fundamental to have more and better youth exchanges.
It is indispensable that you fulfil your own promises.