Addis Ababa, July 31, 2023 (FBC) – At a Human Capital Development Summit in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania a seven-point declaration was adopted by African leaders and outlined how young contributions to development would evolve in the future.
It is to be recall that the Human Capital Development Summit in Dar es Salaam focused on the lack of employment options, particularly for recent graduates.
More than a dozen leaders and development collaborators from all around the continent attended.
Challenges hindering youth productivity, such as limited access to quality education, adolescent fertility, substance abuse, and child marriages, are identified, with leaders vowing to focus on key areas like education, skills development, technology, and gender equality.
In a statement read aloud by Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu, all leaders agreed that building human capital was essential to ensuring equitable and sustainable prosperity in Africa. “Investment in human beings through quality education, healthcare, nutrition, job creation, and skills development is necessary for improved social and economic outcomes,” President Samia said.
The president of Mozambique, Filipe Nyusi, said that his country was increasing the number of women in the labor force by making basic education and training mandatory. “If we invest in human capital and believe in gender equality, we will be able to overcome many of the challenges that face us,” he stated.
“We have a chance to transform our population explosion and youth bulge into a demographic dividend,” Kenyan president, William Ruto added.
“If the youth workforce is not used well, it will become a problem, so what we need is to implement strategic policies that will enable us to benefit from the dividend of human capital,” the president of São Tomé and Príncipe, Mr. Carlos Vila Nova, said.