Cairo, Egypt: 1 - 11 December 2019: “We charge you to be builders, transformers, changemakers, to be the ones who carry our continent forward and steer us towards the Africa We Want”. The Commissioner of the Human Resources, Science and Technology Department (HRST), H.E Prof. Sarah Anyang Agbor remarked at the closing ceremony of the African Union Youth Volunteer Corps Training.

The AU-YVC 10th Cohort was trained on Pan-Africanism, the power of service and youth empowerment, amongst other things. The training focused on imparting skills, knowledge, creativity and learning in order to build a more integrated Continent and contributing towards strengthening Africa’s relevance in the globalized world.

The two-weeks long training culminated in a spectacular closing ceremony, punctuated by AUYVCs adorned in their traditional attire, a captivating musical performance and awarding of certificates.

The Commissioner commended the trainers who ensured the youth volunteers were engaged in all their sessions as well as recognized the efforts of the Youth Division team, led by Head of Division Ms Prudence Ngwenya. She further acknowledged the efforts of African Union Chairperson’s, H.E President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi. “His programmes and policies are pro-youth and he deserves applause for his commitment. We need to start talking and actualizing the African Dream, and if we do this our youth will no longer die in the Sahara or the Mediterranean. If leaders create a conducive environment we will see this come to pass.” H.E Commissioner said.

The Egypt’s Deputy Assistant Foreign Affairs Minister for Organizations and Communities, Ambassador Mohammed Karim Fouad Sherif also spoke at the ceremony saying, “With 65% of the African continent being young people and Africa having the largest number of young people, Egypt realizes the important role of the African youth. Egypt is a young country and we are proud that we belong to Africa. I invite you all, as the young people of Africa, to work together in bringing about a promising future for coming generations’’.

AU-YVC promotes professional volunteering and volunteering through giving back for the purpose of deepening the status of young people in Africa as key agents of change in the delivery of Africa’s goals. On the 5th of December 2019, during the International Volunteer Day, the 10th Cohort participated in community service where they cleaned the Nile and planted trees in order to cement the values of a spirit of service in volunteerism.

‘’It is the African youth’s responsibility to implement the development plans that we have in place. The African youth is responsible for making Africa’s vision come to fruition and to present Africa to the global landscape as one continent with one voice’’ said Historian, Prof. Sayed Feifel, in his Goodwill message to the youth.

Following the pre-deployment training, the young professionals were encouraged to continue taking forward the tenets of the AU-YVC programme every day and every year in all they do. The young professionals were further encouraged to move the continent forward through acting as ambassadors for the African Continent.

Note to Editors

The AU-YVC is a continental development program that recruits and works with youth volunteers, who are deployed to work across the continent for various African union organ, agencies and partners. The program promotes volunteering to deepen the status of young people in Africa as key participants in the delivery of Africa's human development targets and goals. It brings people together to share skills, knowledge, creativity and learning to build a more integrated Continent and by implication strengthen Africa's relevance in the globalized world.

Prior to their deployment, AU Youth Volunteers take part in a mandatory two weeks long pre-deployment training to adequately prepare them for their role as African Union youth champions.

The overall objectives of the training are:
• Establishing a common understanding of the values and philosophy of the AUYVC;
• Build leadership and professional ability of AU-YVC and to;
• Prepare volunteers for their one-year service to the African Union.

The AU-YVC is the biggest volunteer program in Africa, was launched in 2010. The program brings to life Agenda 2063’s aspiration 6 which calls for all African citizens to be actively involved in decision making in all aspects as well as H.E Moussa Faki Mahamat’s youth flagship project 1 Million by 2021 initiative which aims at equipping young professionals required to build the Africa we want https://au.int/en/agenda2063/aspirations

Media Contact: Nontobeko Tshabalala / Communications Officer / E-mail: NontobekoT@africa-union.org

For further information: Faith Adhiambo| Communications Officer, Directorate of Information and Communication, African Union Commission | E-mail: OchiengJ@africa-union.org