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| African Union Youth Envoy | |
|---|---|
| Name | African Union Youth Envoy |
| Office | Special Representative for Youth Affairs |
| Appointing authority | African Union Commission |
| Formation | 2018 |
African Union Youth Envoy
The African Union Youth Envoy serves as a senior African Union Commission official charged with youth engagement across the African Union's policy frameworks, coordinating with United Nations, African Development Bank, European Union, Economic Community of West African States, and civil society actors. The office links continental instruments such as the African Youth Charter, the Agenda 2063 framework, the Sustainable Development Goals, the New Partnership for Africa's Development, and regional economic communities including Southern African Development Community, Intergovernmental Authority on Development, and Economic Community of Central African States.
The position operates within the African Union Commission structure alongside commissioners like the Chairperson of the African Union Commission and coordinates with organs such as the African Union Peace and Security Council, the African Union Executive Council, the Pan-African Parliament, the African Court on Human and Peoples' Rights, and the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights. The office interfaces with multilateral partners including the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, the World Bank, International Monetary Fund, the United Nations Population Fund, and global youth networks like the Commonwealth Youth Council, African Youth Charter Coalition, and YouWin!-style programs. Notable personalities who have influenced youth policy on the continent include Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, Kofi Annan, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Wangari Maathai, and Macky Sall.
The creation of the role traces to continental commitments at summits such as the AU Summit (2015), the adoption of Agenda 2063 during the African Union Summit (2013), and follow-up declarations influenced by the United Nations World Programme of Action for Youth and the African Youth Charter (2006). Momentum grew after engagements with the United Nations Youth Envoy office, consultations with the African Development Bank and advocacy from networks including Pan-African Youth Union, Youth for Peace Network, Malala Fund, and regional organizations like West African Youth Network. The inaugural holder was appointed following policy proposals debated at venues like the African Union Summit (2018) and endorsed by commissioners from states including Rwanda, South Africa, Nigeria, Kenya, and Ethiopia.
The mandate centers on advancing youth inclusion in continental policy instruments including Agenda 2063, the African Youth Charter, the AU Agenda 2063 Flagship Projects, the Protocol on Free Movement of Persons, and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). Functions encompass advocacy with bodies such as the African Peer Review Mechanism, capacity-building through collaborations with United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, policy advice to the AU Chairperson, convening youth-led delegations to the United Nations General Assembly, and supporting initiatives by institutions like the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Rockefeller Foundation, Open Society Foundations, and Mastercard Foundation. The office also liaises with academic institutions including University of Cape Town, Makerere University, University of Nairobi, University of Ibadan, and University of Pretoria.
Appointments are made by the Chairperson of the African Union Commission in consultation with the African Union Executive Council and endorsed at sessions involving representatives from member states such as Algeria, Egypt, Morocco, Tunisia, Ghana, Senegal, Cameroon, Angola, and Mozambique. Tenure norms align with AU staffing policies found in instruments like the Constitutive Act of the African Union and internal procedural rules modeled on practices from organizations like the United Nations Secretariat and the African Development Bank. Successors have emerged through public competitions, endorsements by coalitions including the Pan-African Parliament youth caucus, and selections informed by recommendations from networks such as African Youth Charter Coalition and Global Shapers Community.
Signature initiatives have included continental youth consultations linked to the Africa Climate Summit, entrepreneurship programs aligned with the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), skills development partnerships with UNICEF and ILO, peacebuilding projects coordinated with the African Standby Force and African Union Peace and Security Architecture, and digital inclusion efforts in tandem with ITU and private sector actors like MTN Group, Safaricom, Airtel Africa, Google, Microsoft, and Facebook. Programs also support campaigns inspired by movements such as #BringBackOurGirls, HeForShe, and Fridays for Future, and leverage funding mechanisms from donors like the European Investment Bank, African Development Bank, UNDP, and philanthropic partners including the Ford Foundation.
The office maintains partnerships with intergovernmental bodies including United Nations, European Union, African Development Bank, Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States, Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa, Economic Community of West African States, and civil society actors like Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, Oxfam, CIVICUS, and youth platforms such as Youth Policy Labs, YouthLead, Restless Development, and One Young World. It convenes dialogues with corporate partners including Tony Elumelu Foundation, African Export-Import Bank, Standard Bank, and academic networks like the Association of African Universities.
Critiques often target the office's limited budgetary authority relative to AU organs such as the Peace and Security Council and perceived gaps in accountability compared with frameworks like the African Peer Review Mechanism and Open Government Partnership. Observers from think tanks including Brookings Institution, Chatham House, International Crisis Group, Center for Strategic and International Studies, and regional research institutes such as the Institute for Security Studies (South Africa) and AUSTRA have highlighted challenges in scaling programs across diverse member states like Sudan, South Sudan, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Somalia, and Central African Republic. Operational constraints include coordination across regional economic communities, donor dependence linked to entities like the European Commission and United Nations Development Programme, and politicization amid electoral cycles involving leaders such as President Muhammadu Buhari, President Cyril Ramaphosa, and President Félix Tshisekedi.