The future's bright, young and African: Gathige Wa Maina of Youth Motion Kenya explains why the voice of youth must be heard in an inclusive African Continental Free Trade Area.

• Date: 01 July 2020
• Author: Brown, Matt

People under age 35 currently compose three-quarters of the population of Africa, making it the world's most youthful continent. A critical aim of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) is to increase economic opportunity for young people.

For Gathige Wa Maina of Youth Motion Kenya, explaining to young people how best to exploit this opportunity is a priority. He sees the new dispensation in generational terms.

'The elders of today have gifted to us a baby AfCFTA,' he said. 'The youth of today will seek association and help the fathers to grow the baby. The children of today - the youth of tomorrow - are the ones to mentor the adolescent AfCFTA and see its transition to adulthood.'

Maina, who describes himself as Youth Motion Kenya's 'chief dreamer', thinks the promise of more open trade in Africa will mean nothing unless it expands entrepreneurialism and creates more and better jobs for generations of young people in Africa.

'As Africa strives to anchor its positioning in the global arena strongly, its demographic dividend - youth and children - should be its capital since they are at least 65% of the population,' he said. 'Sharing information about new trade opportunities through existing structures or new innovative efforts can inspire youth entrepreneurs at the grassroots level in Africa.'

Youth...