The Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) has officially launched its Youth Leaders Programme, a new initiative designed to strengthen leadership capacity among young people from five West African countries.

The programme, launched at the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA) in Accra, seeks to equip participants with the skills, knowledge and networks needed to contribute meaningfully to national development and regional cooperation.

Speaking at the launch, the Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to Ghana, H.E. Park Kyongsig, urged participants to embrace their responsibility as future leaders, stressing that while development partners can provide support, the future of Ghana ultimately rests in the hands of its citizens.

"The leader who leads the country should show the right way to their people. So when I see your eyes, I realize that you are the future leaders of your country. We are supporting you through KOICA. But the people who really lead your country is you, not us. We cannot do that," he said.

The ambassador noted that South Korea continues to invest significantly in Ghana's development, revealing that KOICA alone is providing 34 million US dollars in Official Development Assistance (ODA) to Ghana this year.

Also speaking at the ceremony, KOICA Headquarters official Sangback Lee explained that the Youth Leaders Programme is a newly introduced initiative targeting five West African countries.

"We newly launched a new programme, which is called Youth Leadership Programme, representing and including the five countries in West Africa. We emphasize that leadership is very important for the development of your own country, so that's why we made a new programme for the African countries," he said.

The Rector of GIMPA, Prof. Samuel Kwaku Bonsu, underscored the urgency of investing in Africa's young population, noting that the continent's demographic structure presents both an opportunity and a challenge.

"Close to maybe 60 to 70 percent of the people in Africa are below the age of 35. If we do not harness this resource well, we are going to lose it. We will not be able to create jobs for them, and they will also not be equipped to create jobs for themselves," he said.

He stressed that leadership development programmes such as the KOICA Youth Leaders Programme are critical in preparing young Africans to seize emerging opportunities, foster innovation and contribute to sustainable economic growth.

The initiative is expected to provide participants with leadership training, governance education and practical skills that will enable them to become agents of positive change within their communities and across the West African sub-region.