African Youth SDGs Summit has announced the appointment of eight distinguished personalities as Patrons of the 2018 Summit edition. 

Ms Namhla Mniki-Mangaliso, Director, African Monitor, South Africa; Titilayo Fafoumi,Fellow, Mandela Washington Fellowship, Benin; Frank Annoh-Dompreh,MP and Chairman, Parliamentary Committee on Foreign Affairs, Ghana and Liliane Kambirigi-Sebatigita,Communication & Media Relations Advisor, UN Retiree, Belgium.

Others to give goodwill support to the organizers, are Dr. Lawalley Cole, Coordinator, Working Group on Communication for Education & Development, African Union, Ethiopia; Edith Esinam Asamani, Children, Youth and Gender Advocate, Ghana; Elone Natumanya Ainebyoona, Coordinator, Uganda Parliamentary Forum on Youth Affairs UPFYA, Uganda and Dr. Mohamed Said Saadi-Economist and Independent Consultant, Morocco.

The Convener of the Summit, Emmanuel Ametepey noted that the position and role of the Summit Patrons is to “mobilize and activate voices and support of more champions and testimonials through examples that current and future leaders could learn from”.

“It is important to bring in such an array of experiences and individuals who believe in and support youth actions towards the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Agenda 2063 and to inspire the summit and its attendees to do more towards transforming our continent and countries’’, he added.

Emmanuel emphasized that “the patrons are on board to further give impetus to the summit outcomes, ensuring that leaders at all levels do not only receive but also take steps to implement these recommendations and outcomes”. 

The African Youth SDGs Summit series started in 2017 with the goal to provide a platform for dialogue on youth inclusion and participation in Africa’s social, economic and political systems. 

The 2018 edition is scheduled to take place in Accra, Ghana, and co-hosted by 2030 Youth Alliance and UNFPA under the auspices of Ghana’s Ministry of Planning in cooperation with UNDP, UN SDG Action Campaign, Germany and SDGs Advisory Unit under the Office of the President, Ghana-a unit supporting the global role of the President, His Excellency Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo as Co-Chair of UN Secretary General`s Eminent Group of Advocates on the SDGs.

The summit will attract 1,000 participants from across Africa and beyond and will address SDGs themes such as Health, Education, Gender Equality, Water & Sanitation, Employment and Partnership.