WYF: "Harnessing Demographic Dividend through Investments in Youth"

SHARM EL SHEIKH, Egypt - 6 November 2017: A session dubbed "Harnessing the Demographic Dividend through Investments in Youth" kicked off Monday on the sidelines of the World Youth Forum (WYF), currently taking place in the Red Sea resort city of Sharm El Shiekh.

President Abdel Fattah El Sisi attended the session alongside Gabon President Ali Bongo Ondimba, Senegalese Prime Minister Mahammed Dionne and Prime Minister of Equatorial Guinea Francisco Pascual Obama.

Attending the session are also Sudan's Youth and Sport Minister Abdul Karim Musa, Nigerian and Ethiopian youth ministers, along with UN and AU officials.

"Education is of special importance to the African continent, all governments stresses its significance. We adopted key polices meant to develop education," Gabon President Ondimba said.

He asserted that education should be mandatory for students less than 16 years, without discriminating between females and males.

Addressing the session, Nigerian Youth and sports Minister Solomon Dalong said that African countries should capitalize on their capabilities and youths, besides meeting all their needs.

African leaderships should harness the demographic dividend through investments in youth, the Nigerian minister pointed out.

Dalong, meanwhile, hailed President Abdel Fatah Al-Sisi's role in hosting the well-organized youth forum that seeks bridging the gap between society and youths.