Addis Ababa, 05 November 2026.– Africa’s young people must move beyond casting ballots to shaping decisions, Ethiopia’s Minister of Youth and Sports, Dr. Aklilu Tadesse, told the 2nd African Political Parties Summit.
Speaking at a session on women and youth leadership, the Minister said young people are not only the continent’s future but must lead today. He noted that more than 60% of Africa’s population is under 25, and argued that this demographic weight should translate into real influence over peacebuilding, policy-making and economic growth.
Dr. Aklilu said political parties across the continent should stop treating youth as campaign-season voters. Instead, he called on them to bring young people into direct decision-making roles that shape Africa’s prosperity.
He pointed to Ethiopia’s approach as an example, saying the country has placed young leaders in key government positions.
The summit brings together political parties from across Africa to discuss democratic governance and shared continental priorities.
