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In December of 2022, a coalition of African youth entrepreneurs announced the launch of the Afrikan Youth Business Council (AfYBC). A continental umbrella body of youth-led private sector entities, institutions and associations to advocate for a youth-friendly business policy environment under the African Continental Free Trade Area(AfCFTA).
The AfYBC was officially launched at the East African Community (EAC) Headquarters in Arusha, Tanzania, on the sidelines of the 2022 YouLead Summit on its 6th edition. The YouLead summit is one of Africa’s most diverse youth events.
While launching the AfYBC, the African Union Commissioner for Economic Development, Trade, Tourism, Industry and Minerals (ETTIM), Amb. Albert Muchanga, urged young African entrepreneurs to use innovation to their advantage and leverage partnerships to create smart solutions for the continent’s most pressing development challenges.
“Today, you will also be launching the Afrikan Youth Business Council – A continental apex body for youth-led private sector entities, institutions, and associations in Africa, advocating for a youth-friendly business policy environment, aimed at making AfCFTA Promises to African youth a reality. I understand and acknowledge the challenging macroeconomic environment that Africa and the world find themselves in at the moment. This should be the ultimate goal of the Afrikan Youth Business Council. Secondly, the Afrikan Youth Business Council can provide an opportunity for collaboration and value-chain development. An agricultural startup in Nigeria can easily collaborate with a peer company in Kenya, while a medical supplies startup in Egypt could easily source raw materials and natural extracts from the DRC, or Guinea. This is the kind of real-life collaboration we hope to see,” the commissioner told the youth delegates.
“Our mission is to become the leading youth-led continental private sector organisation advocating for youth-friendly economic and trade policies, promoting fair trade, fair competition, and connectivity for youth-led enterprises. The AfYBC will leverage the entrepreneurial ingenuity of Africa’s youth to drive cross-border trade in goods and services and make youth crucial contributors to the continent’s socioeconomic transformation,” said Leah Nduati, AfYBC’s interim president.
Since launching, in December, the council has attracted over two hundred membership applications from across the continent and has begun engagements with partner organisations as it rolls out its 2023 strategic agenda.
For more information about the AfYBC send an email to: youthbusinesscouncil@youlead.africa