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HE Chido C Mpemba has made Zimbabwe proud by sharing the podium with the Deputy Secretary General of the United Nations (UN) HE Amina J Mohammed and the Botswana President HE Dr. Mokweetsi Eric Keabetswe Masisi at the world body meeting in New York.
Mpemba who is serving as the chairperson of the Cabinet and special envoy on youth is also the youngest diplomat at the African Union.
Speaking at the meeting which was running under the theme ‘Building on the 2030 Agenda and the continent’s Agenda 2063: Africa We Want, said the dialogue discussed best policy practices and lessons learned, reflecting on actions needed to close gaps. Mpemba acknowledged the prevailing challenges being faced by the African youth.
‘Young people across the world, especially in Africa, have been confronted with an increasingly complex socio-economic and political context which is hindering their development.
‘Some of these challenges include extensive poverty, limited access to education, lack of employment opportunities, limited benefits from globalization, negative effects of climate change, peace and security challenges, violent extremism, forced migration, and lack of access to decent healthcare, to name just a few,’ she said.
Mpemba, however, emphasized the need to revisit the topic of African youth contributions to the continent and global development goals, as articulated in the AU Agenda 2063: The Africa we want and the UN sustainable development goals (SDGs).
She also saluted the resilience of African youth and their penchant for innovation.
‘Young people, by virtue of their energy, vibe, and adaptability, gravitate to the forefront of creating new, fresh solutions to problems,’ added Mpemba.
At the forefront of her mission, since she assumed office, Mpemba has made remarkable progress in advocating for political commitments and policy recommendations to Africa’s decision-makers on youth issues.
She is set to arrive in Zimbabwe this coming week where she will be leading the African Union delegation ahead of the AU High-level SADC ministerial meeting.