Africa’s future depends on giving young people a seat at the decision-making table.
At the 5th Annual Agenda 2063 Symposium, leaders from government, continental institutions and the private sector explored how youth leadership, accountable governance and economic opportunity can move Africa’s development ambitions into action.
Africa has no shortage of development ambitions. The challenge lies in turning them into opportunities that young people can see, access and contribute to. From unemployment and limited business financing to public accountability and sustainable industrialisation, the decisions made today will shape the continent’s future.
These issues took centre stage at the 5th Annual Agenda 2063 Symposium, hosted by Junior Chamber International (JCI) Sandton on 5 September 2026 at Birchwood Hotel OR Tambo Conference Centre in Johannesburg.
Held under the theme “Governance, Peace and Sustainable Development,” the symposium brought together representatives from The Presidency of South Africa, the African Union Development Agency – New Partnership for Africa’s Development (AUDA-NEPAD), the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM), Afrobarometer, Uganda’s National Planning Authority and the private sector.
The discussions centred on a question that continues to confront African institutions and young leaders alike: how can the continent translate its development commitments into meaningful, measurable progress?
For 2026 JCI Sandton Local President Chris Malanda, the answer begins with participation, collaboration and a willingness to turn conversations into action.
“The Africa we want will not be built by someone else,” Malanda said, challenging delegates to engage with different perspectives, build meaningful connections and leave with commitments they could put into practice.
He emphasised that the real measure of the symposium would be the partnerships formed, commitments honoured and actions taken after the event.
Turning Africa’s Commitments into Action
Delivering the opening address on behalf of The Presidency of South Africa, Pulane Kole, Acting Head (DDG) in the Presidency’s Policy and Research Services, highlighted implementation as a central challenge facing the continent.
Africa has established commitments on youth development, governance and peace. The priority, however, is ensuring these commitments translate into tangible outcomes.
Kole proposed practical measures, including connecting young people’s skills to income-generating opportunities, funding youth-led peacebuilding initiatives, expanding young entrepreneurs’ access to African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) markets and public procurement, and introducing an annual public youth scorecard to track progress under Agenda 2063.
Her contribution brought attention to the scale of South Africa’s unemployment challenge. Statistics South Africa figures cited during the symposium placed the national unemployment rate at 33.6% in the second quarter of 2026, rising to approximately 62.8% among young people aged 15 to 24.
These figures underline the importance of creating pathways into employment, entrepreneurship and meaningful economic participation.
Linton Mchunu, Senior Advisor to the CEO of AUDA-NEPAD, addressed the role of continental institutions in translating African Union decisions into development programmes.
He reported that the agency’s programming had reached all 55 African Union member states in the previous year. He also highlighted the growth of its portfolio from approximately US$30 million to more than US$300 million over four years, with a target of US$1 billion by 2029.
Mchunu further pointed to Africa’s estimated US$3.3 trillion development financing gap, highlighting the scale of investment needed to advance the continent’s development priorities.
Governance Must Give Citizens a Voice
Accountability was another major theme, with discussions exploring how institutions can become more transparent, responsive and effective.
Chrissy Dube, Senior Project Manager with Project Management South Africa, contributed to the conversations on governance and institutional performance. The broader discussion emphasised the need for institutions grounded in transparency, accountability and independence, alongside citizens who are empowered to influence decisions rather than simply being consulted.
Asafika Mpako, Communications Coordinator for Southern Africa at Afrobarometer, presented survey findings from 38 African countries examining public attitudes towards democracy, trust in institutions, corruption and unemployment across different age groups.
The findings offered insight into how citizens experience governance and the issues they expect leaders to address.
Samuel Samson Omwa, Assistant Coordinator for SDG Mainstreaming and Partnerships at Uganda’s National Planning Authority, highlighted the importance of public participation beyond election periods.
According to figures presented during the symposium, 94% of citizens in Uganda were aware of their right to vote, but only 30% felt empowered to demand accountability. Just 16% had been informed about how public funds were used.
These figures raise important questions about the relationship between democratic participation and access to information. Awareness of voting rights is important, but citizens also need the information, confidence and mechanisms required to hold public institutions accountable throughout the electoral cycle.
The symposium also featured Sarah Hamouda, Senior Continental Governance Officer at the African Peer Review Mechanism, bringing a continental governance perspective to the gathering.
Advocate Ras Sipho Gideon Mantula, a member of South Africa’s Commission for the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Cultural, Religious and Linguistic Communities, offered a Pan-African perspective grounded in peace, education, youth leadership and indigenous African traditions.
His contribution highlighted the role of Ubuntu and universities in developing democratic citizenship and strengthening the values needed to support Africa’s future.
Building an Economy Young Africans Can Enter
The symposium’s economic discussions focused on how entrepreneurship, sustainable industries and regional trade could create opportunities for young Africans.
Thulani Sandile Sithole, Founder and Managing Director of Mondise Innovations, made the case for the circular economy as a strategy for industrialisation and job creation. He highlighted the potential of the AfCFTA to give African businesses access to a larger continental market.
“Circular economy creates the value. AfCFTA creates the scale,” Sithole said.
The argument connects sustainable production with the opportunity to build industries, create jobs and help businesses expand beyond their domestic markets.
Jovi Chen, Founder and CEO of Zen Consortium, turned attention to the financing challenges facing small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
Citing an African Development Bank estimate, Chen highlighted an annual SME financing gap of approximately US$330 billion across sub-Saharan Africa. He argued that African entrepreneurs were not short of ability, but often lacked the funding required to grow their businesses.
“The entrepreneurs are already building the Africa we want,” he said, calling on corporates and investors to make SME investment a core part of their strategies.
For the SME sector, the discussion reinforced the importance of access to finance, stronger partnerships and opportunities to participate in larger supply chains.
The programme also featured Aaliyah Vayez, an International Relations Specialist at the Mo Ibrahim Foundation’s Next Generation Network, adding a further youth-focused perspective to the symposium’s discussions.
Moving from Dialogue to Measurable Progress
Across governance, entrepreneurship, peacebuilding and sustainable development, the symposium returned to the importance of turning commitments into results.
Young Africans need opportunities to participate in policy development, access economic resources and contribute to decisions affecting their communities. Institutions, meanwhile, must demonstrate that their policies and programmes are delivering tangible outcomes.
For businesses, the discussions highlighted the potential of investing in SMEs, supporting entrepreneurship and creating pathways for young people to participate in the economy.
For government and development institutions, the challenge is to ensure that continental ambitions translate into measurable progress at national and community levels.
Agenda 2063 sets out a vision for the Africa people want. Achieving that vision will require more than declarations and strategic plans. It will depend on effective institutions, accessible opportunities and young people being recognised as active participants in shaping the continent’s future.
The message from JCI Sandton’s 5th Annual Agenda 2063 Symposium was clear: Africa’s future cannot be built for young people without giving them a meaningful role in building it.
For more, visit: https://jcisandton.co.za/
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