Background

The African Union Commission (AUC) recognizes the centrality of youth to achieving the aspirations of Agenda 2063. It is for this reason that aspiration 6 of Agenda 2063 affirms that the Africa We Want is "An Africa, whose development is people-driven, relying on the potential of African people, especially its women and youth, and caring for children''. Together with the African Youth Charter and the roadmap on harnessing the demographic dividend through investments in youth, Agenda 2063 and its youth- centric action plans serve as continental frameworks which reflect the prioritization of youth development by the African Union Commission and AU Member States.

To accelerate the continued development and empowerment of Africa’s youth, His Excellency Musa Faki Mahamat, Chairperson of the African Union Commission launched the “One Million Next Level (1mNL)” initiative with aims to reach 300 million young people with opportunities in health and wellbeing, education, employment, entrepreneurship, and engagement (4Es+H).

At the very core of the initiative are the principles of Pan-Africanism, strategic partnerships and Africa-centric innovation and solutions, co-created and driven by Africa’s youth, towards creating sustainable structures.

The Innovation Lab: Africa-centric Innovation and Solutions

The AU Innovation Lab is a converging point for Africa-centric Innovation, and strategic partnerships towards accelerating the continued development and empowerment of Africa’s youth towards the achievement of the Aspiration 6 and the One Million Next Level. As a hub for innovation and collaboration, towards addressing the continent's challenges through innovative youth development policies and initiatives, the lab will:

\r\n
• Provide innovative policy services for AU Departments & Member States.
\r\n
• Facilititate ecosystem-wide innovation initiatives.
\r\n
• Strengthen capacities on innovation for AU Professionals & Member States.
\r\n

International Youth Day Celebrations 

August 12th of every year marks International Youth Day (IYD), a day dedicated to celebrating the remarkable contributions of young people worldwide. For more than twenty years, this occasion has been utilized by governments and organizations to raise awareness about the challenges faced by the youth, including access to education, healthcare, job opportunities, and equal rights. It's also a valuable opportunity for youth to acknowledge their own potential and inner strength, which can be attained through commitment and perseverance.

The African Union (AU) acknowledges the importance of International Youth Day as a stage to honour the accomplishments and dreams of young individuals across the globe. In keeping with the 2024 International Youth Day theme, " From Clicks to Progress: Youth Digital Pathways for Sustainable Development,". This theme highlights the key connection between digitalization and accelerating the progress of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), emphasizing the crucial contributions of young people in this transformative process. For this reason, the AU intends to launch the Innovation Lab to coincide with the Internation Youth Day Celebration 

The Inauguration

The African Union Innovation Lab will be inaugurated by the Chairperson of the Commission on the International Youth Day - 12th August Youth Day - 12th August 2024. 2024. This will be preceded by a half-day AUC engagement on “Synergy Building Towards Africa-centric Innovation and Solutions for Youth Development and Empowerment”.