Africa-Press – Angola. The minister of Youth and Sports, Rui Falcão, advocated on Thursday in Luanda for greater inclusion, participation, and training of young people in development processes, taking into account the fundamental role they play in the economic development of countries.
Speaking at the Civil Society and Youth Forum, held in the scope of the 7th African Union (AU) and European Union (EU) Summit, the official reaffirmed the commitment of Angola with international cooperation, as well as having young people as the central agents of sustainable development.
The minister stated that Angola places great importance on youth and civil society organizations, as it believes there is no sustainable development without the active, qualified, and structured participation of young people.
In this sense, he considered young people as indispensable actors in economic, social and cultural transformation, as well as in the consolidation of peace, security and multilateral cooperation.
Rui Falcão highlighted the reforms that the Angolan government has implemented in recent years to expand opportunities, inclusion, and youth participation, notably the approval of the Youth Development Plan 2025-2027, one of the main instruments for operationalizing public policies for this sector.
In his speech, the minister stressed that the meeting takes place at a unique moment in the AU-EU partnership, within the framework of the joint vision until 2030, Agenda 2063, and the Global Gateway initiative, emphasizing that the forum’s mission is to build solutions for the future of both continents.
The government official stressed that the forum represents an exercise in participatory democracy and institutional innovation, to strengthen the bridge between youth and policymakers from the AU and the EU.
The minister added that the main structural themes of the meeting, such as prosperity, people, peace, security and multilateralism, are in accordance with national priorities.
He added that young people are strategic partners in the development of both continents, reiterating that the creation of formal spaces for dialogue contributes to amplifying youth voices and influencing high-level decisions.
Rui Falcão hopes that the forum produces consistent and innovative recommendations capable of guiding public policies and strengthening the Africa-Europe partnership.
He encouraged participants to submit “courageous and constructive” ideas for a more prosperous and inclusive common future.
In turn, the European Union Ambassador to Angola, Ms Rosário Bento Pinto, emphasized that the Civil Society and Youth Forum creates, for the first time, a safe and specific space that allows for the active participation of young people in the debates of the Africa-Europe partnership.
To the diplomat, the meeting reinforces multilateralism, solidarity, and joint action in the face of global challenges, evaluating progress since 2022 and defining new common priorities.
She stressed that young people are the present and the future of development in Africa, and therefore should contribute directly to central themes such as prosperity, peace, people, planet and partnerships.
The EU representative, Rosário Bento Pinto emphasized the Global Gateway Strategy as an instrument for sustainable investment in infrastructure, energy, digitalization, education, health and innovation, which strengthens Africa-Europe cooperation and promotes economic and social development on the continent.
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