Thousands of young people from across Africa came together in Kigali, Rwanda, for the YouthConnekt Africa Summit (YCAS) 2022. The three-day event brought together heads of state, policymakers, business leaders, and development partners to discuss and design solutions to some of Africa's most pressing needs.

The summit, which has grown to become Africa's largest annual youth conference, aims to connect young people with policy influencers, political leaders, and public sector institutions. The 5th edition of YCAS, hosted by the Rwandan government in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), aimed to deliver a more substantial impact and continue driving youth development across Africa.

"We must do our part to recognize young people as equal partners in our development agenda. You have ideas on how to trade more effectively, build stronger health systems, combat climate change, reduce inequality, and much more. We must listen and work with you," said H.E. President Paul Kagame.

"Without the youth, Africa isn't going to discover any new significant opportunities or resources for transformative growth. You have the energy and passion, but most importantly the brain to take Africa to the next level." - H.E Rigathi Gachagua, Deputy President of the Kenyan Republic. "Young people cannot scale the challenge between their dream and their first 100 customers. Up to 42% of youth fail to get funding, so their dream sometimes remains a reality," he said.

Before announcing Kenya as the next host, Keita Oulie, the YouthConnekt Africa Executive Director, noted: "I would like to start by recognizing H.E. Paul Kagame, President of the Republic of Rwanda, for hosting us and being a great champion for the development of youth in Africa. His incredible support of YouthConnekt Africa continues to drive this pan-African initiative.

Young people have engaged with their leadership in shaping the narrative on Africa's development to ensure that Africa is portrayed for what it truly is: a continent rich in talent, natural resources, and resilience, Africa is indeed the future."