The event, titled "Youth Innovating for a Borderless African Renaissance," provided a conducive platform for young people to acquire skills and knowledge necessary for developing their businesses.

As the rivalry intensifies between the Western bloc, led by the United States, and the Eurasian bloc, under the leadership of China and Russia, to gain influence in Africa, African nations are striving to form a united front. Their goal is to position themselves as a shield against these competing powers to prevent the continent from becoming a battleground for their global ambitions. To counter this, they are initiating integration projects among African countries. In this regard, Nairobi, the Kenyan capital, hosted the "Youth Connect Africa" summit.

Kenyan State Head Calls for African Integration

During the inauguration of the "Youth Connect Africa" summit in Nairobi, Kenyan President William Ruto made an urgent call to overcome obstacles hindering the growth of young enterprises in Africa. His speech was an exhortation to eliminate outdated policies and accelerate integration among African nations, crucial measures to catalyze the growth of youth-led startups.

Emphasizing the need to simplify trade regulations, facilitate access to financing, and promote regional integration, Ruto highlighted that these actions are essential to foster the flourishing of youth-led businesses and stimulate opportunities.

He also highlighted the African Continental Free Trade Area as a lever to open new prospects for young entrepreneurs in the fight against unemployment. According to him, political reforms, combined with the adoption of global best practices, are crucial to unleash the potential of young innovators and energize cross-border projects on the continent.

This summit, which brought together over 20,000 youths, policymakers, industry leaders, and financiers, addressed various themes such as digitalization, green financing, industrial creativity, and borderless trade. The event, titled "Youth Innovating for a Borderless African Renaissance," provided a conducive platform for young people to acquire skills and knowledge necessary for developing their businesses.

East-West Rivalry

This summit occurs at a time when competition between the North Atlantic bloc, led by the United States, and the Eurasian bloc, led by Russia and China, is intensifying for influence in Africa. The United States and Western nations, particularly France, have had a significant footprint on the African continent since the 1960s following decolonization. Their influence solidified after the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, favoring regimes aligned with the West to the detriment of those opposed to this hegemony.

However, China's economic emergence over the last three decades, Russia's political, economic, and military resurgence in the last two decades, along with the formation of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization in 2001 and the BRICS in 2009 with India, South Africa, and Brazil, have disrupted the global balance, establishing a group of nations challenging Western hegemony. The BRICS, led by China and Russia, seeks to consolidate its ties with African nations. For China, Africa represents a lucrative market and a source of essential raw materials for its industry. For Russia, the interest is both economic and political.

This places analysts in a perspective: Africa will be the central arena where the Western and Eastern blocs will clash throughout the 21st century. The recent BRICS meeting in South Africa and the growing demand for BRICS membership by many African countries are manifestations of this. Simultaneously, several coups have shaken West African coastal countries like Mali, Niger, Burkina Faso, Guinea-Bissau, and even Gabon, regions traditionally under French influence. France promptly pointed the finger at Moscow, accusing it of supporting these coups, expressing opposition to any Russian grip in these regions.

Youth Connect Africa

In the context of increasing competition between the West and the East, calls for African integration have been heard through summits and initiatives aimed at forging an African coalition. This dynamic is where the "Youth Connect Africa" summit fits in. African nations seek to bridge the digital gap to energize youth participation in the booming e-commerce and virtual jobs on the continent. They rely on the energy and potential of the youth to accelerate the digitization process, seen as vital for the economy and job creation. The focus is on the idea that youth-led businesses will play a crucial role in advancing the African integration agenda, while promoting stability and harmony.

"Youth Connect Africa" represents an inherently African response, offering solutions suited to the global context of the South and supporting the realization of appropriate initiatives to empower young people. This platform serves as an anchor for the connectivity of African youth, fostering social and economic transformation. Its primary goal is to empower youth by enhancing their knowledge, skills, and experiences, while investing in their ideas, innovations, and initiatives. Its ultimate aspiration is to propel Africa towards a prosperous future by capitalizing on its demographic dividend by 2030.

It also aims to create 10 million jobs by 2025 in sustainable professional environments in emerging sectors, alongside generating 25 million opportunities through training and integration into the workforce. It seeks to identify, support, and train a million leaders capable of innovating and participating in the development of sustainable policies and initiatives aimed at reducing gender disparities in education, employment, technology, and leadership. At its core, it creates a hub to facilitate access to markets and financing favorable to innovation, also promoting partnership opportunities across the African continent.