“What Is the African NEET Youth Summit?”

The High Atlas Foundation had the opportunity from June 19th to 20th to participate in the inaugural summit dedicated to “Not in Education, Employment, or Training” (N.E.E.T) youth in Africa. The summit aimed to address the growing challenges of unemployment and underemployment for the 70 million "NEET" youth in Africa who have felt abandoned and excluded from their society. The Summit was joined by the JADARA Foundation and the Pan-African Youth Union. It brought together over 1,000 participants, including government representatives from 54 countries, the United Nations agencies, civil society actors, experts, and, most importantly, young people themselves.

“Introducing the Participatory Approach”

The first day of the summit included testimonies from young people and 10 thematic conferences that covered topics such as Technology & Innovation, Renewable Energy, Entrepreneurship and the Future of NEETs, Agriculture & Agri-Food, Financial Services, Health & Well-being, Integration of Young Migrants, Volunteering, Education and Vocational Training and Inclusion & Disability. Of those conferences, HAF played a significant role through its participation in panels related to agriculture and inclusive finance. Through the example of its agricultural cooperatives, led by rural youth, HAF demonstrated that alternative models, rooted in local realities, are attainable and can better address the ongoing needs of one of the most vulnerable populations in Africa: rural youth.

"Marrakech Manifesto for NEETs”

The Summit heavily emphasized the use of a participatory approach by allowing African youth to develop an African manifesto for NEETs. On the second day of the summit, the manifesto was read and signed by participants. The manifesto included a call for “Concrete and inclusive public policies, Continued stakeholder engagement, Implementation of sustainable solutions for the empowerment of young Africans, and an overall commitment to staying true to the document and ensuring that there is an effective follow-up to the manifesto.

“Opportunities for Future African Entrepreneurs”

This summit also provided young African entrepreneurs with the opportunity to meet with international donors and present the projects they’ve been working on, aiming to bridge the gap that young entrepreneurs face in getting their ideas to willing donors. For many African youth, access to funding remains a significant barrier to achieving their entrepreneurial goals, leaving them hopeless and abandoning their dreams. However, with this summit and its future iterations, it will better support the youth and provide them with more opportunities to share their ideas with the rest of the world.

“Future Goals for the African NEET Summit”

For the future of the African NEET Summit, it aims to be a biennial, traveling event that consolidates existing initiatives, further strengthens South-South cooperation, and ultimately empowers NEET youth to drive economic and social transformation in Africa. Historically, NEET youth have been an overlooked group, but summits such as the African NEET summit show that Africa is moving in a positive direction by recognizing the great amount of undiscovered talent and innovation within the youth in Africa, and ensuring that these youth are no longer left behind but instead lifted to reach their full potential.