- Ruto told the delegates to believe, just as he said he did, that Africa is changing.
- Youth Connekt Africa is an African home-grown solution positioned to provide relevant solutions for the global South.
Image: PCS
President William Ruto has described the African Continent as being in the middle of great change.
Speaking during the Youth Connekt Summit in Nairobi, Ruto said the change being experienced will rewrite the African narrative for the current generation and many more.
The president said the change he was speaking about was around the ongoing social and economic transformation in the continent.
Describing the change as a renaissance, Ruto said it will largely benefit the young people of the African Continent whom he added will provide the energy and dynamism to sustain and make it a reality.
''I believe that this change is coming because the old Africa, the one that defined itself by challenges, the one that glorified its problems and sought external solutions is fading away,'' the President said.
''We are in the process of creating a new Africa, one that is founded on a rock-solid belief in our capacity, that is driven by our relentless pursuit of progress and that is committed to developing solutions to obliterate the challenges we face.''
The president said that the African youth, whom he described as most talented, innovative and dynamic, are at the heart of the continent's revitalisation.He described the continent's generation of young people as borderless and 'more importantly' relentless.''
''I am here to interact with this remarkable group: to engage and listen to you,'' he said at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre.
The President said the main agenda that is driving the conversation in the African Continent at the moment is about creating opportunities for young people.
''The youth are at the centre of this moment, this agenda and this conversation,'' Ruto said.
The president told the young people gathered at the KICC to believe, just as he said he did, that Africa is changing and to work hard in the exploitation of the ensuing opportunities.
''I invite you to focus your energies on the creation of opportunities, the identification of value and the pursuit of prosperity,'' he said.
''I invite you to stare down the challenges of today with your intelligence, creativity and capacity for innovation.''
He challenged the young people to play a leading role in the transformation of Africa to ensure their voice is heard, effort is counted and participation is assured.
The president lauded his Rwanda counterpart Paul Kagame for concieving the Youth Connekt platform and for hosting the first five editions of the Summit.
''I join President Kagame in affirming the game-changing capacity of the African youth,'' he said.
Youth Connekt Africa is an African home-grown solution positioned to provide relevant solutions for the global South and to support the implementation of relevant South-South initiatives to empower youth.
The YouthConnekt Africa operates as a pan-African platform with the vision of connecting African youth for socio-economic transformation.
The platform seeks to empower young people through enhancing their knowledge, experiences and skills while investing in their ideas, innovations and initiatives.