Distinguished guests, representatives of the Pan-African Youth Union, ladies and gentlemen,

Today marks a historic step in our collective journey to place Africa’s young people at the very heart of our continent’s development. The signing of this Memorandum of Understanding is not just a procedural formality, it is a solemn commitment by the African Union Commission to stand side by side with the Pan African Youth Union in advancing the aspirations, rights, and leadership of Africa’s youth.

The Executive Council has long recognized the Pan African Youth Union as the continental coordinating body for youth organizations and the focal agency of the African Union on youth matters. Today, we give renewed meaning to that recognition. Through this MoU, we are embarking on a process of revitalization, reform, and strengthening, ensuring that the PYU becomes a truly representative and effective voice of young Africans everywhere.

This partnership is about more than institutions. It is about the millions of young Africans who look to us for opportunities, accountability, and inspiration. It is about building strong national youth councils coordinating mechanisms, implementing the African Youth Charter, and creating an African Youth Peer Review Mechanism that will make governments answerable to the very people they serve.

As Chairperson of the African Union Commission, I want to state unequivocally: Africa’s youth are not just beneficiaries of our policies, they are co-creators of our future. Their energy, their innovation, and their resilience are the strongest engines of Africa’s Agenda 2063 and the global Sustainable Development Goals.

The African Union Commission remains deeply committed to hearing, amplifying and heeding the voices of Africa’s youth. We are also committed to addressing Africa’s youth concerns and creating spaces for meaningful youth participation in all activities across the AU system to ensure that youth have a strong voice and an impactful contribution to the future of our continent.

Let this MoU be remembered as a turning point. A moment where we did not just speak about empowering young people, but where we created the structures, partnerships, and accountability frameworks to make that empowerment real.

Before concluding, it would be remiss of me not to commend Morocco for ably hosting the headquarters of the Pan African Youth Union (PYU, which demonstrates Morocco’s strong and longstanding commitment to promoting the interests and causes of African Youth.

I also congratulate the leadership of the Pan African Youth Union. I commend the Ministers of Youth who championed this process and my team at the African Union Commission. I reaffirm my personal commitment, and that of the African Union Commission, to ensure that this partnership flourishes for the benefit of Africa’s greatest asset, its youth.

Thank you.