Nyore Madzianike in MASVINGO
VICE President Dr Kembo Mohadi has called on young people, Government and the private sector to work together in driving national development, saying development is not a spectator activity, but a shared responsibility.
Addressing the Africa Broad Alliance for Agenda 2063 (AfriBA63) launch in Masvingo yesterday, VP Mohadi said youth empowerment was critical to Zimbabwe and Africa’s development, urging young people to take advantage of available opportunities and play an active role in economic transformation.
He challenged AfriBA63 to expand its operations beyond Zimbabwe and establish a stronger presence across the continent and other regions.
AfriBa63 focuses on youth empowerment, skills development, entrepreneurship, education, conferences, strategic partnerships, and programmes that promote youth participation in sustainable development.
“I, therefore, urge this youth organisation to go beyond borders and widen its continental footprint.
“Build strong institutional linkages across sectors, be they national agencies, chambers of commerce, academia and development agencies, among others.
“By doing so, you will not only expand opportunities for Zimbabwean youth, but also contribute meaningfully to building a connected, collaborative, and enterprising Africa,” Vice President Mohadi said.
He said with the coming into force of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), regional and continental cooperation had become a necessity.
African countries needed to develop solutions through partnerships to fully harness the continent’s demographic dividend.
“If we are to fully harness the demographic dividend of our continent, then our young people must be enabled to network, trade, innovate, and co-create across borders.”
The Vice President said Government, under the leadership of President Mnangagwa, remained committed to empowering young people through various programmes aimed at promoting skills development, entrepreneurship and participation in national development.
“Government continues to pursue programmes and policies designed to empower young people through skills development, vocational training, entrepreneurship support, business incubation, and the promotion of civic responsibility and national development participation.
“These efforts reflect our firm belief that youth empowerment must be practical, inclusive, and economically meaningful.”
He said the Ministry of Youth Empowerment, Development and Vocational Training continued to play an important role in supporting youth-focused development through training, enterprise support and opportunity creation.
The VP said Government alone could not drive youth empowerment, calling on the private sector to play a more active role through financing, mentorship, training and market access.
He challenged captains of industry and business leaders to regard youth empowerment as an investment in the future of Zimbabwe and Africa.
Financial institutions should develop youth-friendly products, while established businesses should provide opportunities for internships, apprenticeships, incubation and enterprise development.
Vice President Mohadi also urged young people to demonstrate discipline, integrity, innovation and commitment, saying empowerment should be accompanied by responsibility.
He said young people should move beyond dependency and embrace production, enterprise and leadership.
“As we pursue progressive business growth towards sustainable development and economic transformation, we must also remember that the quality of partnerships matters.
“Public-Private Partnerships should be anchored on transparency, accountability, mutual benefit, and a shared developmental vision.
“They must not only generate profit, but also produce social value.
“They must uplift communities, create jobs, enhance productivity, support local industry, and improve livelihoods.”
Vice President Mohadi said the future of Zimbabwe and Africa depended on partnerships between Government, the private sector and young people.
He said gatherings such as the AfriBA63 event were important in promoting dialogue, building networks and identifying opportunities for cooperation.
Acting President Mohadi urged participants to use the platform to forge strategic relationships, exchange ideas and identify investment opportunities that could support national development and youth enterprise growth.
He commended the organisers for their initiative, describing it as a demonstration of commitment to the future of Zimbabwe and the continent.
“I wish to assure you that the Government of Zimbabwe will continue to support your initiatives as you work to empower the youth, promote enterprise development, and advance the ideals of Vision 2030, NDS2 and Agenda 2063.
“I encourage you to remain focused, innovative, and collaborative.
“Indeed, I urge you to keep it up and make this event an annual event on your calendar. Let it grow from strength to strength.
“ Let this event be on your calendar and become a flagship platform for policy dialogue, business networking, youth innovation, and regional cooperation.
“Let it be remembered as one of the spaces where ideas were transformed into partnerships, and partnerships into progress.”
Minister of State for Masvingo Provincial Affairs and Devolution Ezra Chadzamira commended AfriBA63 for convening the interface and providing a platform for engagement between organised youth and the business community.
The Minister said the organisation had an important role to play in mobilising young people to articulate their developmental priorities, encourage leadership and facilitate engagement with institutions capable of turning their aspirations into practical outcomes.
Minister Chadzamira said the organisation should continue promoting innovation, discipline, integrity and professionalism, with its success measured through transformed lives, supported enterprises, opportunities created and sustainable partnerships.
He said the initiative had created a relationship in which young people were not merely recipients of assistance, but active partners bringing ideas, energy, creativity and solutions to development processes.
The Minister called for lasting partnerships founded on trust, mutual respect and accountability to ensure that discussions at the gathering translated into tangible opportunities for young people.
AfriBA63 director youth empowerment and development Mr Tariro Ndlela said the organisation was established in response to developmental challenges confronting young people across Africa and the need for practical, inclusive and sustainable solutions.
He said the organisation was anchored on the African Union’s Agenda 2063, particularly Aspiration Six, which envisions an Africa whose development is people-driven and relies on the potential of its people, especially women and youth.
“Our work focuses on youth empowerment, skills development, entrepreneurship, education, conferences, strategic partnerships, and programmes that promote youth participation in sustainable development.
“We recognise that the aspirations of Agenda 2063 are interconnected with Zimbabwe’s Vision 2030, the National Development Strategy 2, and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
“For this reason, AfriBA63 seeks to serve as a bridge between continental development aspirations and other practical opportunities at national and community levels.”
Mr Ndlela said the organisation wanted to see young people move from being job seekers to job creators and from passive beneficiaries to active development partners.
He said the attainment of Vision 2030 and successful implementation of NDS2 could not be the responsibility of Government alone, nor could the private sector and youth organisations achieve the ambitions independently.
Mr Ndlela said sustainable development required coordinated partnerships between Government, the private sector, development partners, civil society and young people themselves.
