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Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni (C) poses for photos with delegates attending the opening ceremony of the first African Union Youth Forum at the Imperial Botanical Beach Hotel in Entebbe, 40 km south of Kampala, Uganda, on July 17, 2010.

Africa's first ever youth forum dubbed African Youth Forum (AYF) opened here on Saturday as a precursor to the 15th African Union Summit scheduled in the capital city of Kampala for next week.

 

Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni who opened the three-day meeting in Entebbe, 40km south of the Kampala, said that the youth can help in the development of Africa provided they are given the proper ideological orientation.

 

He noted the youths can have a positive or negative impact on the development of the continent depending on what ideologies they are given.

 

"The youth alone can not bring about these changes we need, they need a conducive atmosphere in the whole society," he said, adding that there is need for a social economic transformation in order to realize the positive impact of the youths on the continent.

 

Anthony Lake, the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) Director represented by Elhadj As Sy, the UNICEF regional director for eastern and southern African, urged the youths to use the forum to explore the practical ideas to address the development challenges their communities face.

 

"Ask yourselves what you need to build a future full of opportunities, a future in which all Africans can have the opportunity to live full productive lives. And then ask yourselves what you can contribute," he said.

 

The forum, under the theme "Maternal, infant and child health, African youths call for action", attracted about 140 delegates from 38 African countries. Outcomes of this meeting will be presented to the African leaders who will meet from July 25 to 27.

 

According to the UNICEF, youths are the majority of Africa's population with those under the age of 25 representing 62 percent of the overall African population.

 

Xinhua/ Editor: Tang Danlu