Deputy President Kithure Kindiki has underscored the vital role of young people in shaping the future of Africa and the Middle East, calling for renewed collaboration between the two regions anchored on innovation, peace, and shared prosperity.
Speaking during the Afro-Arab Youth Congress in Kampala, Uganda — an event graced by President Yoweri Museveni — Kindiki noted that the historic, cultural, and trade ties between Africa and the Middle East stretch back several centuries and now offer a foundation for modern cooperation driven by youth energy and creativity.
“The population of Africa and the Middle East is 65% youth, presenting a fantastic demographic opportunity to drive prosperity and counter violence and extremism,” he said.
He emphasized that Afro-Arab cooperation, once built through trade across the Indian Ocean and the Sahara Desert, is now being rejuvenated through technological innovation, artificial intelligence, and entrepreneurship led by young people.
“The youth are not the leaders of tomorrow — they are the changemakers of today. The future of the world depends not on what is done for the youth, but on what is done by the youth,” Kindiki stated.
He urged the delegates to champion transformation through innovation, climate action, music, film, art, and peacebuilding, reaffirming Kenya’s commitment to strengthening Afro-Arab solidarity for sustainable and intergenerational development.
