30/01/2026
🌍 The ECSA Regional Youth Summit officially kicks off today!
The ECSA Youth Summit officially begins today, bringing together young leaders, policymakers, and partners from across East, Central and Southern Africa to advance dialogue and action on sexual and reproductive health and unlocking Africa’s demographic dividend.
Officially opening the Summit, the Guest of Honour, Hon. Bongani Nzima (MP), Minister of Sports, Culture and Youth Affairs, Kingdom of Eswatini, underscored the urgency of investing in young people:
“Africa’s demographic dividend is not automatic. It requires deliberate, sustained investment in young people particularly in sexual and reproductive health, education, and life skills so that this opportunity becomes a driver of growth, not a burden.”
In his welcoming remarks, Dr. Ntuli Kapologwe, the Director General of ECSA-HC, emphasized the central role of youth leadership in shaping the region’s future:
“You are not just the future of Africa you are the present. Unlocking the demographic dividend begins with protecting young people’s health, rights, and voices, and ensuring they are partners in decision-making and implementation.”
As discussions begin, the Summit sets the tone for bold dialogue, regional collaboration, and concrete commitments placing young people at the center of Africa’s health and development agenda.