Event:

The second Africa-EU Youth Summit is foreseen to take place in Tripoli, Libya. It is organised by the European Youth event together with the Pan African Youth Organisation and supported by the North-South Centre of the Council of Europe and the European Commission. Youth representatives from Europe and Africa are expected to discuss thematic areas of concern, namely:

• the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs);
• good governance and democracy;
• peace and conflict;
• globalisation, trade and socio-economic development;
• climate change and sustainable development;
• migration, mobility, intercultural dialogue and co-development;
• employment and decent work agenda.

Objectives:

This event will be an opportunity to increase young people's participation in the Euro-African co-operation and to reinforce youth work in Africa and Europe by influencing policies in both continents. The participation and co-operation of empowered young men and women is crucial to shape the policies and action plan of the Africa-EU Strategy. The main objectives of the 2nd Africa-Europe Youth Summit are:

• to further promote the full involvement of young people and youth organisations in the JAES;
• to assess the progress on the implementation of the JAES and its Action Plan;
• to contribute to the political agenda of Africa-Europe relations;
• to contribute to the development of a coherent and coordinated strategy on youth in the Africa-EU partnership;
• to foster the youth programmes and initiatives of cooperation and their support both from the European and African side.

Background:

The 1st Africa-EU Youth Summit was held in Lisbon in 2007. A final declaration was submitted to the EU-Africa Heads of States during the last EU-Africa Summit. Embracing a people-centred approach, the Joint Africa-EU Strategy (JAES) promote a significant role for civil society organisations. Fulfilling this role, youth organisations from both regions have been working together with other civil society organisations and sub-regional institutions on following up the Africa-EU Youth Summit and the implementation of the JAES. The Youth Event is designed for African and European young people and youth organisations to strengthen their dialogue and co-operation on regional and global issues and to fully participate in the Euro-African strategic partnership.

Participants:

The event will bring together around 100  youth representatives of National Youth Councils and International non-governmental Youth Organisations from Africa and Europe, including youth representatives from the African Diaspora.