What I learnt at the #KofiAnnan Dialogue: Live

By Biodun Awosusi

The #KofiAnnan Dialogue just ended.

It was deeply inspiring for me to listen to young people from many parts of the world who clearly articulate the challenges in their country and concerted efforts being taken by government to address these challenges based on the MDG Framework.

Young people demand:

1. increase in investments in education that includes key life and entrepreneurial skills
2. creation of decent jobs and opportunities for many disadvantaged and unemployed young people
3. accountability and transparency in government
4. creation of conducive environment for youth entrepreneurship
5. inclusion of young people in policy design and implementation
6. improved access to ICT for young people

It was equally motivating to listen to the former Secretary General Kofi Annan share useful insights about the MDGs and what should define the post2015 development agenda. He says the success seen with the MDGs is largely because the goals are simple and straightforward; and a transparent process led to formulation of the goals.

He strongly proposes that

1. young people must organize themselves and create a coherent voice. They must coalesce to form a force that can be reckoned with;
2. young people must embrace entrepreneurship, to create jobs for themselves and for others;
3. young people must take politics seriously; vote and seek to be voted for;
4. young people must use their number, knowledge and technology at their disposal to build strong civil society that can pressurize government to deliver on their promises;
5. young people must be ensure governments pay a price for ignoring them

He also encourages African countries to embrace intra-Africa trade to facilitate regional development. He encourages leaders involved in the post-2015 development process to ensure the post2015 goals are easy to understand so that “every man and woman” can see the goals as theirs!

This dialogue is productive. Many thanks to One Young World, Kofi Annan Foundation and ITU for a well coordinated event. Other world leaders should leverage on the power of technology to listen to young people.

If you missed the dialogue, here is the video. And don’t forget to pay attention to the 51st minute where my contribution was mentioned 🙂

Biodun Awosusi is the founding editor of MDGs in Africa