The APRM Continental Secretariat CEO, Prof Eddy Maloka called on young people to actively participate in democracy and good governance in their countries and upscale their support to regional and continental initiatives. He further invited participants to provide inputs and validate the APRM Youth Toolkit for Targeted Reviews. Mr Lennon Monyae, the APRM Youth Liaison Officer in his opening statement encouraged young people to engage the AU and its various organs constructively and be solution oriented in assisting the African Union reform.

Youth delegates utilized the Symposium’s panel discussions and Break Away sessions to provide the APRM with a set of recommendations aimed at advising APRM Heads of States with the expectation for an APR Forum Decision on Upscaling Youth Participation in Democracy and Good Governance. The outcome document of the Symposium was received by H.E Jessica Rose Epel Alupo, Vice-President of the Republic of Uganda and Representatives of the AU Permanent Representative Council (PRC) from Uganda, The Gambia, Zimbabwe, and Sierra Leone. Senior officials present at the closing ceremony committed to champion the youth agenda and escalate the calls for action through relevant AU and APRM structures for implementation.