Former President Jonathan accused African leaders of empowering youth.
Nigeria News Nalin Former President Goodluck Jonathan urged African leaders to see young people on the continent as a generational force of innovation, leadership and global competitiveness rather than a burden.
The Nigerian news platform learned that Jonathan called a call in a statement by media adviser Mr Eze Ikechukwu on Saturday to call for investment in plans that have a positive impact on young people.
This follows Jonathan’s keynote speech in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, published by the report entitled “Inclusive Development Promoted: Burkina Faso, Guinea, Gabon, Mali and Niger’s policy choices.
The report is through collaboration between the African Union Commission, UNDP’s African-African facilities to support the collaboration between the Inclusive Transition (AFSIT) and the Institute for Security (ISS).
Jonathan urges African countries to invest in education, digital infrastructure and skills development to capitalize on the potential of mainland youth in global competitiveness and leadership.
“We have to view demographics as a challenge and as a strategic advantage. Our youth must be seen as an asset, not a burden,” he said.
He stressed that investing in education, digital infrastructure and skills development is no longer optional, but is crucial for future prosperity and stability in Africa.
Jonathan notes that although Africa remains the youngest continent in the world and a rapidly developing economic boundary, it is still struggling with deep structural weaknesses.
According to him, these challenges include governance flaws, political unrest, economic vulnerability, and the lasting impact of external shocks.
He advised African leaders to prioritize inclusion and economic capacity to promote political stability and sustainable development across the continent.
He stressed that Africa’s future must not be accidental. He insists that governance must be rooted in legitimacy, inclusion and response to citizen needs.
To address the turmoil, Jonathan urged leaders to take decisive action to build a strong, self-reliant and prosperous continent through wise governance and economic investment.
He warned that without trusted institutions, rule of law and leadership, political stability cannot be maintained and thus gain legitimacy from the people.
“We must invest in building responsive governance structures that promote constitutional integrity and ensure democracy brings tangible benefits to all,” Jonathan said.
He also called for a profound economic transformation, noting that fragile countries are not just from political crises, but from economic exclusion and underdevelopment.
Jonathan stressed that Africa’s economic future depends on industrialization, technology-driven growth and regional trade integration to promote sustainable development.
The former president believes that security must be reimagined as development stability, which requires solutions other than traditional military responses.
He urged African leaders to adopt a socially-wide approach to address the root causes of conflict, such as poverty, marginalization and vulnerable rule.
Jonathan described the release of the report as a moment of estimates and updates, prompting Africa to face the distinct reality faced by parts of the continent.
He encouraged African countries to accept the recommendations of the report while strengthening regional cooperation to address common challenges.
Jonathan said that as Africa’s largest democracy and economy, Nigeria has both responsibility and privilege – leading by example and serving as a catalyst for mainland progress.
He added that Nigeria promotes peace and democracy through ECOWAS, the African Union and Global Partnership, and regards regional cooperation as the core foreign policy pillar as the core foreign policy pillar.
He reiterated Nigeria’s commitment to advocate economic integration to promote regional prosperity through the African Continental Free Trade Area (AFCFTA).
“United Africa is a stronger Africa, which deals internally, builds resilient supply chains and creates African solutions for African challenges,” Jonathan said. (nan)
