ADDIS ABABA — Shattering traditional governance norms, Ethiopia announced today that more than half of all government leadership roles—from local councils to the federal cabinet—are now occupied by the nation’s youth.
Speaking at the 2nd African Political Parties Summit (APPS) being held in Addis Ababa, Minister of Youth and Sport Aklilu Tadesse (PHD) highlighted Ethiopia’s youth-centric governance strategy during his keynote address under the summit’s central theme, "Governing for Growth: Political Parties as Architects of Africa's Economic Future."
Addressing continental delegates, ministers, African Union representatives, and UNDP officials at the Adwa Victory Memorial, Dr. Aklilu emphasized that young people across the continent must no longer be viewed merely as campaign workers or voters, but as core architects of policy and nation-building.
Reflecting on Ethiopia’s structural political transformation, Dr. Aklilu noted that continental demographic trends demand an urgent shift in how political parties engage the next generation. With over 60 percent of Africa’s population under the age of 25, the continent's stability and democratic progress hinge directly on meaningful youth integration.
"In our country, youth are not waiting to lead tomorrow. They are leading today. From local administration to the highest office of government at the federal level, more than 50% of leadership positions are held by young people—including our Prime Minister, who was in his early 40s when he took office." — Dr. Aklilu Tadesse, Minister of Youth and Sport
The Minister underlined that when young people are given a seat at the decision-making table, they evolve from passive beneficiaries of development into primary agents of socio-economic transformation.
Dr. Aklilu framed Ethiopia’s youth initiative through the national philosophy of Medemer (synergy), which advocates for collective purpose, institutional trust, and leveraging diverse national strengths to solve complex societal challenges.
Key calls to action delivered to African political leaders at the summit included:
Institutional Inclusion: Moving beyond policies on paper to actively trust young leaders with direct governance and policy-making responsibilities.
Targeted Investments: Scaling bold investments in youth entrepreneurship, innovation, technological transformation, and peace-building.
Cohesive Governance: Building political systems across Africa that actively listen to youth voices to tackle continental challenges, including climate change and unemployment among others.
Concluding his address, Dr. Aklilu urged African political parties to make the summit a catalyst for deeper continental inclusion, reaffirming that the future of Africa is actively being constructed by its youth today.
By Lalu Etalla
