The 11th Africa Regional Forum for Sustainable Development Goals (ARFSD) successfully concluded in Kampala, Uganda, where African leaders, government officials and youth delegates gathered from 6th to 11th April 2025 under the theme “Youth, Job Creation and the Realization of the SDGs in Africa.” The forum served as a crucial platform to review Africa’s progress on the 2030 Agenda and Agenda 2063, with focused discussions on SDGs 3 (health), 5 (gender equality), 8 (decent work), 14 (marine resources) and 17 (partnerships).
Malawi’s delegation made significant contributions through the leadership of Madam Judith Msusa, Director of Youth at the Ministry of Youth and Sports, accompanied by NYCOM Executive Director Mr. Rex Chapota and Director of Finance and Administration Mr. Ernest Mangani Senior . In her dual role as Chair of the African Union’s Special Technical Committee on Youth, Madam Msusa facilitated a pivotal session during the Children and Youth Pre-Event on 8th April, where she mobilized youth leaders from all 54 African nations to translate resolutions into concrete national actions.
The forum’s high-level segment featured Uganda’s President Yoweri Museveni presenting his country’s progress while advocating for transformative regional collaboration. His address emphasized Africa’s urgent need to transition from exporting raw minerals and labor to creating value-added industries that generate quality jobs continent-wide.
On the sidelines, Malawi’s delegation advanced several strategic priorities:
– Showcased the upcoming Achinyamata Centre in Area 54 as a future regional hub for youth leadership and entrepreneurship
– Promoted July’s National Youth Summit which has attracted continental interest due to its innovation focus and Malawi’s groundbreaking Youth Innovation Fund
– Advocated for stronger implementation mechanisms for youth financing commitments and financial literacy education
A particularly significant engagement occurred during bilateral talks with the Pan African Youth Union leadership, including President Moumouni Dialla from Cameroon and Secretary-General @Bening Ahmed Wiisichong based in Morocco. These discussions yielded plans for a PYU delegation visit to assess NYCOM’s institutional transformation under Malawi’s unprecedented youth investment, potentially including an audience with H.E. Dr Lazarus Chakwera . The parties also explored infrastructure partnerships through twinning arrangements between NYCOM and the Moroccan Youth Council, alongside collaborations with Moroccan civil society organizations.
As the forum adopted the Kampala Declaration, it underscored Africa’s narrowing window to achieve the 2030 Agenda while positioning youth empowerment as central to realizing both continental and global development goals. Malawi’s active participation demonstrated its emerging leadership in converting policy commitments into tangible youth opportunities across the region.
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