IHMS COMMENATARY
African Union Youth Development Strategies
Lessons and Pathways for Harar Youth
Written by Dr. Abdulfetah Khalil Abougn
Approximately 46% of Africa’s labour forces, 53% of Ethiopia’s labour forces and almost the same proportion of Harar’s labour forces are young aged 15-35 years today. According to African Union recent reports, the youth face significant challenges in accessing key development resources such as education, skills development, employment and work experiences. In fact, among the myriad of problems, the youth face the mismatch of qualifications (in fact over 100,000 Ethiopian universities graduates per year and most end up loitering!) and work force requirements, non-skills development, limited youth participation in leadership and governance structures, restricted access to investment capital and unavailability or non-accessibility of skills training programs. Internal bleeding is the main factor for any nation, community, society and even an individual to self-destruct, fail and eventually collapse.
According to African Union findings, marginalization and the failure to invest in young people exposes Africa to economic underperformance and brain drain, youth criminality, and political and social unrest of youth in the society. Harar and Ethiopia at large are no exceptions. The recent so-called transformation in Ethiopia had manifested itself largely because of the hopelessness, desperation, unemployment and poverty among the youth throughout the country. In addition, thousands of young people continue to resort to desperate measures including forced migration in search of better education, livelihood and a better future; as widely known ending in the Mediterranean Sea grave yard!
In order to save these young lives and the nations in Africa at large, the African Union has rolled out a new initiative the “1 Million By 2021”, which aims to reach 1 million young people in Africa by creating opportunities for youth to actively and meaningfully drive the full realization of Africa’s Agenda 2063. It is high time Ethiopia to tap from such initiatives and trickling them down to the state level including Harar. Within the resources available, however, Harar could also learn from such initiatives and create a locally adjusted roadmap to help its young population in creating solutions and bring down the high unemployment among the youth in Harar. What are some of the lessons we learn from African Union Initiatives?
Paying homage to my great grandparents and the Harari heroes of ‘Wereg Zeman’, they made Harar at the time the Center of Knowledge, Medicine and Trade. These facts are re-emerging at continental level. We do not have to re-invent the wheel, but we can adapt them to the local conditions and feed into Ethiopia and African solutions. After several days of deliberations in Addis Ababa, the Pan-African Forum composed of over 400 young people across Africa had come up with four key areas; that is, Education, Employment, Entrepreneurship and Engagement (4E’s), to combat the roots of the problems facing the youth. Moreover, these 4E’s were further divided into 12 pathways to drive and facilitate the expansion of opportunities in youth development.
12 SOLUTION PATHWAYS
The Pyramid of Development
Having understood these African Union Youth development pathways, in fact, the capacities of the Harari youth should be built through local social institutions such as Afocha and Mugad, as well as, through running secular and religious educational institutions tandemly. Financial capacities can also be built through village or borough level social financing groups, of course, backed by sustainable financial institutions such as Islamic Banks, Interest free lenders, individual Harari Fanciers in Harar. In order to have meaningful and significant change to happen in Harar —–
- Education is the key to development, innovations, creativity and self-employment. Providing scholarships to the young people at all education levels, as well as alternative ways such as Online learning, establishing teachers and technical training colleges (delivering both religious and secular education) are the key to effective capacity building in Harar. Remember our ancestors made Harar the Center of Knowledge that spread throughout Ethiopia and East Africa. It is high time to get together to create the 21st century Wereg Zeman! Behold! Harari intelligentsia to voluntarily contribute to impart and equip the youth through various initiatives including conducting short-courses and business development education in Harar. Without education we will be incarcerated in deep darkness and there will be no 21st century Wereg Zeman!
- Creating employment opportunities by providing professional internships and apprenticeships that will enable young to develop the skills required at work places. Engaging the young in such activities will open a world of employment and creativity opportunities. Developing and engaging the young in digital skill programs will help them to acquire new skills and connecting to the world. It will also create knowledge-based businesses that open doors locally, regionally and globally. Most Hararis used to be employers and created various jobs for locals and the surrounding areas. It is possible to revive Harar’s glory through unity, hard work and connecting people-to-people. Behold! If work causes one to tire, then inactivity causes one to decay. Thereby, continue being stuck in the past!
- Entrepreneurship – Hararis are not new to free enterprising. According to Burton (British Author on Harar), he described “Hararis are born business people.” It is time to engage ourselves in mobilizing capital to allow youth to venture and start-up businesses. Be it small or medium businesses! Harari financiers should stretch their hands to provide interest-free loans to Harari youth in scaling up joint business opportunities, ventures, virtual and physical mentorships, as well as incubation services with successful Harari companies in Ethiopia and beyond. The Prophet (PBUH) said, “The believer is like a bee that eats what is wholesome and produces what is wholesome, and when it lands on a small branch, it does not break it.” Let the financiers produce wholesome in Harar!
- Engagement, engagement and engagement! It the responsibility of Harari leaders at all levels including the President and his cabinets, Sectoral Administrators, Afocha and various community leaders to coach, nurture and consistently supporting young leaders across Harar and the surrounding areas. Engaging in eradicating corruption, promoting good governance, upholding justice, nurturing equity and empowering the young and women are the core development pathways. These types of activities would benefit Hararis and friends of Harar in order to have long-term people-to-people relationships, as well as sustainable development. Do not despair but show your ‘Iron Will’ for good things come through toil!
Last but not least, Ethiopia as a whole and particularly Harar is at unprecedented cross-road today. The past glory has gone, and the current weak spots could reveal the answers to our problems. Face our problems with unity! Everything on Earth marches forward, preparing for a new season, and so should we. Task identity, skill variety, task significant, meaningfulness and unity will finally create self-reliance, community enrichment and peace. These comprehensive approaches, inclusive strategies and actions would transform the Harari youth and create alliances with the surrounding areas to have justice, security, sustainable development and peace.
Behold! It the principles and characters of our great grandparents that determined their values and made Harar great. If it is not now, and if it is not you; who will make Harar glorious again?
Aselam Aleykum