| Between November 2020 and November 2021, the African Union Commission, in partnership with UNDP, hosted the Africa Youth Month Policy Challenge around the theme, ‘Innovating Africa’s Transformation through the AfCFTA’. Application for the Challenge The challenge began with a call for applications for the AfCFTA Youth Month Challenge 2020, with a deadline of November 23rd, 2020. To be eligible for the challenge, applicants had to be from one of the 55 member states of the African Union and between the ages of 15 and 35. Female applicants were strongly encouraged to participate, and individuals engaged in policy or trade development, as well as those interested in gaining experience in these areas, were welcome to apply. Applicants were required to provide a 250 to 300-word response to a policy question on the AfCFTA. About the Challenge The AfCFTA Youth Month Challenge presented an exciting opportunity for young people to contribute to the implementation of the Africa Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). The challenge aimed to identify innovative policy ideas and solutions that would maximize the benefits of the AfCFTA, particularly for women and youth, while also enhancing the capacity of young Africans in policy development and implementation. The challenge consisted of an AfCFTA masterclass for African youth, followed by a competition in which finalists proposed regional and national strategic implementation plans for maximizing the benefits of the AfCFTA for women and youth. Finalists of the AfCFTA Youth Month Challenge At the end of the masterclass, 7 finalists were selected from a pool of over 400 applications. These finalists submitted AfCFTA implementation plans for their respective countries and Regional Economic Communities (RECs). This experiment showcased Africa’s youth and their clear proposals and priorities for the AfCFTA at national and regional levels, demonstrating their understanding of the institutional, economic, and political dynamics of policymaking. The top finalists of the challenge had the opportunity to benefit from various rewards. This included the drafting of an AfCFTA implementation plan for their country or regional economic community, with mentorship provided by leading trade experts, industry captains, and trade negotiators from UNDP, ITC, and private sector stakeholders. Additionally, the finalists participated in a masterclass on “maximizing opportunities in the AfCFTA,” led by senior policy officials and prominent youth entrepreneurs from December 7th to 9th, 2020. The challenge also involved the online publication, which was featured on the UNDP website, and the presentation of the AfCFTA Implementation Plan to high-level policy officials. Certificate of Recognition In recognition of their achievement as finalists of the Africa Youth Month Innovation Challenge and their successful completion of the Master Class organized by the African Union and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) on Making AfCFTA work for Women and Youth in Africa, the finalists received a certificate of achievement duly signed by the Head of Youth Division, Human Resources, Science and Technology, African Union Commission, H.E Prof. Sarah Anyang Agbor. |
