In his introductory speech, he said that young people are the most important factor of every country and those countries that invest in them can enjoy significant social and economic benefits. African countries have the youngest population, and 70% of people in sub-Saharan Africa are under the age of 30. The young population is an opportunity Africa simply must seize. State Secretary Stanislav Raščan drove home the message that governments must listen to the young generations, recognise their ideas and give them a place to develop and implement them.

Water is also one area where young people can play a more active role.  Young people’s participation in all water-related issues, whether it concerns access to clean drinking water, cross-border water cooperation, gender mainstreaming or community management, is key to achieving SDG 6 and all others related to water.

State Secretary Raščan also pointed out that water challenges demand innovation and new ways of governance, while young people are the main drivers of change. The active involvement of young people in all decision-making and implementation processes is the only way to bring to effect the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

During its Presidency of the Council of the EU, Slovenia achieved the adoption of conclusions on water in the EU’s external action, which were approved by the Foreign Affairs Council (development ministers) on 19 November 2021.

We are working towards a more integrated approach to water, making the EU’s external action more effective and at the same time providing for the involvement of civil society in discussions on all water-related issues.

The event took place prior to the EU-AU Summit and was attended by Marjeta Jager, Deputy Director-General of the European Commission’s Directorate for International Cooperation and Development, Fatou Wurie, Office of the President of the African Development Bank, Emmanuel Uguru, African Ministers’ Council on Water, Isaac Muasa, Coordinator of the Mathare Environmental One Stop Youth Centre, Memory Sekeke, the Ministry of Local Government in Mumbwa, Zambia and Oyewole Oginni, representative of the AU-EU Youth Cooperation Hub.