NAIROBI, July 2 (Xinhua) -- Kenya said Sunday the 29th Ordinary Summit of the African Union which kicks off Monday in Ethiopia will mark a significant milestone in empowering the youth in Africa and securing the future of the continent.
Cabinet Secretary Amina Mohamed said that the AU has developed a demographic dividend road-map that member states are expected to domesticate.
"The African Union roadmap focuses on four key thematic pillars namely; health and well-being, education and skills development, employment and entrepreneurship, and governance," Mohamed said in a statement issued ahead of the summit in which she will be representing President Uhuru Kenyatta.
She said the 29th Ordinary Session whose theme: Harnessing the Demographic Dividend through investments in Youth, is expected to marshal and reinforce the commitment of African leaders, and all stakeholders, towards implementing policies and programs that will empower the youth in Africa.
"The objectives of this theme are to help in fast-tracking the implementation of demographic dividend initiatives in Africa, and to adopt a road-map with key deliverables and milestones to guide member states on concrete actions to be undertaken in 2017 and beyond," said Mohamed.
Mohamed, who is expected to share Kenya's commitments and experience in regard to this agenda, said Kenya has already developed a demographic dividend roadmap which domesticates the African Union roadmap and ties in well with the Vision 2030 development blue print.
The debate on the theme will be preceded by a presentation by President Idriss Deby of Chad who will moderate the session on the theme.
The summit will deliberate on other key issues including the Report of the Peace and Security Council on its activities and the State of Peace and Security in Africa as well as the Report by President Paul Kagame of Rwanda on the institutional reform of the AU.
Also to be reviewed will be the report on the Continental Free Trade Area (CFTA), which will be presented by President Mahamadou Issoufou of Niger.
The report will update on the state of play in the on-going negotiations on the establishment of the Continental Free Trade Area (CFTA).
The review of a report on the Reform of the United Nations Security Council, and the report on the fight against terrorism and violent extremism in Africa which will be presented by President's Ernest Bai Koroma of Sierra Leone and Abdel Bouteflika of Algeria, respectively, are on the agenda.
"The Assembly is expected to appoint key officials elected during the 31st Session of the Executive Council, among them Four Members of the AU Advisory Board on Corruption (AUABC) and Four Members of the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights," said Mohamed.
