Three years ago, the Independent Continental Youth Advisory Council on AfCFTA (ICOYACA) was launched at the East African Community (EAC) Headquarters by His Excellency Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete, former President of the United Republic of Tanzania, on the 9th November 2021 during the YouLead Africa Summit, under guidance and stewardship of YouLead Africa, the MSTCDC, GIZ African Union Office and in the presence of the AfCFTA Secretariat members and other distinguished partners.
Since our inauguration, the Council has been instrumental in fostering meaningful youth engagement in the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) through our chapters across EAC member states and the broader African Union member states, and through initiatives such as the AfCFTA
Youth Engage Series, Masterclass trainings, AfCFTA Youth Day, Bootcamps, AfCFTA Youth, Peace and Security Project, and for our youth in the diaspora, the AFRO-EURO Youth Trade and Economic Integration Experience Exchange Forum, among other projects.
We have contributed in the planning, organizing and co-creating key session during the major youth events such as the Youlead Summit, AfCFTA Youth Symposium organized by the AfCFTA Secretariat, the Africa Youth Day under the Africa Youth Month Commemoration and the All Africa Games, the Youth Conneckt Africa Summit, the African Union Annual MSME Forum organized by the African Union Commission, Economic Development, Trade, Tourism, Industry and Minerals Department (ETTIM) among others.
Notable among all these efforts is our contribution to the development of the Protocol of Women and Youth in Trade, where we meaningfully participated in the development of the Protocol from the inception Stage to the finale draft that was eventually adopted by the 37th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Governments of the African Union in February 2024. Through these efforts, we have equipped over 100,000 young Africans and the global youth with knowledge of the AfCFTA and recorded increased youth engagement in intra-African trade.
Thank you all for your immense support!
Let’s all wish ICOYACA a Happy Third Birthday!🎂🥳👏🏾🎉🎈🎊