North-South Centre of the Council of Europe
3rd Meeting of the AFRICA-EUROPE YOUTH
PLATFORM
28th January – 1st February 2015
(including travel days)
Nairobi, Kenya
In the framework of the Joint Management Agreement between the European
Commission – EuropeAid Co-operation Office and the North-South Centre of the
Council of Europe
In co-operation with:
1
1. Background of North-South Centre’s Youth Co-operation Programme
The objective of the Youth Co-operation Programme of the Centre is to provide training
and capacity building for young people and youth organisations as well as to facilitate
their participation in decision and policy making, in the framework of quadrilogue
initiatives.
The Youth Co-operation Programme is composed of 3 main dimensions:
1. A Euro Arab and Mediterranean dimension that includes a new capacity-building
programme that has been developed in 2014 focused on “Structured Participation in
Democratic Processes”. A first pilot training activity took place in the context of the 2nd
edition of the Mediterranean University on Youth and Global Citizenship.
2. The Network of Universities on Youth and Global Citizenship that gathers the
different Universities in a coherent and articulated system and brings together relevant
youth organisations and institutions working in regional co-operation processes, global
education and global youth work. A 15th edition of the University on Youth and
Development was organised in Mollina, Spain (21-28 September 2014).
3. The Africa-Europe Youth Co-operation activities in the framework of the “Joint
Management Agreement” signed with the European Commission in November 2008
and renewed until 2015. This agreement includes the organisation of training
activities, an Online Resource Centre (www.aeyco.com) a Seed Funding programme
and the meetings of the Africa-Europe Youth Platform.
2.
The Africa-Europe Dimension of the Youth-Co-operation Programme
The Africa-EU Strategic Partnership, a framework created by the 2nd EU-Africa Heads of
States Summit, and the Africa-Europe Youth Summits recognise youth as a key actor in
development in Africa and in Europe. The strengthening of youth organisations and youth
movements is critical for development in general and in particular for developing youth
policies that will allow sustainable co-operation among African and European youth.
As a follow-up of the Africa-Europe Youth Summits in 2007 and 2010, the North-South
Centre of the Council of Europe has been developing and implementing a programme in
partnership with key governmental and non-governmental actors in Africa and Europe,
including the African Union Commission, the European Commission, the European
Youth Forum, the African Diaspora Youth Network in Europe, and the African Youth
Platforms, such as the Pan African Youth Union and the Network of International
Youth Organisations in Africa.
The North-South Centre co-operates with the European Commission (Europe Aid, DG DevCo)
in order to secure a sustainable process for collaboration which will provide important
support of various (youth) structures, quality reassurance and funding for Africa-Europe
youth work.
In November 2008, the North-South Centre and the European Commission (EuropeAid)
signed a Joint Management Agreement (JMA) for a period of three years (2009-2011)
with a view to strengthening global education in the new Member States of the European
Union and supporting Africa-Europe youth co-operation. This agreement was prolonged until
2012 and a new JMA was signed in September 2012 for the period 2013-2015.1
Apart from the Joint Management Agreement, a series of Euro-African activities were
implemented between 2009 and 2012 in the framework of the EU-CoE youth partnership
(DGEAC).
1
http://www.coe.int/t/dg4/nscentre/Youth/AfricaEuropeCooperation/JMA/YouthJMA_en.asp
2
Moreover, as a follow-up of the Africa-Europe Youth Summits and in order to respond to the
priorities of the Africa-EU Strategic Partnership, this Africa-Europe Youth Programme seeks
to:
 Promote the empowerment of youth of Europe and Africa;2
 Strengthen young people’s capacity to disseminate information and to get
involved in the implementation, monitoring and evaluation of the Joint
Strategy;3
 Facilitate encounters and exchange between young Africans and
Europeans;4
 Help mapping the existing African youth networks.5
This Programme implemented by the North-South Centre includes activities such as:
 Five sub-regional seminars on youth policies and the African Youth Charter
(finalised in December 2012);
 Africa-Europe training courses for youth organisations (10th edition in 2015),
and training opportunities for African Diaspora in Europe (5th edition in 2014);
 Mapping exercise of Africa-Europe youth co-operation/work, leading to the
creation of an Africa Europe Youth Co-operation on-line resource centre
(AEYCO, launched in May 2013);
 Providing Seed Funding for pilot youth NGO exchanges (5th round in 2014);
 Establishment of the Africa-Europe Youth Platform and institutional follow-up,
monitoring and implementation with key youth actors from Africa and Europe,
and representatives of implementing agencies and institutions of the AfricaEurope youth strategy (3rd meeting of AEYP will take place in parallel with the 10 th
Africa-Europe Training Course);
Between 31st March and 1st April 2014, the 3rd EU-Africa Youth Leaders’ Summit took
place in Brussels, Belgium. “To ensure that the future Africa-EU partnership will include a
stronger focus on youth and youth organisations, the youth of Africa and Europe call upon
the heads of state and government at the 4th Africa-EU Summit to build on success of the
Africa-Europe Youth work and address the common youth challenges through establishment
of an Africa-EU Youth Facility targeting joint actions on:
1. Leadership development,
2. Strengthened Africa-EU youth entrepreneurship and
3. Promotion of the role of youth for peace.” 6
3. Background of the Africa-Europe Youth Platform
The 3rd meeting of the Africa-Europe Youth Platform is organised by the North-South Centre
of the Council of Europe, in the framework of the Joint Management Agreement
between the European Commission – EuropeAid Co-operation Office and the
North-South Centre of the Council of Europe, and in partnership with the European
Youth Forum, the Pan African Youth Union, the African Diaspora Youth Network in
Europe, the Advisory Council on Youth of the Council of Europe and the Network of
International Youth Organisations in Africa.
At the 1st Africa-Europe Youth Summit, held in Lisbon on 5-7th December 2007, African
and European youth representatives recommended governments, the European Union, the
African Union and the Council of Europe to join efforts in order to strengthen the Euro-
2
As in 56. of the joint strategy, under the heading Human and social development
As in 56. of the joint strategy, under the heading Human and social development
4
As in 108, under civil society + 118. under the heading Monitoring, evaluation and review mechanisms
5
As in the action plan of the joint strategy under the heading Making it work: institutional architecture and
implementation
6
3rd Africa-Europe Youth Leaders’ Summit – Summit Paper: http://www.africa-eupartnership.org/sites/default/files/userfiles/3rd_africa_europe_youth_leaders_summit_-_summit_paper_.pdf
3
3
African Youth Co-operation by “developing an Africa-Europe Youth Forum (…) where
representatives of youth organisations in both continents have the opportunity to evaluate
and monitor the efforts of Governments as well as youth organisations and the progress of
the Euro-African Youth Co-operation.” 7
Along this line, the representatives of youth organisations from Africa and Europe, gathered
in Tripoli for the 2nd Africa-Europe Youth Summit (November 2010), also stressed the
“need for a yearly monitoring and evaluation of the Africa-Europe Youth Cooperation, performed by all parties involved in the partnership. (…) therefore
mandate the partners in the Africa-Europe youth co-operation, namely the partnership
between the European Union and the Council of Europe in the field of youth and the Joint
Management Agreement between EuropeAid Co-operation office and the North-South
Centre, to establish an Africa-Europe Youth Forum to institutionalize the instruments that
allow young people to renew and reinforce the current Africa-Europe Youth Co-operation”.8
Following up on these recommendations, at the Youth Leaders Meeting on Youth
Policies in the Context of the Africa-Europe Youth Co-operation, held in Addis
Ababa on 10-13th April 2011, the African and European youth representatives built a
common action plan on the development of the Africa-Europe Youth Co-operation framework
(2012-2015) and implementation of the recommendations resulting from the Africa-Europe
Youth Summits. This included the establishment of an Africa-Europe Youth Platform, of
which the core mission and objectives are as follows:
 Preparation/co-ordination of the Africa-Europe Youth co-operation;
 Monitoring of the Africa-Europe youth co-operation;
 Evaluation/follow-up of the Africa-Europe youth co-operation;9
The Africa-Europe Youth Platform held its first constitutive meeting in 4-8 November 2012 at
the headquarters of the African Union Commission in Addis Ababa. The meeting
included a one day seminar titled ‘Decent Work and Youth Unemployment’ on the 5 th
of November 2012. The Seminar brought together African and European youth
representatives and institutions to tackle youth unemployment, a key issue that is also
framed in one of the Africa-EU Partnerships (Migration, Mobility and Employment).
1st Meeting of the Africa-Europe Youth Platform, Addis Ababa (Ethiopia) – Headquarters of
AUC
7
Africa Europe Youth Co-operation programme – Collection of the declarations and main documents adopted by the
youth movement since 2007:
http://www.coe.int/t/dg4/nscentre/Youth/2011AFRICA_EUROPE_PUBLICATION_En.pdf - page 45.
8
Idem, pp.75
9
Idem, pp. 76
4
On the morning of November 6th delegates visited the Ethiopian Youth Federation,
United Nations Economic Commission for Africa and the Youth Division of the
African Union Commission. The afternoon was dedicated to discussion of the
guidelines of the Platform.
On November 7th it took place the first meeting of the AEYP, chaired by NSC and started
with the discussion and approval of the guidelines. The agenda for the meeting included
overview on implementation of 2012-2015 Action Plan as well as planning 2013-2014 and
the creation of the working groups.
Members agreed on starting a new mandate in 2013, for 2 years duration and new
appointed members were identified in the beginning of that year.
The second meeting was organised in Brussels in 2013 (October 21st – November 3rd), and
had the European Youth Forum as chair.
Members gathered to assess the implementation of the 2012-2015 Action Plan and to launch
preparations towards the third Summit (April 2014).
The main outcome was the setting up of a Steering Committee, composed by the
permanent members of the AEYP (European Youth Forum, Pan African Youth Union, Network
of International Youth Organisations in Africa, African Diaspora Youth Network in Europe and
Advisory Council on Youth of the Council of Europe), with the aim to organise the 3rd EUAfrica Youth Leaders’ Summit.
2nd Meeting of the Africa-Europe Youth Platform, Brussels (Belgium)
4. 3rd AEYP Meeting – objectives
The 3rd meeting of the platform will take place January 28 th – February 1st 2015 (including
travel days) in Nairobi, in the framework of the 6th African University on Youth and
Development (hosted by the Network of International Youth Organisations in Africa).
The meeting will be chaired by the Pan African Youth Union. The overall objectives are:
 to get acquainted with the overall framework of the Africa-EU Strategic
Partnership;
 to assess the implementation of the 2012-2015 AEYC Action Plan;
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

to reflect about the role of the AEYP and its members in its implementation.
and to follow-up on the 3rd EU-Africa Youth Leaders’ Summit and the AfricaEurope Youth Co-operation beyond 2015.
5. Draft Agenda
Delegates are invited to share with the North-South Centre any expectation regarding a
concrete subject that they expect to be discussed in the framework of the platform meeting,
to anticipate with PYU the most appropriate session to tackle it. Please send your
proposal by January 28th (morning).
28th January
9:00
29th January
30th January
31st January
Opening and
Intro to AEYP
Roundtable:
Youth
Entrepreneurship
Working
Groups
Exchange
Arrivals
State of art of
AEYC
Implementation
of 2012-2015
Action Plan
In the framework
of the 6th African
University on
Youth and
Development
1st February
Departures
Working
Groups
13:00 LUNCH
15:00
Africa Europe
Youth Cooperation
beyond 2015
Arrivals
Working
Groups
Field Visits in
Nairobi
In the framework
of the 6th African
University on
Youth and
Development
Sharing WG
outcomes and
defining next
steps
Departures
Closing
19:30 DINNER
21:00
Cinema
Evening
Camp Fire
Free Evening
Farewell
Evening
Departures
6. List of AEYP members and delegates
Organisation/Institution
Pan African Youth Union
1
Pan African Youth Union – Francine Muyumba
2
Representative of West Africa Sub-region - Apologies
3
Representative of North Africa Sub-region – Nabil Yahiaoui
4
Representative of Southern Africa Sub-region – Dalfino Guila
5
Representative of Central Africa Sub-region - Apologies
6
Representative of East Africa Sub-region - Apologies
Network of International Youth Organisations in Africa
Acro.
PYU
PYU
PYU
PYU
PYU
PYU
6
7
Abdrahamane Ouedraogo
8
Michael Adikwu (extra delegate)
European Youth Forum
9
Board Member – Márcio Barcelos
National Youth Councils (Europe)
10
Flemish Youth Council – Stephanie Veraghtert
11
Italian National Youth Forum – Giovanni Corbo
12
National Youth Council of Catalonia – Cristina Rovira Izquierdo
13
National Youth Council of Ireland – Ifrah Ahmed
14
Portuguese National Youth Council – Joana Branco Lopes
INGYO
Europe
15
European Youth Press – Milena Stosic
16
European Federation for Intercultural Learning – Charlotte Klinting
17
International Federation of Liberal Youth – Bobby Dean
18
International Union of Socialist Youth – Rocio Cervera
19
World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts – Alice Barbieri
Africa
20
Global Young Greens – Rose Macharia
Fédération Internationale des Mouvements Catholiques d’Action Paroissiale
21
Faith Ngari
International Falcon Movement- Socialist Educational International
22
Delphine Konda
International Movement of Catholic Students – Africa
23
Afou Chantal Negaly
World Organisation of the Scout Movement - Africa
24
Mary Waweru
African Diaspora Youth Network in Europe
25
Board Member – Mohammed Yassine Ennaem
26
Extra Delegate – Karim Saafi
VAS Osterreich - Verein der afrikanischen Studeninnen und Studenten
27
Youssouf Diakite
Advisory Council on Youth of the Council of Europe
28
AC member – Youssef Himmat
Institutional Partners
North-South Centre of the Council of Europe
29
Youth Co-operation Programme Manager – Andreia Henriques
30
Resource Person – António Lima
European Steering Committee for Youth – Council of Europe
31
African Union Commission
Jorge Orlando Queirós
32
African Union Commission - TBC
European Commission
Hjördis D'Agostino Ogend
33
(European Union Delegation to the Republic of Kenya)
NIYOA
NIYOA
YFJ
VJR
FNG
CNJC
NYCI
CNJ
EYP
EFIL
IFLRY
IUSY
WAGGGS
GYG
FIMCAP
IFM-SEI
IMCS
WOSM
ADYNE
ADYNE
VAS
AC CoE
NSC CoE
NSC CoE
CDEJ
AUC
EC
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