What does the Africa you want look like? And how do we get there?
Since the turn of the century, we have seen remarkable changes on the continent. In the more recent past, we are seeing the world slowly shift its focus to Africa as we begin what is presumed to be a promising decade for the rising continent. We have seen rapid economic growth with some of the world’s fastest-growing economies in 2020 being African countries. There has been leapfrogging in technology as Africans embrace technological developments in the midst of the fourth industrial revolution. There have been accelerations in intra-African trade epitomized by the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCTA) which aims to leverage the world’s largest free trade area. While this is not without obstacles, the list of exciting developments on the continent is endless. With almost half of the African population being under 35, young people are at the center of Africa’s future. As this number continues to bulge it is important for young Africans to take control of the Africa We Want.
Here at TAP, we are continuously striving to stimulate nuanced, vibrant, and dynamic conversations about Africa. Over the next 6 months we want to use our platform as a space to engage Africa’s youth to voice ideas and opinions about “The Africa We Want” and the steps we need to take to get there. From education to pan-Africanism, trade to the creative industry, we want to hear your thoughts on what we need to work on as a continent.
TAP’s Africa We Want campaign will run from October 2021 to February 2022. Ending as the African Union (AU) prepares to celebrate its 20th Anniversary and enters its third decade of integrating a prosperous and peaceful Africa. The 20th anniversary of the unification of African unions provides a unique opportunity to reflect on the progress that has been made in the past and projections for the future. Reflections and conversations that will begin with this campaign.