YOUTHCONNEKT SAHEL FORUM 2021

18 November 2021 - 20 November 2021

ABOUT

The YouthConnekt Sahel Forum 2021 is an annual convening that connects youth from across the Sahel region (Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Chad, The Gambia, Guinea, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, and Senegal) and beyond with policy influencers, political leaders, and public, private and development sector institutions to engage, discuss, design and accelerate youth empowerment efforts in the region.

PROGRAMME

This 3-day forum is organized in a hybrid modality with 500 in-person delegates and at least 2,500 participating virtually from across the Sahel and beyond. It convens at Centre International de Conférences Abdou Diouf, Dakar, Senegal from 18 to 20 November 2021.

Day 1

Session 1-The Pathway: Destination 2030 begins with Sahel youth

Opening remarks

President of Senegal, OSCDS, GenU, YouthConnekt, ECOWAS, Launch of YouthConnekt Sahel & the YouthConnekt Senegal Programme.

Session 2-Rebranding the Sahel: wealth of opportunities?

Plenary and parallel sessions will frame the narrative to rebrand the Sahel by debating the following issues led by a cross section of the participants from varied organizations not limited to the UN but giving voice to the youth along the following topics:

  • Rebranding the Sahel: Youth driving the Sahel’s transformation
  • High Level Sahel Youth Policy Dialogue: Public-Private Partnership to harness the power of youth to transform the Sahel?
  • What is possible at Home? Promoting home-grown solutions of Sahel
  • Beyond Covid-19 Response: Untold Stories of Youth Innovations in Sahel
Day 2

Plenary and parallel sessions to generate youth ideation toward transformation

The Sahelian revolution from a youth vantage point!

  • Empowering Young Girls for Accelerated and Inclusive Recovery
  • What’s on the Table? Empowerment Pathways for Young People
  • Social Innovations for SDGs: Scaling youth/Adolescent-led innovations to deliver the SDGs?
  • Digital Natives of Sahel building Digital Future: What is required?
  • Youth Re-greening the Sahel: Accelerating Green Innovations and Actions towards Greener Sahel Bolstering Peace in Sahel with AfCFTA, are we READY?
  • Cross-Border Cooperation: Understanding Issues and Opportunities for Youth in border regions in Sahel
  • Revolutionizing Food & Farming: Engaging Youth in Agri Value Chains Between Vulnerability & Creativity: Cultural & Creative Industry of Sahel
Day 3

Series of plenary and parallel sessions articulating the Sahel Youth Leap

The Transition – A leap for Sahel Youth!

  • Youth greening the Sahel awards
  • Sahel inspirational talks from youth
  • Why youth inclusion in governance matters
  • Cross border trade show
  • Closing ceremony (Ministers of Youth in Senegal & other Sahel countries, UNDP, YouthConnekt, ECOWAS, ECCAS, G5)
REGISTRATION

Fill the form to register for the event via here.

Who can register?

  • Youth delegate
  • Government officials
  • Development partners
  • Entrepreneurs
  • Youth influencer
  • Youth development worker
  • Exhibitor
  • Media Person

What is it?

ABOUT

The YCSF 2021 is an annual convening that connects youth from across the Sahel region (Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Chad, The Gambia, Guinea, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, and Senegal) and beyond with policy influencers, political leaders, and public, private and development sector institutions to engage, discuss, design and accelerate youth empowerment efforts in the region.

PROGRAMME

This 3-day forum is organized in a hybrid modality with 500 in-person delegates and at least 2,500 participating virtually from across the Sahel and beyond. It convens at Centre International de Conférences Abdou Diouf, Dakar, Senegal from 18 to 20 November 2021.

Day 1

The Pathway: Destination 2030 begins with Sahel youth

Opening remarks

President of Senegal, OSCDS, GenU, YouthConnekt, ECOWAS) Launch of YouthConnekt Sahel & the YouthConnekt Senegal Programme.

Rebranding the Sahel: wealth of opportunities?

Plenary and parallel sessions will frame the narrative to rebrand the Sahel by debating the following issues led by a cross section of the participants from varied organizations not limited to the UN but giving voice to the youth along the following topics:

  • Rebranding the Sahel: Youth driving the Sahel’s transformation
  • High Level Sahel Youth Policy Dialogue: Public-Private Partnership to harness the power of youth to transform the Sahel?
  • What is possible at Home? Promoting home-grown solutions of Sahel
  • Beyond Covid-19 Response: Untold Stories of Youth Innovations in Sahel
Day 2

Plenary and parallel sessions to generate youth ideation toward transformation

The Sahelian revolution from a youth vantage point!

  • Empowering Young Girls for Accelerated and Inclusive Recovery
  • What’s on the Table? Empowerment Pathways for Young People
  • Social Innovations for SDGs: Scaling youth/Adolescent-led innovations to deliver the SDGs?
  • Digital Natives of Sahel building Digital Future: What is required?
  • Youth Re-greening the Sahel: Accelerating Green Innovations and Actions towards Greener Sahel
  • Bolstering Peace in Sahel with AfCFTA, are we READY?
  • Cross-Border Cooperation: Understanding Issues and Opportunities for Youth in border regions in Sahel
  • Revolutionizing Food & Farming: Engaging Youth in Agri Value Chains
  • Between Vulnerability & Creativity: Cultural & Creative Industry of Sahel
Day 3

Series of plenary and parallel sessions articulating the Sahel Youth Leap

The Transition – A leap for Sahel Youth!

  • Youth greening the Sahel awards
  • Sahel inspirational talks from youth
  • Why youth inclusion in governance matters
  • Cross border trade show
  • Closing ceremony (Ministers of Youth in Senegal & other Sahel countries, UNDP, YouthConnekt, ECOWAS, ECCAS, G5)