African youth after the G20: survey reveals hopes and frustrations

 

My latest:

South Africa's G20 presidency: African youth between disappointments and expectations 

During South Africa's G20 presidency, a lot of attention was dedicated to the Y20, a series of events and platforms put in place to  increasingly include young people into the debates. More than ever before at a G 20. Africa indeed has the world's largest population of people under the age of 30. A report from the Ichikowitz Family Foundation in Johannesburg on the youth and the summit also calls for global investment in the younger generations, as the continent’s greatest untapped asset.

  

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Melissa Chemam

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The G20 - or the forum for the world's 20 largest and most advanced economies - put in place the Y20 in 2010 as the official youth engagement platform for the group, in order to enable a dialogue between young people from member countries.

This year, Y20 South Africa 2025 chose the theme "Youth for Global Progress: Uniting for Solidarity, Championing Equality, Driving Sustainability," and aimed to empower young leaders to shape global policies that reflect the priorities of youth.

Levi Singh was the chief coordinator of the Y20. He is 25 himself and says encouraging young people to participate in global events and in politics in general should be an absolute priority. And he thinks this G20 was the most successful so far in getting that message across. 

"As this was the last time that the global south was leading the G20 for the foreseeable future, we thought it to be a unique opportunity to mobilise around youth participation," he told me.

The leadership of young people should be mainstreamed and institutionalised, he added, but he reckons that this was a demand coming much more strongly from global south countries, and not from the seven richest countries of the group, from North America and Europe.

"In Africa in particular, you see the median age today is 19 years old, yet the median age of an African leader, a parliamentarian, a minister or a president, is between 67 and 69. So there's a profound intergenerational divide between the majority of the population and those who are in power and in leadership positions," Singh said. "At the Y20, we weren't calling for people over 65 to be chucked out of office, but for a greater sense of intergenerational collaboration, learning, sharing and power sharing, ultimately."

Youth's expectations

The Ichikowitz Family Foundation, a Johannesburg-based philanthropic organisation dedicated to advancing youth empowerment, innovation, and social cohesion across Africa, aims to align with these key focuses of Y20. 

And through its yearly African Youth Survey, the Foundation wants to provide data-driven insights into the aspirations and challenges of the continent’s youth.

The survey captures every year the views and aspirations of tens of thousands of young people across 25 African countries. And this year, it was focused on the G20.

Titled, Africa’s Youth: “We’re Ready to Build—But the System Is Failing Us”, the report shows that an increasing number of young Africans' trust in democratic institutions and government accountability is eroding fast.

Young people used to expect their leaders to help create jobs, solve the climate crisis, and drive innovation, but they now feel "the system is failing them,” Ivor Ichikowitz, chairman of the Foundation, told me.

Ichikowitz adds that the Foundation's survey shows that young Africans have a polarised view on the current leaderships on the continent.

"On the extremely negative side, there are many respondents who are saying that they are frustrated with their governments and this plays out in what we've seen in Madagascar, what we've seen in Kenya, what we've seen in other countries in Africa," he said. "This is not unexpected."

The protest actions seen over the last 12 months were a reflection of that, from the coup in Gabon, to the Gen Z protests in Madagascar and in Morocco.

"It shows the frustration that the youth are seeing. They have come to the realisation that they need to take their futures into their own hands. They can't rely only on governments," according to Ichikowitz.

"They're coming out of a mindset, in Africa, which has been multi-generational, where there's been a sense that post the colonial powers, the post-colonial governments had to provide, governments were supposed to provide jobs, accommodation, prosperity."

The survey shows that the youth now realise the world doesn't work like that.

Fighting climate change and inequality

Climate change has also become a very key issue to African youth. 

In this survey, the Foundation could observe a deeper awareness around climate change issues.

"There's also a huge frustration because there's a realisation amongst the population that we surveyed that this is a reality that's been created by the world's most industrialised nations, and Africa is bearing the brunt of the consequences," according to Ichikowitz.

"The youth also realise that Africa has the keys to solve the problem, but that they're going to be huge sacrifices required in the protection of our environment in Africa, which is going to restrict development, that's going to restrict growth, that's going to restrict economic opportunities in Africa. And Africa is not being compensated for this reality."

Both Ichikowitz and Singh thus think that this G20 in South Africa was hugely beneficial to young people, especially to include their voices on issues like climate change, inequality and multilateralism.

"One thing that came up quite clearly and repeatedly across the working groups is that young people, in particular those from the global South, are fatigued by the constant framing by policymakers and world leaders of them as a problem and something that needs to be fixed," Singh concluded, "as opposed to an asset that requires investment and planning."

South Africa's programme of action thus offered some explicit references to how to mobilise and include the under 30.

"And that includes the UN pact of the Future and the Declaration on Future Generations," Singh recalled, which talk about how multilateralism needs to start harnessing the power of young people, the largest generation of young people in human history. 

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Ugandan elections J-45

Uganda: Türk deplores intensifying crackdown on opposition and media ahead of elections

03 December 2025

 

GENEVA – UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk on Wednesday deplored the intensifying crackdown on the opposition and the media in Uganda ahead of next month’s general election, calling on the authorities to fully respect and protect human rights before, during and after election day.

Credible reports indicate that at least 550 individuals, including members and supporters of the National Unity Platform party (NUP), have been arrested and detained since the beginning of the year. Of these, more than 300 were arrested since campaigning began in September. Many of those arrested remain in custody, facing charges ranging from public nuisance and disobedience of lawful orders to assault, obstruction, and incitement of violence.

Heavily armed security forces have been deployed at locations where the NUP party is scheduled to conduct rallies. Last week, they reportedly used live ammunition in the eastern town of Iganga, killing at least one and injuring at least three. They have also used tear gas, whips, batons, water cannon and chemical irritants among other weapons during the rallies to disperse NUP supporters, injuring many people.

“It is deeply regrettable that election campaigns have once again been marked by widespread arbitrary arrests, detentions and the use of unnecessary or disproportionate force against the opposition, as well as undue restriction of press freedom,” said Türk.

“I urge Ugandan authorities to cease the use of such repressive tactics to enable Ugandans to fully and peacefully exercise their right to participate in their country’s public affairs on election day, and in its aftermath.”

Reports of arbitrary arrests and detentions, as well as enforced disappearance, torture and other ill treatment of opposition supporters and activists have been on a steady increase over the past year, with security forces accused of using unmarked minibuses widely known as “drones” to transport people to unofficial places of detention known as “safe houses”, where they are held incommunicado. Under international law, detainees should be held only in facilities officially acknowledged as places of detention, including to prevent torture.

In May, for example, the head of the military posted on X that he was holding the bodyguard of NUP’s leader in his “basement”. Following a public outcry, the bodyguard was later presented in court, visibly shaking and showing other signs of physical torture. It does not appear that the court reacted to such signs of torture or ill-treatment and there is no indication that a thorough investigation has been carried out into this case by the competent authorities. In another recent case, two Kenyan activists, who were arbitrarily detained in Uganda shortly after attending an opposition rally in October, were handed over to the Kenyan authorities after more than a month of incommunicado detention in what the Ugandan President called “the fridge”.

Dozens of other opposition supporters are still in detention after they were arrested in connection with their political activities at the last elections more than four years ago.

“I urge the Ugandan authorities to fully and impartially investigate all allegations of enforced disappearance, arbitrary arrest and detention, and torture or ill treatment, punish those accountable and provide full reparation to the victims,” said Türk.

“I also call on them to end this pattern of repression. All individuals arbitrarily deprived of liberty should be released.”

The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights also called on the Government to uphold the right to freedom of expression, following multiple recent cases of restriction of press freedom in the country.

In October, for instance, journalists from NTV Uganda and The Daily Monitor newspaper had their accreditations to cover Parliament withdrawn apparently due to their critical reporting. And at least 32 journalists and media workers were either assaulted or had their equipment confiscated or damaged by security operatives during a parliamentary by-election in Kawempe North constituency in March.

“The Ugandan authorities must halt all violence against the media and the opposition and act fully in accordance with their obligations under international human rights law,” said Türk.

‘Lullaby’

  

Palestinian and British musicians team up again for charity single ‘Lullaby’, entering the race for Christmas nb#1 

The team behind the sold-out Wembley concert Together For Palestine - that raised over £2 million for Gaza in Palestine - announces a charity single ‘Lullaby’. 

It will be released on 12 December, and distributed by EMPIRE, a global independent distributor, record label, and music publisher. All profits raised from the release will go to Choose Love’s Together For Palestine Fund supporting three Palestinian-led organisations Taawon, Palestine Children's Relief Fund and Palestine Medical Relief Service. 

A renewed traditional musical theme 

“This lullaby from our Palestinian musical heritage has been with me since early childhood. Today, it returns at a much-needed time as a reminder of what Palestinians will never lose: hope, defiance, beauty, and dignity,” Palestinian musician Nai Barghouti explained.

'Lullaby’ is indeed an adaptation of ‘Yamma Mweel El Hawa’ [which means ‘Mama, sing to the wind’], a timeless Palestinian song about love, longing and resilience. It is still heard  across the South West Asian region during weddings, street corners and even on TikTok feeds. 

It also speaks of the longing for homeland and freedom from occupation. The new version was thought as a “powerful and emotive reimagining of a traditional Palestinian lullaby”, according to the team, and includes participation of over 15 British and Palestinian artists. 

They said they came together to send this message of hope and solidarity to the place where the Christmas story originates. 

'Lullaby' features vocals notably from Palestinian musicians Nai Barghouti and Lana Lubany, young Yemeni star Amena, and the UK’s Brian Eno, Neneh Cherry and her daughter Mabel, Celeste, Dan Smith (from the band Bastille), Kieran Brunt (Shards), Leigh-Anne, the London Community Gospel Choir, Nadine Shah, and more. 

For Brian Eno, "after a year defined by unimaginable loss, grief and injustice, we want to end with an act of love for Palestine’s children.” 

‘Lullaby’ thus reflects “their beauty, their longing and their hope,” he added. The song includes some lyrics drawn from the work of celebrated Palestinian poet and author Mahmoud Darwish, based on an original concept from Es Devlin. This single is produced by Benji B, Kieran Brunt and Henri Davies, mixed by David Wrench and Valgeir Sidurðsson, and mastered by Matt Colton. 

It was arranged and recomposed by Kieran Brunt and Nai Barghouti, with English lyrics written by Peter Gabriel. The official single artwork was created by visionary Gazan painter Malak Mattar and inspired by her piece ‘Shelter’ with additional artwork by Cameron JL West. 

Major fundraising effort 

For this release, Together For Palestine have a bold aim: to reach Christmas nb#1 and raise urgent, life-saving funds for Gaza’s children and Palestinian affected by the ongoing bombardment and genocide. 

“If we rally together and download it, we have a real shot at landing Christmas nb#1 - and turning that moment into vital life-saving support for Gaza’s families,” Eno said. 

For the London-based music sensation Mabel, it is intended to be “a traditional lullaby in tribute to the mothers and children of Gaza means the world. I hope you feel the strength in our voices.” 

The team behind Together for Palestine already organised a game-changing concert and fundraiser for Palestinians in the form of a cultural event hosted at the Arena Wembley, in London, on 17 September 2025, which saw over 150 cultural figures from across the globe participate and raised over £1 million. 

Livestreamed on YouTube, viewed by hundreds of thousands around the world, the filmed version of the event will be available on YouTube from 19 December, featuring additional unseen material, new camera angles and an all-new director's cut.

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Read my piece on the Together for Palestine concert here:

https://www.newarab.com/features/together-palestine-story-behind-artist-solidarity

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‘Lullaby’

Released Friday 12th December

To pre-order / pre-save:

https://lnk.to/T4PLullabyInsta?channel=PR 

https://togetherforpalestine.bandcamp.com/album/lullaby?channel=PR 

 

Algeria leads African post-colonial demands

 

African nations push for recognition of colonial crimes and reparations

 

The two-day conference, held in Algiers from 30 November to 1 December, is the first major gathering since the African Union adopted a decision earlier this year to formally champion global recognition of colonial atrocities.

ALGIERS, Algeria — African leaders pushed Sunday to have colonial-era crimes recognized, criminalized and addressed through reparations.

At a conference in Algiers, diplomats and leaders convened to advance an African Union resolution passed at a meeting earlier this year calling for justice and reparations for victims of colonialism.

In his opening speech, Algerian Foreign Minister Ahmed Attaf said Algeria’s experience under French rule underscored the need to seek compensation and reclaim stolen property.

A legal framework, he added, would ensure restitution is seen as “neither a gift nor a favor.”

“Africa is entitled to demand the official and explicit recognition of the crimes committed against its peoples during the colonial period, an indispensable first step toward addressing the consequences of that era, for which African countries and peoples continue to pay a heavy price in terms of exclusion, marginalization and backwardness,” Attaf said.

International conventions and statutes accepted by a majority of countries have outlawed practices including slavery, torture and apartheid. The United Nations Charter prohibits the seizure of territory by force but does not explicitly reference colonialism.

That absence was central to the African Union’s February summit, where leaders discussed a proposal to develop a unified position on reparations and formally define colonization as a crime against humanity.

The economic cost of colonialism in Africa is believed to be staggering, with some estimates putting the cost of plunder in the trillions. European powers extracted natural resources often through brutal methods, amassing vast profits from gold, rubber, diamonds and other minerals, while leaving local populations impoverished.

African states have in recent years intensified demands for the return of looted artifacts still housed in European museums today.

Attaf said it was no mistake that the conference was held in Algeria, a country that suffered some of the most brutal forms of French colonial rule and fought a bloody war to win its independence.

Its impact was far-reaching: Nearly a million European settlers held greater political, economic and social privileges, even though Algeria was legally part of France and its men were conscripted in World War II. Hundreds of thousands died in the country's revolution, during which French forces tortured detainees, disappeared suspects and devastated villages as part of a counterinsurgency strategy to maintain their grip on power.

“Our continent retains the example of Algeria’s bitter ordeal as a rare model, almost without equivalent in history, in its nature, its logic and its practices,” Attaf said.

Algeria's experience has long informed its position on the disputed Western Sahara, a former Spanish colony claimed by neighboring Morocco and the pro-independence Polisario Front.

Attaf on Sunday framed it as a case of unfinished decolonization, echoing the African Union’s formal stance even as a growing number of member states have moved to support Morocco’s claim to the territory. He called it “Africa's last colony” and lauded the indigenous Sahrawis' fight "to assert their legitimate and legal right to self-determination, as confirmed — and continuously reaffirmed — by international legality and UN doctrine on decolonization.”

Algeria has for decades pressed for colonialism to be tackled through international law, even as its leaders tread carefully to avoid inflaming tensions with France, where the war’s legacy remains politically sensitive.

In 2017, French President Emmanuel Macron, described elements of the history as a crime against humanity but stopped short of issuing an official apology and implored Algerians not to dwell on past injustices.

Mohamed Arezki Ferrad, a member of Algeria's parliament, told The Associated Press that compensation had to be more than symbolic, noting Algerian artifacts looted by France have yet to be returned. That includes Baba Merzoug, a 16th century cannon that remains in Brest. 

Towards an “Algiers Declaration” 

One of the conference’s key outcomes will be the drafting of the “Algiers Declaration,” envisioned as a continental reference text for criminalising colonialism and developing an African strategy for reparations and restitution. 

The declaration will be presented to the AU Summit in February 2026 for endorsement. The deliberations will also explore legal avenues for establishing a permanent African mechanism on reparations — an idea that has gained traction amid global debates over slavery, restitution of looted artefacts, and compensation for historical injustices. 

Although framed as a technical and historical forum, the meeting carries sharper geopolitical undertones. Calls for reparations have gained momentum in the Caribbean (through CARICOM’s Reparations Commission) and are resurfacing in Europe as former colonial powers face lawsuits and restitution demands. Algeria, whose own anti-colonial struggle remains central to its national narrative, is seeking to give the movement continental coherence.

For Algeria, the conference is not only about historical memory but also about reaffirming Africa’s moral and political standing. As the statement puts it, the initiative aims to consolidate “a shared identity founded on dignity and the values of justice.”

 (with AP)