Zambia set to host youth symposium to drive innovation, entrepreneurship

Zambia is set to host Inaugural African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Youth Symposium to create a platform for the exchange of ideas on innovation and entrepreneurship, among others.

The symposium to be hosted in collaboration with the AfCFTA Secretariat, is scheduled to take place from August 21 to August 23, 2023 at Mulungushi International Conference Centre in Lusaka, Zambia.

It is expected to provide a platform for youth entrepreneurs to explore and engage in dialogue on the opportunities under the AfCFTA and how they can best be utilised, says Musanda Kangwa, Commerce, Trade and Industry Public Relations Officer in a statement on Friday.

Kangwa said the objective of the symposium was to create a platform for youths across Africa to have direct interactions with the Secretary General of the AfCFTA Secretariat, policymakers, opinion leaders, academia, and financial institutions.

“The interactions will create a platform for the exchange of ideas on innovation, entrepreneurship, and achieving structural transformation that creates an enabling environment for inclusive trading under the AfCFTA regime,” she said.

Kangwa explained that the symposium would also provide an opportunity to learn from experts, mentors, and role models who had succeeded in trade and development in Africa and beyond.

She pointed out that it would also feature opportunities for exhibitors from different regions, backgrounds, and sectors who share similar interests, goals, and aspirations to showcase their products and services.

“The AfCFTA Youth Symposium will be a unique opportunity for Youth to shape the future of trade and development in Africa. It will provide a chance for the youth to express their opinions, concerns, needs and demonstrate their value and potential to the continent and the world.

“The Symposium will especially explore ways of ensuring that young people truly benefit from the opportunities offered by the AfCFTA,” Kangwa said.

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