Dr. Sifa, ICA Africa Director, at the International Co-operative Alliance Global Conference in Cape Town, November 2013.

1. The Speech of on “Cooperative
Decade: Youth in Action”
Dr. Chiyoge B. Sifa
ICA Africa Regional Director
Cape Town, SA.
2nd November, 2013

2. Salutation
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ICA president, Dame Pauline Green,
The President, ICA Africa Region,
ICA Global Director General, Charles Gould,
ICA Board Members,
ICA Board Youth Representatives,
Cooperative Youth Members,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

3. Introduction
I thank the ICA Board and the Cooperative
Youth Representatives for the invitation to this
special session; and the inclusion of this event
for the Cooperative Youth. The action plan and
global campaign for the Cooperative Vision
2020 without the Youth cannot go far. The
Youth are essential for the sustenance of the
Cooperative Movement.

4. Definition of youth
Youth is a transition period between
education and employment or marriage as in
our African context. The fluidity of this
categorisation now prompts us to accept the
United Nations’ universal definition of the
youth as persons between 15- 24 years.

5. Africa youth Charter
• However, the African Youth Charter upholds
ages 15 -35. Whatever the category to be
adopted, the all important issue is the work to
be done and how the youth can be fully
mobilised for cooperative business, in other to
realise the cooperative goals for Vision 2020.

6. World bank Statistics
• The World Bank Statistics of Africa population
demographics reveals the youth population to
be 65% of the total population of Africa. Africa
has the youngest population in the world with
over 200 million people of ages 15-24.

7. Poverty Level
• Poverty level among young people in Africa is
very high. According African Economic
Outlook 2013, 72% of Youth in Africa live on
less than two dollars per day. Many young
people are passing out of colleges without
jobs. The unemployment percent of African
youth is estimated at 60% Africa Economic
Outlook 2013, from ILO Report). This is quite
high for stability in the region, and it should
be worrisome to all.

8. Drivers of Employment
• Cooperatives should be drivers of youth
employment. The Cooperative business opens
up windows of opportunities for employment
for young people in all the sub-sectors of the
economy. ICA Africa is calling on development
partners to join in empowering our youth to
build capacity for Cooperative entrepreneurial
businesses in agriculture, ICT, industry and the
other sub sectors.

9. Blue print
• The ICA Cooperative Development Strategy is
aimed at increasing job opportunities for the
youth. The Strategy is structured on the ICA
global strategy and Vision 2020. The goals for
Vision 2020 are clearly stated in the Blueprint
for a Cooperative Decade 2011-2020. The
objective is for the Co-operative form of
business by 2020 to become:

10. Co-operative model
• The acknowledged leader in economic, social
and environmental sustainability
• The model preferred by people
• The fastest growing form of enterprise

11. Strategic pillars
• The Strategy relies on five pillars:
participation, sustainability, identity, legal
framework and capital. We are calling for
active participation of all and especially for a
greater youth involvement in Cooperatives in
the region.

12. • As we gather here let us take to heart issues
young people face in the continent and
together let us address them to build a
continent that gives hope to the youth of
Africa.
• Thank you.