Nasser International Strengthens Africa’s Youth Leadership Agenda at 2025 Pan-African Youth Forum 

Djibouti summit highlights the Forum’s growing continental influence, showcasing its commitment to youth diplomacy, public leadership, and African integration under Agenda 2063.

By Burnett Munthali

Nasser International Forum has reaffirmed its growing footprint in African youth diplomacy through its active participation in the 2025 Pan-African Youth Forum held in Djibouti.

The gathering, hosted from 4 to 6 November 2025 by the African Union Commission, carried the theme “From Ambition to Action: Youth as Catalysts for Sustainable Development.”

The Forum’s participation underscored its ongoing commitment to advancing Agenda 2063, particularly in areas of development, innovation, leadership, and continental integration.

Anthropologist Hassan Ghazaly, founder of the Nasser International Forum, emphasized that Egypt’s presence at the Djibouti event marked an important milestone in strengthening youth engagement across Africa.

He highlighted Djibouti’s unique symbolic role as a geographic and cultural bridge between the Arab and African regions.

Ghazaly noted that the Forum’s participation at this year’s Youth Forum was deliberately diverse, reflecting the Forum’s values of pluralism, inclusion, and cross-border collaboration.

He explained that the delegation was composed of young professionals from a wide range of backgrounds and nationalities, mirroring the Forum’s broad continental reach.

The Egyptian delegation included Dr. Mohamed Ezz and Engineer Rowan Al-Omda.

Representing Sudan was Engineer Hudhaifa Al-Hassan, while legal expert Bubba Fatty came from The Gambia.

Djibouti was also represented through UN activist Malika Elias, further reinforcing the regional diversity of the group.

According to Ghazaly, this broad representation highlights the Forum’s commitment to empowering African youth through shared learning, regional dialogue, and leadership exchange.

He stressed that such diversity strengthens cooperation across Africa and enriches conversations around development, governance, and entrepreneurship.

Speaking at the event, Engineer Hudhaifa Al-Hassan — Secretary-General of the Arab-African Youth Council and an alumnus of the Nasser International Leadership Fellowship — detailed one of the major contributions of the Forum during the summit.

He revealed that the Arab-African Youth Council hosted a special side panel titled “The Role of Inclusive Markets and Inclusive Business in Achieving Regional Integration.”

The session explored how African and Arab youth can shape future socioeconomic progress by fostering inclusive business models and market systems.

Al-Hassan underscored that youth-driven inclusive markets are essential for accelerating sustainable development and widening economic opportunities across the continent.

Throughout the forum, Nasser International delegates emphasized the need for African youth to shift focus from isolated local initiatives to broader continental cooperation frameworks.

They argued that regional coalitions — rather than singular national efforts — are more capable of driving lasting economic, social, and leadership transformation.

Delegates also shared insights from ongoing Nasser International projects that promote youth empowerment through leadership training, entrepreneurship support, and youth-centered development programs.

These experiences illustrated practical strategies for strengthening inclusive economies and expanding opportunities for young Africans.

The delegation explained that the long-term vision of the Forum includes equipping young leaders with the skills needed to take part meaningfully in African integration, good governance, and regional development agendas.

Since its inception in 2019, the Nasser International Forum has steadily grown into a leading continental platform for youth leadership and public diplomacy.

Its work is anchored in building cultural bridges, strengthening regional cooperation, and advancing public diplomacy through youth-led initiatives.

The Forum operates a wide network of programs designed to foster critical thinking, leadership excellence, and cross-regional collaboration.

Among its flagship initiatives are the Nasser International Leadership Fellowship, a continental program that trains emerging leaders from Africa and beyond.

It also runs the Nasser Youth Movement for Bilateral Relations Development, an initiative that encourages youth-driven diplomatic engagement between regions and nations.

The National Vanguard School is another key component, focusing on youth political education and strategic leadership development.

The Forum has also introduced the Nasser Social Platform (experimental), which serves as a digital space for public discourse and youth-driven policy dialogue.

In addition, the Forum’s official website acts as an information and resource hub for young people seeking leadership development and international engagement opportunities.

Together, these programs form a comprehensive ecosystem that blends intellectual development with practical engagement in African diplomacy and development.

This model, according to Forum leadership, ensures that future African leaders are equipped with both the knowledge and real-world experience required to influence policy, drive integration, and promote sustainable growth across the continent.

The 2025 Pan-African Youth Forum in Djibouti thus served not only as a platform for continental dialogue, but also as a testament to Nasser International’s expanding role in shaping Africa’s leadership future.

Through its diverse delegation, strategic contributions, and continued commitment to Agenda 2063, the Forum reaffirmed its mission to empower youth as central actors in Africa’s development journey.

And as the continent continues to invest in governance, innovation, and regional cooperation, Nasser International stands poised to remain one of the key engines of youth-driven transformation.