By Simi Nwogugu, President and CEO at JA Africa
It is good to be back. I took a short bereavement break last month, and I am deeply grateful to Akosua, our newly promoted Senior Vice President and Chief Programs Officer, for stepping in so graciously to keep our newsletter conversation going in my absence.
I return with fresh energy and a sharpened sense of focus, and there was no better place to put it to work than New York, where leaders from around the world gathered for the 81st session of the UN General Assembly (UNGA81) under the theme Restoring Trust, Managing Transformation: A United Nations That Delivers for All. Quite a lot of events focused on AI and the impact its rapid pace of change is making on the world, particularly the developing world.
I found myself in many sessions advocating for a broader discussion on equitable access to technology because our young Africans cannot even participate in the AI revolution if they dont have the requisite knowledge, devices and internet access.
I was quite heartened to learn about innovative approaches from a few ICT Ministers on the continent, many of whom, to my pleasant surprise, were women!
There was also a lot of focus on gender equality at this UNGA, especially because of our excitement that the top two contenders for the next UN Secretary-General position are women! Gatherings like UNGA matter to our work for a simple reason: the future of Africas young people is shaped in rooms where priorities are set and resources are committed.
When JA Africa is in those rooms, the conversation shifts from what young people need to what young people can achieve when we invest in them.
These are the spaces where we make the case that investing in youth, particularly marginalized girls, is not charity but strategic continental development that can lead to billions of dollars in GDP growth across the continent.
Young Africans are smart, innovative problem-solvers who can build the Africa we all want if they have the capital investment required to do so. I am grateful to our partners who offered me the opportunity to contribute to their events as a panelist or roundtable participant. I was honored to have been invited by Meta, Qhala and the ONE Campaign to contribute to their discussions on AI literacy and foundational learning.
I left all sessions with copious notes and excitement over potential new partnerships to benefit more youth in Africa. JA Worldwide also hosted five events during UNGA week, showing the relevance of JAs programs and thought leadership on the global stage.
JA delegation to UNGA81 with the Fearless Girl statue in front of the New York Stock Exchange
