The Independent Continental Youth Advisory Council on AfCFTA (ICOYACA) is a youth-led continental body initiated by young people from the continent of Africa, under the guidance and stewardship of MS TCDC/Youlead Africa, the East African Community/EAC Youth Ambassadors Platform, East African Business Council (EABC) with technical and financial collaboration from the GIZ-African Union office.
The Council is an outcome of a one-week continental summer boot camp for young business leaders and policy makers on AfCFTA whose report is here. The participants of the bootcamp proceeded to take part in the Youlead Africa 2021 Summit.
ICOYACA was officially launched on the 9th November 2021 by H.E Jakaya Kikwete, former President of the United Republic of Tanzania who doubles as Patron of YouLead, during the Youlead Africa 2021 Summit in the presence of Hon. Dr. Peter Mathuki, EAC Secretary General, AfCFTA Secretariat Senior Officials and youth leaders from various AU member states.
To facilitate the institutionalisation of youth participation in the implementation processes of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
Mobilise & empower young people to participate in Intra-African Trade through information dissemination, Capacity-building, advising and negotiating with governments, and institutions to develop and implement an inclusive and sustainable AfCFTA framework.
Emolot Allan David
Edith Njage
Blondel Abdallah Katongola
Diana Majala
Communications Directorate Head
Head AfCFTA Youth Engage Series
Head Graphics and Design
Swahili Language Translator
Directorate Head
Deputy Head In-charge of Diaspora Engagement
Coordinator African Union and Office of the Youth Envoy
Europe Coordinator
Directorate Head
Deputy Head In-charge Trade
Directorate Head
Deputy Head
Head of Coordination
Deputy Head In-charge of Development
Directorate Head
Deputy Head In-charge of Research
Directorate Head
Deputy Head
At present, ICOYACA has a presence in 43 African Nations (AU Member States) and engaging 10 youth in each country referred to as National Champions.
Ethiopia Country Champion
Uganda Country Champion
Rwanda Country Champion
South Sudan Country Champion
Djibouti Country Champion
Somalia Deputy Country Champion
South-Sudan Deputy Country Champion
Burundi Country Champion
Egypt Country Champion
Morocco Country Champion
Tunisia Country Champion
Libya Country Champion
Mauritania Country Champion
Algeria Country Champion
Western Sahara Country Champion
Senegal Country Champion
Liberia Country Champion
Benin Country Champion
Ivory Coast Country Champion
Togo Country Champion
Nigeria Country Champion
Sierra Leone Country Champio
Ghana Country Champion
Malawi Country Champion
Zambia Country Champion
Seychelles Country Champion
Botswana Country Champion
Lesotho Country Champion
South Africa Country Champion
Zimbabwe Country Champion
Comoros Country Champion
Cameroon Country Champion
Gabon Country Champion
Angola Country Champion
Lesotho Deputy Country Champion
Eswatini Country Champion
Somalia Country Champion
Rwanda Deputy Country Champion
Uganda Deputy Country Champion
AFRICA UNDER 40 CEOs AND ENTREPRENEURS NETWORK (AFRICEN) was conceived in November 2019 in Arusha, Tanzania, under the auspices of the Under 40s Business Leaders Forum (the Forum) of the YouLead Summit 2019. The Forum gathers young and enterprising leaders in business, policymakers and decision makers in government, and development practitioners to find solutions to pressing issues in the region’s business environment.
Cardinal to the Forum’s existence is tackling youth unemployment through nurturing enterprise and encouraging innovation. The establishment of a conducive environment for commerce is at the heart of the Forum’s discourse, whose ultimate goal is a skilled, competitive workforce that is able to drive sustainable development through entrepreneurship, innovation and job creation.
The (AFRICEN) shall exist to strengthen youth leadership in the private sector of the continent Structure of the Network
Any entrepreneur or CEO below the age of 40 from Africa, or supporting organisations, interested in becoming a member can do so by filling an online form which will be approved by the Steering Committee.
This includes but is not limited to:
Deputy Chairperson, Sierra Leone
Deputy Chairperson, Nigeria
Chairperson, Uganda
Deputy Chairperson, Uganda
Chairperson, Kenya
Deputy Chairperson, Kenya
Chairperson
South Africa
Deputy Chairperson Eswatini
Secretarty General Eswatini