From 13th to 15th October 2022, UNFPA East and Southern Africa Regional Director, Ms. Lydia Zigomo attended the 5th Youth Connekt Africa Summit in Kigali Rwanda where, together with the First Lady of Rwanda, H.E Mrs Jeannette Kagame, met and discussed with over 2500 young people from different countries across Africa, in a high-level session on Sexual and Reproductive health and Mental Health organized by Imbuto Foundation and the UNFPA.
As part of the 2022 Youth Connekt Africa Summit, Ms Lydia Zigomo, also attended the final pitching of 6 young innovators of the Early and Unintended pregnancy Hacklab, which provided an opportunity to interact with young innovators from east and southern Africa region.
UNFPA has been engaging in the Youth Connekt Africa initiative since 2017. At a time when the African Union declared 2017 the year of the Demographic Dividend and investment in young people that facilitated the development and launch of the AU road map.
As of today, with support from UNFPA West and Central Africa Regional Office, UNFPA Rwanda, the UNFPA East, and Southern Africa Regional Office has not only ensured the presence of UNFPA in the continental platform that operationalized the demographic dividend and investment in young people but has expanded its footprint serving as a member of the YCA Hub Steering Committee chaired by the UNDP Regional Director for Africa and the Rwanda Minister of Youth and Culture Hon. Rosemary Mbabazi.
On the margins of the Youth Connekt Africa Summit, Ms Lydia Zigomo accompanied by the UNFPA Rwanda Representative Kwabena Asante-Ntiamoah, had bilateral meetings with different leaders in Rwanda including the First Lady of Rwanda H.E Mrs. Jeannette Kagame, the Minister of Health, Hon. Dr. Daniel Ngamije, and Minister of Youth and Culture Hon. Rosemary Mbabazi. She thanked them for the collaboration and great support provided to UNFPA in Rwanda and appreciated their commitment to the UNFPA mandate.
Watch the below video for more on the Regional Director's visit to Rwanda
