UN in Ghana Champions Youth Leadership at the 6th African Youth SDGs Summit

The 6th African Youth Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Summit has opened in Accra, bringing together young people, government officials, development partners and civil society representatives from across Africa to accelerate progress on the SDGs. The three-day summit, running from 23 - 25 June 2026, is organised by Youth Advocates Ghana, with the United Nations in Ghana among its key partners.

The UN resident Coordinator a.i. and UNFPA Ghana Country Representative, Wilfred Ochan, delivered the opening remarks, reaffirming the UN's commitment to meaningful youth engagement in Ghana's development agenda. He emphasised the immense potential of Africa's youthful population, nearly 60% of the continent's population is under the age of 25. "This is not merely a demographic fact, it is one of Africa's greatest opportunities," he said, adding that young people equipped with quality education, skills, healthcare and decent jobs can drive transformative progress across the continent.

With less than five years to 2030, Mr.  Ochan acknowledged the urgency of the moment. He pointed to climate change, inequality, unemployment, conflict and rapid technological transformation as compounding pressures on development across the continent, while also framing them as openings for innovation and youth leadership.

Beyond the formal proceedings, the opening session carried a distinct energy. For many attendees, the Summit was as much a reunion as a conference, young advocates and change-makers finally meeting in person the peers and networks they had built online, united by a shared commitment to Africa's development.

On 25 June, the United Nations in Ghana will host a side event, “Shaping Ghana's Future: National Youth Consultation for The Future of the United Nations in Ghana”, at the West Wing 2, Conference room at the UPSA Auditorium. The session seeks to incorporate youth voices into the development process of the next UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework, the blueprint guiding the UN system's collective work in Ghana.

The African Youth SDGs Summit provides a platform for participants to exchange ideas, forge partnerships and contribute to SDG implementation across the continent.