BRICS Youth Summits paves way for the August Heads of State gathering

It further focuses to establish constructive engagements on issues relating to youth empowerment, the advancement of youth development and in creating a conducive environment where youth will devise a path to a brighter and better future.

“As BRICS youth leaders, you have the responsibility to separate facts about BRICS from the dominant Eurocentric narratives of the world. You need to invest in an accurate version of your past in order to take the wheel and steer this BRICS train of freedom towards its logical and intended destination.” said the minister.

Minister Dlamini-Zuma further notified of the few policies about young people in the BRICS countries that are agree upon, including the advocacy for free, equal and quality education among all the BRICS member states.

“We also agree strongly on the issue of climate change, of reducing the carbon footprint.” “We say as the BRICS countries, what are you as leaders doing on this front?’ We then challenge our leaders on these particular issues, on education, on youth unemployment, on the climate.” said the Minister.

In South Africa, youth demands for free education, decent work, gender equity, environmental protection, healthcare, housing, affordable municipal services and land redistribution have been placed firmly on the national agenda over the past two decades, after hundreds of service delivery protests drew society’s attention to unaffordable or inaccessible water, sanitation and electricity.

According to the National Youth Development Agency Executive Chairperson, Asanda Luwaca said that the youth were at the center of the country's growth solutions for growth to daily struggles waged by thousands of young people in communities, in workplaces and at universities.

“Speaking of the youth, we are the backbone of any nation's progress. In South Africa, we have a vibrant and talented youthful population that is eager to contribute to our nation's growth and development. Working together as youth belonging to our five member states, we can do more to create an enabling environment for business across the borders of our regions, and we dare not fail our youth”.

“Sufficient financial resources must be dedicated to education with the hopes that once the youth is done with the undertakings of the education process, they will stand a better chance to participate in their countries’ national economies by either venturing into starting their own businesses or having access to decent jobs. BRICS offers an excellent platform to harness the potential of our youth and empower them to become future leaders, entrepreneurs, and change-makers," said Luwaca