The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Bushenyi, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Youth Alliance for Leadership and Development in Africa (YALDA), an international youth-led non-profit organization, will on July 1 host a East Africa Workshop and Market Day in Bushenyi. The groundbreaking event will be hosted as part of the YALDA International ‘Youth4AfCFTA’ week activities.
The East Africa Workshop Day aims to gather East African youth, business owners, innovators, young entrepreneurs, and media professionals. Participants will day showcase and trade their innovative goods and services.
The theme for this year’s event is “Repositioning East African Youth to Harness Opportunities from the AfCFTA.”
With the support of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA), YALDA has been at the forefront of empowering young Africans to lead and drive change on the continent. Established in September 2004 by a group of Harvard University African students, YALDA currently operates branches in selected universities and business
communities across 23 African Union (AU) member states.
This year’s theme “Repositioning East African Youth to Harness Opportunities from the AfCFTA,” underscores the pressing need to create awareness among the youth regarding theconcepts, benefits, and immense opportunities available through regional integration and intra- Africa trade facilitated by the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA).
Launched and signed by 44 African countries in March 2018, the AfCFTA represents a historic milestone for the continent. With an additional 47 countries signing the Kigali Declaration and 37 signing the Free Movement Protocol, the AfCFTA envisions the creation of a single continental market for goods and services. By fostering the free movement of business persons and investment, it unites a combined population of more than one billion people and a
staggering combined gross domestic product of over US $3.4 trillion. The AfCFTA heralds the establishment of the Customs Union and paves the way for a more unified Africa.
