Allow me to begin by thanking President Mohamed Ould Ghazouani for organizing this meeting, and for the warm welcome and hospitality in Nouakchott. It is good to be back.

Mr President, I also take this opportunity to commend you for your leadership as Chairperson of the African Union.

In just a decade from now, young Africans will represent the biggest share of the global population entering the workforce.

We cannot let this opportunity go to waste.

This generation has the potential of becoming a powerful engine for growth and prosperity, not just for Africa, but for the rest of the world.

What we need to do, is equip these young people with the skills and expertise, to meet the demands of the labour market.

The partnership with UNICEF for digital skills and connectivity is a good model.

In the coming years, science and technology will offer even more opportunities for innovation, and we need to prepare our youth for this.

The bottom line, is that we must invest in building stronger education systems.

The economic impact of giving every child the right to learn, should not be underestimated.

Studies show that for one additional year in school, earnings can increase by 10 percent.

There is no exaggeration, in saying that education can transform lives.

One of the biggest challenges Africa faces today, is the shortfall in global education funding.

I want to propose two solutions, to close this gap.

For one, it is Africa’s responsibility to better manage our resources. Relying on external support alone is not a realistic strategy.

Effective partnerships should not be confused with outsourcing responsibility, or leadership.

It is not a question about being big or small, or having sufficient resources. It is about making the right choices. This is well within Africa’s means.

When you take ownership, this becomes even more attractive, to those that will want to invest in and with us.

In Rwanda, we have increased the share of education spending in our budget from 11 percent in the year 2020, to 17 percent in the year 2024.

How we spend also matters. The focus should be on quality, if we want to see long-term results.

This means training and hiring better qualified teachers, modernizing the curriculum, and encouraging critical thinking, rather than rote memorization.

Secondly, multilateral institutions should harmonize their efforts with national governments, and increase the available funding.

It is in everyone’s interest to boost our continent’s productivity.

More and more countries are also now calling for the reform of the global financial architecture.

This is only fair. What developing countries need in order to meet our development goals is more fiscal space, not more debt.

To close, I ask that we look at the bigger picture.

As we speak, many young Africans are putting their lives in danger, to go find better opportunities abroad.

This is a sign, that we need to do more to empower our youth. This is a sign that there is more to do, and that there is more we can do.

Africa is our common home, and we must ensure that every African has a future on this continent.

I thank you for your kind attention.