Activist
Speaker
Diplomat

My End of Mandate Reflections – AU Youth Envoy

It has been an honor to serve Africa’s youth as the first African Union Special Envoy on Youth for the past two years and to engage thousands of youth from around the continent and the diaspora, visit countless cities and communities to learn from brave and passionate young people, listen to their stories of agency and hope and explore how the AU can better support their crucial work. These are young people that I shared a cup of tea with at the many youth engagements, we cried together at the struggles we went through, we laughed and danced together, we shaped the Office of the Youth Envoy (OYE) into what it has become today, by “Shaking Things Up”.

In the two years of our term, my team and I have demonstrated that young people are up to the challenge. Looking back to the Banjul+10 meeting in the Gambia where the idea of a Youth Envoy was first broached, a lot has since happened. We have seen the African Union evolve because of growing numbers of young people within its structures using the arts, technology and advocacy to advance the development agenda.

The 2019/20 Action Plan which was the result of six months of consultations with young people, guided our work throughout the mandate. During our tenure, we built collaborations with over 170 partners and elevated the African youth agenda by launching a number of national, regional and global initiatives. In 2020, when many were still trying to comprehend the outbreak of COVID-19, at OYE, we immediately adopted the ‘new normal’, and with young people we mobilized to ensure mainstreaming of the youth agenda in various AU member states ensuring the activities, missions, consultations and Intergenerational Dialogues continued. I look back on two years of important advances but I would like to share 10 key milestones;

 

  1. In the last two years, starting from within the commission we solidly anchored youth platforms in the different departments – notably the Saleema Youth Victorious Ambassadors and African Youth Ambassadors for Peace. We worked with various AUC departments, directorates and organs engaging all commissioners to champion the youth agenda in joint advocacy efforts includng on ending Female Genital Mutilation and Early Child Marriage as well as putting youth central to the African Free Trade Area, Free movement protocol, Digital Tranfromation, Diaspora engagement, to mention a few.
  2. In an effort to bring the African Union closer to the grassroots, together with the Youth Advisory Council, we undertook 73 missions to 35 AU Member States and global platforms and we reached over 80,000 youth through town halls, meetings, and consultations and over 160 government officials including Ethiopia, Zimbabwe, Senegal, Morocco, Namibia, Côte D’ivoire, Eritrea, Uganda, Liberia, Chad, Egypt, Kenya and Mauritania to mention a few.During the recent Africa Youth Day commemoration, I also joined the young peacebuilders of the community of Rumbek, at the Weapons Collection Site where over 1000 guns were collected in voluntary disarmament. Prior to this visit, I had also spent a day with displaced youth at POC 3 Equatorial State in Juba where we discussed youth engagement in the revitalization and peace process.
  3. In my role as the African Union Youth Envoy, I used every platform within reach to bridge the generation gap and bring youth to the table and it is working! We hope OYE will be remembered for building the foundation for “Intergenerational Co-leadership as an approach to reform decision making and prevent emerging conflicts.We consistently advocated for collaborative leadership between generations in governments and regional structures. This led to an increase in youth participation in member states delegations at the AU Summit in 2020, and an increase in the number of youth occupying ministerial portfolios and parliamentary seats in Chad, Namibia, Sudan, South Sudan, Ethiopia, Kenya, Angola among other countries.We institutionalized Intergenerational Co-leadership through the organisation of 100 Intergenerational Dialogues with diverse stakeholders including Global Peace and brought over 150,000 African youth to the table with over 800 Elders offline while reaching 14.9 Million through #100IGD online. In the same vein, we reinvigorated the conversations on public policies on youth and particularly reforms related to African youth in public service. This led to the publication of the “Greater Inclusion of African Youth in Public Service and Governance report in partnership with the African Leadership Institute which additionally resulted in the development of a network of African Youth in Public Service.
  4. Through various briefings, consultations and advocacy efforts, the OYE played an instrumental role in advancing the Youth, Peace and Security (YPS) agenda and contributed to policy outcomes. I briefed the United Nations Security Council in 2019 and 2020 as well as African Union Peace and Security Council (PSC) Briefing in 2019 and 2020 amplifying refugee voices and demanding support for young peacebuilders.At the AU PSC, the past two years brought tremendous advancements in the YPS agenda culminating in the Adoption of the premier Continental Framework on Youth Peace and Security. In addition, the Youth Silencing the Guns campaign has become AU’s main platform for rallying youth on the theme of the year which increased youth agency in Silencing the Guns. Through support from partners, we launched the Youth Silencing the Guns Awards with $ 20,000 grant, as a platform to recognise the exceptional work of youth organizations across the continent. It’s no surprise that the #ShutItAllDown movement emerged as one of our winners, their incredible mass mobilisation to highlight sexual violence in Namibia is a solid testament to youth power.We also convened 6 Regional Silencing The Guns Intergenerational Dialogues with over 1,800 participants, which resulted in Youth Silencing the Guns Declaration. In order to highlight the pivotal role women played in the peace agenda, we trained 38 young African women and equipped them with tools and knowledge on peace, security and international instruments through the Fellowship on Silencing the Guns. We are positive that these steps taken have moved us closer to the full integration and inclusion of young people in YPS. However, further financial investment in youth-led peacebuilding and development of National Action Plans on YPS are now the next crucial steps.
  5. We built a movement of youth-led accountability of 110 African Youth Charter Hustlers to work closely with the AU to monitor progress on the ratification and implementation of the African Youth Charter. A young man and woman per country, from each of the AU member states were selected from over 2100+ applications. The initiative opened up closed intergovernmental spaces with inclusive gender balance and diaspora engagement. This is the first initiative of the AU with fully inclusive youth representation across the 55 AU member states. Continued support for this initiative in partnership with UNITAR will be crucial in order to solidify youth-led advocacy, agency and collaboration with governments, national youth councils and other structures in advancing the youth agenda as well as link the AU better to the grassroots in Africa — a key feature still missing in several AU well-intended interventions on the continent.
  6. The Gender agenda has been among my top priorities as AU Youth Envoy. I am immensely proud of the work we did with the over 1,500 youth, both young women and men, from 45 countries whom we convened in five regional Barazas and developed the Africa Young Women Beijing+25 Manifesto with 10 Concrete Demands on the urgent interventions so desperately needed by young African women . In addition, we establised, Sauti ???? feminist platform, where 25 young women told their stories on the first ever AU blog. These stories were a collection of text, visual art and other forms of digital means of self expression to fully capture the desire, demands and agency of young African women, especially during the COVID-19 Pandemic. This was accompanied by $ 5000 grant to support the contributors. To move these efforts forward Sauti ???? voices should continue to be heard in an annual publication and the Manifesto should be presented to Generation Equality Forums in Mexico and France and adopted by Action Coalitions Leadership.
  7. In all our activities, we consistently ensured that vulnerable youth were present and the spaces were designed to have bottom up consultative approach and consistent feedback. The 2nd Pan-African Youth Forum marked a crucial milestone to set the stage for meaningful youth engagement. During this forum, I facilitated an inclusive non-hierarchical assembly in an open space with 500 youth. It was at this Forum that the chairperson of the AUC launched the 1 Million by 2021 which impacted the lives of millions of youth in education, employment, entrepreneurship and engagement. To further this engagement, my office pioneered the celebration of Africa Youth Month starting from Africa Youth Day (2019 and 2020), and this has now become an annual celebration at the AU during the month of November. We also ensured that the AU became more accessible to young people with disabilities through providing Sign Language interpretation at our events. We consistently advocated for the expansion of tools and networks to involve youth movements and groups who ordinarily might not be allocated a seat at a regular African Union event. I was able to provide space for more radical voices like La Lucha of DRC and Aswat Nisa of Tunisia to amplify their discontent and concern to the African Union leadership as well as ambassadors, ministers and commissioners.Despite drawing upon youth networks to reach vulnerable youth through for instance, sending internet data to youth in refugee camps, it is clear that a barrier to youth inclusivity is the digital divide and youth access to online spaces. Closing digital divide should be a key priority moving forward.
  8. We advocated for youth rights protection in consultation with young activists on the ground especially during the Sudan Revolution, #ZimbabweLivesMatter among other countries. During Human Rights Day, the President of Botswana endorsed the plea I made to African leaders to respect and protect youth rights especially peaceful protesters. This particularly would need more advocacy to enforce the African Youth Charter and the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights.
  9. We were tasked with the responsibility of creatively and innovatively bringing the African Union closer to African youth. Over the last two years, we have taken some bold approaches leading to massive impact. We tapped into a new youth constituency in the fashion industry through Silencing the Guns Outfit Challenge to leverage on the Pan-African Fashion Initiative and grow awareness and action for the AU theme of the year. I made sure to showcase the designs of the winners at every possible occasion. Through the first ever virtual Africa Solidarity Concert, a partnership between the Africa Union Commission and the All Africa Music Awards, we engaged youth in the creatives and music industry to fundraise for COVID-19 Response Fund.
  10. During COVID-19, we utilized the power of social media and technology to convene 54 Virtual AU Youth Consultations Series on COVID-19 with a total of 6,000 participants in dialogue with African leaders and decision makers. This led to the publication of Africa Youth Lead Policy paper “Facts & Figures of Africa Youth Agency, Challenges and Recovery Roadmap on COVID-19” and its dissemination through the Wilton Park policy dialogues. #AfricaYouthLead became a popular hashtag among african youth during the pandemic and reached over 19.5 Million with over 111.5 Million potential impact online.Through the African Youth front on Coronavirus, we also engaged 18 of Africa’s largest youth networks and national youth councils which made the AU the first intergovernmental institution to create a high level policy space for youth to contribute and co-lead the response to the pandemic. We provided online social media advertisement grants by Twitter to these youth organizations worth a total of $ 30,000

The achievements made in this exceptional journey would not have been possible without; the trust of the Chairperson of the AUC H.E Moussa Faki Mahamat to engage innovatively, thus paving the way for my office to carry out such an important mandate with the young people, as well as the continued support for the youth agenda by AU commissioners and special envoys who took a leap of faith on OYE’s different and radically new ideas to translate them into meaningful youth programmes. I was surrounded by leaders who were open to be challenged, to collaborate and co-create.

My gratitude to all AU departments, directorates, divisions, organs, Regions Economic Communities, Liaison offices, AU staff and technical professionals who have a wealth of expertise, and opened their doors to incorporate new fresh youth perspectives, and who have made tremendous contributions to our mandate over the last two years. I have enjoyed collaborations especially with APRM during the 1st International Youth Symposium in Chad and COMESA during the joint COMESA-AU/AGA project on Youth Engagement in Democratic Governance and Socio-economic Development.

I am also grateful to AU member states particularly through the permanent representatives to the AU for engaging in honest and challenging conversations that eventually shaped policies. Thank you to all the partners who believed in this office and invested in building its foundational resourcing, to mentors and those who are a phone call away to uplift and advise, and to the AU Youth Advisory Council for bringing their expertise and networks to our mission.

My appreciation also goes to OYE volunteers, and their hard work, OYE was run entirely by volunteers who put their guts, time, efforts, commitment and even personal resources to make it succeed. The average age of the OYE Team is 29 years old. When we called for volunteers to be part of the work ahead and the office establishment, over 5,200 applied. Following a selection process, OYE Volunteer Network was put together hosted on a virtual platform so we were working remotely even before COVID-19 outbreak changed our ways of work. The value of our volunteer time and talents goes up to $196.000.

While it was relatively easier to fill the human resources gaps, access to funds was a challenge. But through the support of partners especially Denmark, United kingdom, GIZ, UNFPA, UNAIDS, UNOAU, CIFF, Twitter, ONE Campaign, ACCORD, FAWE among others, the budget of the OYE has grown from zero in 2019 to $ 500,000+ in direct grants by mid 2020. Most of OYE’s operations are facilitated through in kind and technical support from partners which made up $ 1,5 million in total with only 13% overhead and over 80 % in direct impact.

To everyone who supported OYE, thank you for taking a chance on a new youth led and run office. Thanks to these partnerships and funding support, we have been able to train young people; and offer them the opportunity to work with the African Union as well as directly fund youth-led projects. Through this funding we employed 31 youth as OYE staff and consultants.

Finally, my gratitude is to all the young people in Africa and the diaspora, who seized the opportunity this office presented to collaborate and join hands on different fronts, who uplifted this office and advised us everyday with their tweets and tags and thousands of emails.

We worked closely with youth networks such as East African Community Youth Ambassadors Platform and Southern Africa Youth Forum who have undertaken impressive advocacy efforts in numerous AU intergovernmental processes and in their regions.

For those who are tempted to ask — what can young people do within the structure of the African Union Commission? These reflections are a testament of only the beginning of what is possible. While there were a lot of milestones achieved there were a lot of challenges too. We still need to reach more diverse young people especially those out of the digital revolution and the most marginalized in our communities. We need to offer them spaces to meet and support their work. We need to disrupt bureaucracy and innovate in fundraising. I hope we catalyzed the path to small actions for change by the present and the future for Africa — the young people.

Aya Chebbi

 

Facebooktwitterpinterestlinkedin
5 1 vote
Article Rating
Subscribe
Notify of
guest
131 Comments
Oldest
Newest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
Moniya Abdalazeez Abdalbaset
Moniya Abdalazeez Abdalbaset
3 years ago

HELL I MONIYA ABDALAZEEZ ABDALBASET
Ifrom Sudan. I am very happy with youth activism on the African continent. As young people, we have great responsibilities towards our homelands and their development. I am delighted to be a part of the African Union.

Mohamed shuaip mohamed

Thank you for everything and every effort that you was adduced it for us and our continent Ofcourse we appreciate it and wishes you good luck in your next life my beautiful lady .

Bangach
Bangach
3 years ago

It’s very important to participate and discuss Africa matters as young Africans the continent belongs to us.

I thanks you all for great work..

Edwin Ikhuoria
Edwin Ikhuoria
3 years ago

Great work Aya. The frontiers atr now broadened. More work ahead of you. Congratulations again.

Ekemini Inyang
3 years ago
Reply to  Edwin Ikhuoria

You did so well, we look forward seeing you at the top.
Congratulations on a successful ending ?

Emma
Emma
3 years ago
Reply to  Ekemini Inyang

Thanks dear great work blessings peace and love always

Dawit zegeye Haile
Dawit zegeye Haile
3 years ago

Dear Your Excellency Ms. Aya,

Thank you so much for your service.
Your did a great job for us and I hope I will see you at higher position.

However, as Ethiopian youth we are not happy by your work. Even, you and your team are not ready to answer our email.

As Ethiopian youth, I have so many projects on collaboration with the office of the Prime Minister of Ethiopia, but you’re not ready and happy to work with us.

Even, I discussed with you in the 2020 AU summit, if you remembered, I gave a speech during your appointment by H. E. Commissioner of the AUC in 2018, I was also member of AU youth advisory Board from 2017 to August 2018. I have planned to contribute my part for African Youth, but you’re not ready to work with Ethiopia.

Chikumbutso Gangire
3 years ago

Aya Chebbi,

It is openly the truth that your coming in at the AUC has greatly helped to bring a reality of Youth Engagement in Africa, which has been missing for decades. Africa and the Commission must move away from talks and piling up Decisions and Declarations and begin to Implement them and Domesticate the same. You and Your Team proved that if youths are given the mandate to govern, they can passionately, not only deliver, rather, more importantly can shape and change the mindset of African Youth and the wrong perception about Africa and her youths.

As your mandate is coming to an end, I can only wish you well and hope that the Commission will continue with this office and support it even beyond the current muscle. The commission must make sure there is coherent harmonization between and among all Youths related Offices, Organs, Departments etc, so that what is being done by one department, must be the same being echoed throughout the AUC/Africa/Member States structures.

As your term comes to an end, AUC must have one clear youth programme that must be originating from one point and be cascaded down to all relevant stakeholders including AU Organs, AU Regional
/Representational Offices, RECs etc so that we have one big voice being echoed and amplified across Africa. We the youths must speak with one voice from one bigger mouth, AUC.

Finally, I wish you continue and maintain the current youth network and platforms you have developed for easy amplification of messages just as a Cobweb can easily catch its prey that touches its strings.

ALL THE BEST AYA AND YOUT TEAM. YOU SERVED AFRICA WELL WITH ALL YOUR PASSION.

Chiku
Malawi

Nageh Hosni Ali
Nageh Hosni Ali
3 years ago

Great work and thanks for your efforts,.
Best wishes ? and congratulations
Accept my regards
Nageh

Gatwech N.Gatluak
3 years ago

Dear Aya Chebbi!
I warmly recognize your great contribution toward the Africa of our dreams as youths you deserve more awards on your productive task as the first African union special envoy on youth . I will only comment you to go on with your indisputable leadership ability to making Africa a peaceful continent to live.
Stay bless.
Gatwech N.Gatluak

Damian Rwabuganga
Damian Rwabuganga
3 years ago

It has been great and very informative having been a member of OYE. Thank you Aya for your efforts.

DAVID KABWA
DAVID KABWA
3 years ago

Well Done on your excellence. We are proud.

Emmanuel Igwe
3 years ago

Aya no doubt what you have achieved within this short timeframe is convincing you will do more if given the chance. The Leaders Hub were i chairing https://www.theleadershub.com.ng wish to recommend you for higher position and to suggest your successors build from where you stop. Also want ask if you can accept an offer of Advisor in our fast growing leadership organization.
Emmanuel Igwe Mentor UNSDSN Investment Readiness Programme

Kanhema Tafadzwa
Kanhema Tafadzwa
3 years ago

Indeed you guys played a bigger role and because of your work I started to fully understand and engage in matters that us youth are facing and trying to offer solutions and as well reaching out to other youth. I thank SAYoF_SADC for opening my eyes and to Aye Chebbi to motivate me that we the youth have a bigger role to play and we should not be afraid but to advocate for what is right.

Ms. Nyachia
Ms. Nyachia
3 years ago

Congratulations Aya

Nyasha Freeman Musikambesa
Nyasha Freeman Musikambesa
3 years ago

Farewell Aya, we will always remember you as the one who wished the youths to join the policy table rather than being represented on the table.

MUGALULA ASHIRAF
MUGALULA ASHIRAF
3 years ago

Thank you for executing your mandate in the office.
I hope those will who come after you will have a lot to add to what you have done in line with upholding the rights of the youth if not their voices.
However, I recommend that the next leadership need to tap on the activities of the youth and their initiatives starting at the village level up to the regional, national and global level other than concentrating on those at the national level.
This will make them be appreciated in the discourse contribution to the African Agenda 2060

Almoktar Harouna
Almoktar Harouna
3 years ago

Excellente fin de carrière Aya, merci pour tous ses efforts au bénéfice de la jeunesse africaine. Le mandat au sein de l’AYE prend fin mais ton engagement doit continuer et rester ferme. Nous nous engageons aussi à continuer le combat pour le rayonnement du continent Africain à travers la jeunesse. Bon vent

BERLANGE
3 years ago

Merci

Wisdom Ndzinu
3 years ago

You’ve really done a great job and needed to be applaud, God bless you and empower you more to impact the entire continent of Africa and bring the best in the Youth to transform Africa. Congratulations ??

Gai David
Gai David
3 years ago

Great work! Aya

John Youhanes Magok
3 years ago

They called you, Your Excellency, but you declined by advising “The African Youth” to call you just Aya. This was a groundbreaking leadership style you engraved as a principle of the OYE, a grassroots catalyzer. You championed a path and uncovered strategies for African Youth to be relevant to continental agendas, especially on inter-generational co-leadership.

Thank you for your efforts and thump up to all young people and stakeholders who were part of this journey for Africa We all Want, placing young people at forefront of our sustainable development.

We will collectively keep working in bridging the digital gap to reach more youth in the local and marginalized communities across the continent!

You are a Pan-Africanist Role Model, Keep Shaking things up, and wish you all the best in your life’s endeavors.

Regards

Bordeah Darius Lewis
Bordeah Darius Lewis
3 years ago

Aya, congratulations!

I have read with deep comprehension your efforts and achievements made just over a two year space you were opportuned to have served the youths on African continent at the level of African Union (AU). I am deeply impressed, honored and proud of your accomplishments, which I believe shaped the perception that young people incapable to serve when call upon to perform national duty. With your countless achievements as outlined, it’s no doubt if Africa must be repositioned in meeting the present days challenges, to adequately stand out as a continent bountiful blessed with all natural resources, affording young people the chance to occupy many seats in position of power and influence, is the means by which Africa can reclaim her independency as a continent. Aya, thanks so much for making the people proud.

Maha Jouini
Maha Jouini
3 years ago

?????? ???? ? ????? ??? ??? ? ??? ???? ??? ?????? ? ?? ??? ??????? ??? ? ????? ??? ? ??? ????? ? ?????? ????? ? ????? ?? ?? ???????? ? ??????? ?? ?? ??????
??? ???? ? ?????? ??? ?????? ??? ?????
??? ??????

Shakir Ziyad
Shakir Ziyad
3 years ago
Reply to  Maha Jouini

#Thanks_Aya

Desmond Nji
Desmond Nji
3 years ago

Congratulations Ms. Chebi for the bold steps and actions you’ve taken while the OYE has been under your auspices. They flourish the hope that more inter-generational work for development (including the health and well-being of young people) will continue way into the future. I wish you well in your next endeavours.

Godspeed!

Desmond Nji

Hannifa
Hannifa
3 years ago

This is great!
Thanks & Congratulations Aya!

Richard Holloway
3 years ago

Dear Aya,
We met at the CIVICUS meeting in Suva, Fiji. I was, i have to admit, sceptical that you would be able to do what you wanted to do, but, if anyone could do it, you had a chance. Thanks very much for this story of what you were able to do – it is a valuable lesson from which others can learn. Good luck in whatever you do next

Méschac NAKANYWENGE
3 years ago

Dear Aya Chebbi,
Hi,

We can only congratulate the work done during your tenure, please ask the team that will relieve you to please work hard to change the mentalities of African youth.
If there are the great powers today, it is only because they realized their situation yesterday and got to work. May we set to work today with firm determination to develop our Africa of tomorrow instead of continuing to lose lives in the ocean, in Western plantations and factories.
Good luck for the rest of your professional career.

Joseph nkaka
Joseph nkaka
3 years ago

You have done a good job and have served the youth office well

MUHINDO MBUMBA EZAIE
MUHINDO MBUMBA EZAIE
3 years ago

Bonjour Aya Chebbi pour moi c a ete un plaisir pour moi de de benefier de votre experience pendant notre rencontre a addis abeba lors du conference GIMAC 2020

Odiit Isaac
Odiit Isaac
3 years ago

I want salute you for great and wonderful job that you are doing and ensuring that the voices of African Youth are being Hard and Addressed.
Well done.
We are Looking forward to see more African young ladies of your traits.

Elbeddad
Elbeddad
3 years ago

Bonjour aya, bonne fin de mission on est fière de toi et de tout ce que tu as présenté à la jeunesse africaine?? Un salut du maroc ??

Nuru Rufo
Nuru Rufo
3 years ago

There is brighter days ahead for our continent Africa.
This is a great milestone, this is what I call Africa is getting better. Thank you so much for the good work At Chebbi. if we join hands nothing is impossible to achieve in this beautiful Continent.

OUMAR MAHAMAT OUSSOUL
OUMAR MAHAMAT OUSSOUL
3 years ago

Chaque début a une fin et toi tu es à la fin de ton mandat.merci pour le travail abattu et les initiatives en faveur delà jeunesse africaine.tu as montré ton amour pour ce continent a son peuple et particulièrement a sa jeunesse.Aya Chebbi une fierté pour l’Afrique . Oumar Mahamat Oussoul
From Tchad

Emael Mrema
Emael Mrema
3 years ago

All the Best Aya, you’ve made instrumentally transformations for African youth. Wishing you a Blessed Journey ahead.
with warm regards from Tanzania

MOHAMED AHAMADA
MOHAMED AHAMADA
3 years ago

I really don’t have much to say in all your efforts done during your time with all the youth, just to say thank you so much for you hardworking within the community.

Paul Ashibel
Paul Ashibel
3 years ago

Dear Aya Chebbi,

I am delighted to have followed you through your remarkable journey as the pioneer AU Youth Envoy, a journey that I, and many progressive African youths within and outside the continent adopted as our own.
You have done remarkably well and the evidence is there for all to see.
May the path ahead be illuminated, always.
Best wishes, Aya.

Jimoh Otaru Kabiru
3 years ago

Wao, these are very remarkably services to humanity. You are called to serve and you served More than expectation. Weldon and may you forever remain blessed dear

Celine Fabrequette
Celine Fabrequette
3 years ago

Dear Aya,

As a diaspora youth, all I can say is that many during your mandate I have attempted to contact you. Unfortunately the messages where never answered. Which makes me feel like diaspora once again was not seen, heard or included.

African Diaspora is an important actors and partner for Development but as you must have seen, the difficulties faced by the Diaspora are enormous. And it would be also good to gain support from the AU on the various challenges faced by the Diaspora.

I can only hope that the next envoy will take this into consideration and create a stronger bound between the 6 AU regions.

But I also want to congratulate you on the work accomplished, it sure must not have been easy being the first.
I look forward to seeing what you do next and also to see what the next envoy do. Do we know already who will replace you?

Amb. Obinna Johnesther

Dear Aya,

Congratulations to an Amazon and amazing woman of Excellence.

It’s obvious you are instrumental to the emancipation of the African Union Youths in its entirety, and we are eternally grateful to God for giving you that required wisdom to steer the good and larg ship of the AU OYE as it’s first Special Envoy/Ambassador for Youths. You did excellently well, devoid of all the challenges and negative actions that followed your many great visions and dreams.

Having experienced your style of collaborative leadership and management of people, you deserve the best accolades and awards by us, the young people of African decent, and trust me, I am part of that minute group of people who will surely, but one day, call you up for a deserving accolade for all you have done for us and our development.

More recognitions and upliftments awaits you in the nearest future. And when these things call in you and on your shoulders, remember dedicated, enthusiastic, hardworking and reliable youths like me, who would always love to help you drive your visions.

Once again congratulations beautiful Ambassador, and best wishes in your future endeavours. Much love xoxoxo ??

Amb. Obinna Johnesther
#AYCHustler (Nigeria)

Esther Musavi
3 years ago

Congratulation Aya for the great work. I love your work and connecting women in the world especially young women.

Jesse Chen
Jesse Chen
3 years ago

Congratulations Aya on all of your impact and influence in this important role for the Youth of the AU and, frankly, Youth around the world. You have laid the groundwork and foundation for your successor to build upon going forward. Thank you for your service and for your leadership! – With love, Jesse

VICTORIA MWANZIVA
3 years ago

Congratulations to Aya Chebbi and the white Youth Envoy Team for their brilliant work in Youth action in Africa-
The AU definitely redefined the Youth role by this position and it proved vital to impacting Young people across the continent through various initiatives-

I do concur with the fact that COVID derailed most activities in terms of the meetings; events and activities- but nevertheless we saw the vibrancy of the Youth Envoy in sensitization to youth- simultaneously continuing with the Youth Agendas that proved to increase participation and inclusion of Youth at/in the African Union at large

It is my hope that we will attain better opportunities for Youth- especially in remote areas in mind with relations to the AU through the Youth Envoy office

Kind Regards- Many Greetings from Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania

Karibu Tanzania ????

Zizino yassine
Zizino yassine
3 years ago

Well done and thank you for all the great work you and your team have done.
I know that it has been not easy due to many reasons and especially due to the current pandemic (covid) that influenced your agenda and plans.
I congratulate you for been very creative and also for being cool and very cool as youth leather of a political organisation.

I wish you all the best and looking forward to see you serving the African continent from a different position.

My regards Aya.

Yassine

James Ayodele
James Ayodele
3 years ago

Hi Aya, this is good report. It was a pleasure working with you on COVID-19 vaccine communication among young people in Africa. Looking forward to more opportunities to work together in the future.

Gervais Ndihokubwayo
3 years ago

I am Gervais,from BURUNDI and I am very glad and proud to hear how African are discussing about our social life!and as young student at university of BURUNDI, I want to be and participate in African union

Tobie Saratiel
Tobie Saratiel
3 years ago

Dear Aya,

You did a great job and it was nice working with you both at UNOY and as the AU Special Youth Envoy.

Sosthene
3 years ago

Merci beaucoup Mlle Chebbi!
Vous avez montrer que tout est possible malgré les moyens qui n’étaient pas souffissants.

Kudos to you and your team?

Cédric Landry Aboudi
Cédric Landry Aboudi
3 years ago

Merci Aya Chebbi pour le lead du BEJ pendant ces deux années.

Ce fut deux années riches en activités diverses pour le plus grand bien de la jeunesse Africaine. Votre leadership depuis des années a permis de faire bouger les lignes dans une Afrique où l’on peut avoir tendance de penser que les jeunes ne peuvent rien du fait de peu de moyens.

Vous avez permis à de multiples jeunes de connaitre et se familiariser avec l’UA et d’apporter leurs voies, énergies à l’atteinte des résultats de cette dernière.

Bon vent à vous et continuez de militer pour le plus grand épanouissement des jeunes dans le monde mais surtout en Afrique!

Tohouli Thibaut Achille
Tohouli Thibaut Achille
3 years ago

Nous sommes fiers du travail a abbatu par vote équipe et vous.
C’est un bilan qui est positif dans on ensemble et porteur d’espoir pour ceux qui assurerons la relève après vous.
Désormais ,l’Afrique peut compter sur ces dignes fils et filles pour son développement inclusif et durable.

Sulyman Hannafi M.A.
3 years ago

Hmm….A Woman Like A Man !! You have tried alot because I had been following AU quite a long. I love you, love your efforts and love Africa !!

Taban Luka
Taban Luka
3 years ago

Thanks Aya for your job well done, we in South Sudan appreciated your visit to us and your strong support to us. Wishing you all the best in new assignments to serve Africa.
Hon. Taban Luka, MP.
National Assembly
Juba.

Barbara Glover
3 years ago

I truly admire your leadership. Thank you for setting a standard for the office

Moniya Abdalazeez Abdalbaset
Moniya Abdalazeez Abdalbaset
3 years ago

HELL I MONIYA ABDALAZEEZ ABDALBASET
Ifrom Sudan. I am very happy with youth activism on the African continent. As young people, we have great responsibilities towards our homelands and their development. I am delighted to be a part of the African Union.

Conde
Conde
3 years ago

Merci AYA CHEBBI mission accomplie pour toute la génération de la jeunesse Africaine.

Kane
3 years ago

I wish you all the best for your future endeavors .
Congatulations for what you have done for the africans Youth within AU Institution .
Kane ,

Mohamed shuaip mohamed

Thank you for everything and every effort that you was adduced it for us and our continent Ofcourse we appreciate it and wishes you good luck in your next life my beautiful lady .

Bangach
Bangach
3 years ago

It’s very important to participate and discuss Africa matters as young Africans the continent belongs to us.

I thanks you all for great work..