The past decade has seen the emergence of a number of initiatives focused on developing new leaders on the African continent. But new leaders, in and of themselves, cannot have an impact on the direction of the continent if they remain on the periphery rather than at the centre where decisions are made and implemented. For a continent that is disproportionally young, young leaders are woefully missing at the centre.
The questions linger: “How do we ensure more young leaders are at the centre? If leaders are on the periphery and not at the centre - how can they raise their voices in a way that can be heard and makes a difference? How can they influence decision-making at the centre?”