Ladies and gentlemen, first and foremost, allow me to express my deep gratitude to His Excellency Mr. Maïdé Hamit Lony, Minister of Youth and Sports of Chad, for his special invitation to the European Cooperation System and for the honor of addressing this prestigious Youth Connekt Sahel – Chad 2025 Forum.
I respectfully welcome the presence here in Chad of Their Excellencies, the Ministers of Youth of Niger and Togo, as well as the distinguished representatives of the delegations from African countries, in particular the brotherly countries of the Sahel, to whom I pay tribute for their constant commitment and courage in the fight against terrorism.
I also extend my most respectful greetings to all the distinguished guests, in their ranks, capacities, and grades, and I express my sincere gratitude to the entire Youth Connekt Chad organizing committee, with a special mention to the National Coordinator for his remarkable work.
Finally, I would like to express my heartfelt thanks to the Chadian people for the exceptional, warm, and fraternal welcome they have given my delegation and myself since our arrival in this land of courage, hospitality, and dignity—the Land of Toumaï.
BACKGROUND : The Sahel is the largest region in Africa, covering more than 5 million km², but it is also one of the least densely populated areas on the continent, with an average of 25 inhabitants per km².
For more than twenty years, this region has been experiencing multiple crises: security, climate, economic, and social. In other words, a young person in the Sahel aged 20 to 25 today has grown up in an environment marked by constant precariousness and instability. (AND THIS IS NOT NORMAL).
TERRORISM : These young people are double victims of the most profound security crisis the Sahel has ever known: terrorism.
On the one hand, some are subjected to forced recruitment, often accompanied by brainwashing fueled by drug use.
On the other, many become innocent targets of violence. Yet despite this harsh reality, these young people continue to resist, create, and hope.
EDUCATION AND CAPACITY BUILDING : But beyond security, another decisive battle is being fought:
that of employment and training for young people in the Sahel.
Youth unemployment often exceeds 30 to 40% in several Sahelian countries, and underemployment affects more than 60% of the young working population. National and international programs are multiplying, but their impact remains limited without a profound overhaul of educational and economic policies.
One of the major findings is the lack of training adapted to local economic realities.
SELF-EMPLOYMENT : Self-employment, or entrepreneurship, can only succeed on the basis of solid skills, structured support, and basic infrastructure: roads, energy, connectivity, and financing. Without these pillars, talent remains isolated, and initiatives fail to reach maturity.
So how can we combat youth unemployment in the Sahel?
What are the keys to transforming their ideas into success stories?
To answer this question, we must first understand that in this world of technological and economic change, the Sahelian states are still young nations, still under construction.
Youth unemployment is therefore an existential challenge that cannot be solved by individual will alone, but by the establishment of governmental and regional mechanisms based on the triad:
being employed, becoming self-employed, or becoming an employer. (Implementing this formula across all education systems will be part of the solution).
VALUING SUCCESS : These mechanisms must also value success and play down the failure of those who dare to build and dare to initiate.
Because failure in entrepreneurship is not a shame, dear brothers and sisters, it is a learning experience, a step on the road to success.
Yesterday, during the high-level plenary session, His Excellency the Minister of Youth and Sports of Chad recalled an essential virtue: patience.
Mr. GABRIEL MVOGO SAINT, Founder of the International Youth Institute – USA
His recommendation sparked some reactions, revealing that many young people confuse quick success with lasting success. Yet in entrepreneurship, patience is the cornerstone of success.
A young entrepreneur starting a business must sometimes be creative, technical, communicative, and managerial, without immediate return on investment. But every day of work, every attempt, every lesson learned brings them closer to their vision.
And it is this vision, nourished by patience, that transforms an idea into a business, a business into a success, and individual success into a collective driving force for the youth of the Sahel.
Today, the Sahel does not need pity, but partners and builders.
Every young person must understand that they are the primary agents of change.
The challenges are immense, but our generation has a responsibility to turn them into opportunities.
The Sahel should no longer be seen as a land of crisis, but as a laboratory for African resilience, a cradle of innovation, and a place where courageous, creative, and determined young people can express themselves.
I say to the youth of the Sahel: believe in your strength, believe in your ideas, persevere with patience, and build with dignity.
For it is on your hands, your initiatives, and your dreams that the economic rebirth of the Sahel depends.
Mr. GABRIEL MVOGO SAINT, Founder of the International Youth Institute
