Young people in the United States and Africa with interests in sustainable development in both countries will get the chance to exchange ideas and network in an upcoming youth entrepreneurship conference in Chicago.

The event organised by the African Global Chamber of Commerce will come off on July 12-13, 2018.

“I believe in Africa managing its own affairs, I decided to invite other Africans and African Americans to come together and work towards achieving that goal,” says CEO of the AGCC, Olivier Kamanzi.

Africa is currently the youngest continent on the globe with over 40 per cent of its population beyond the age of 15-24.

Olivier Kamanzi believes harnessing the energy and potential of young people across the globe is critical for sustainable development.

“What has to be done is empowering the youth because across all nations in Africa, a large percentage of the population are young.”

He noted that Africa is ready to move to the next level, hence the need to break barriers.

“We should be able to trade among ourselves where one is able to move his or her product from Accra to Cotonou, Accra to Lome or to South Africa,” Olivier Kamanzi said.

The US-Africa Youth Entrepreneurship Summit (USAYES) is a youth centered global initiative designed to promote and facilitate connections between US and African youth through trade and investment mainly in the areas of technology, agribusiness, and tourism.

This Summit provides a platform for Youth Entrepreneurs both in US and Africa to share their respective entrepreneurship and innovative experiences, thus allowing them to access into new US and African markets of products and services.

According to the AGCC CEO, investment in Africa must increase.

“We want to see Africans being tourists in other African countries than expecting foreigners outside Africa to be the only tourists,” he said.

The Summit projects an attendance of over 1,000 participants including government delegations, young US and African leaders and entrepreneurs, US investors, business leaders, technology companies, agricultural companies, energy companies, construction companies, tourism companies, media, trade and investment promotion agencies from more than 50 countries.

The summit will be held for two days with networking, exhibitions, mentorship, access to investors, market knowledge-sharing and marketing.