Hlengiwe Nkambule, a member of the EU-Eswatini Youth Advisory Board, joined a select group of youth delegates from sub-Saharan Africa for a high-level virtual forum organised by the European Union (EU) and the African Union (AU) on 20 May 2025.
The half-day Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) and Youth Forum was held ahead of the AU-EU Ministerial Summit, which opened today in Brussels. Nkambule was one of only seven young representatives invited to take part in the discussions, which focused on shaping priorities for the AU-EU partnership.
The forum centred on critical themes such as economic investment, job creation, green and digital transitions, human development, migration, peace, and multilateral collaboration. Delegates exchanged views on how these areas impact youth across Africa and offered policy suggestions rooted in their lived experiences.
Speaking after the session, Nkambule said the exchange had been different from other forums she had attended, pointing to the depth of engagement and shared commitment to African youth issues. She said the group proposed practical ideas to address the challenges young people face across the continent.
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