The Young People Of Africa Are The Greatest Cohort. Amina J. Mohammed

On Africa Day, Amina J. Mohammed, Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations, shared a heartfelt message that is rooted not in policy or statistics, but in identity, pride, and possibility.

Speaking directly to the continent’s young people, who make up the largest youth population in the world, Amina called them the “greatest cohort” Africa has ever known.

She called Africa’s youth the “greatest cohort,” and emphasized how much the continent needs them now more than ever. “We need their voice, their courage, their entrepreneurship,” she urged. But even more importantly, she stressed the need for collaboration between generations, across sectors, and through communities. “We need them to really engage to be intergenerational, and to co-create their future.”

“The future is not tomorrow,” she said. “It’s today.”

A future, that must be built on dignity, on lives where people not only survive, but thrive. It’s a future where young Africans are not waiting to be handed opportunities, but are boldly creating them. A future where generations work side by side to design a continent that reflects their shared hopes.

Speaking not only as a high-ranking global diplomat but as a proud African woman, she reflected on the essence of the continent: its warmth, its resilience, and its boundless potential.

“Africa is more than a continent, it’s home to me. Its strength lives in its people, its culture, and above all, its youth. On #AfricaDay, I celebrate a generation shaping their future today with courage, entrepreneurship, and purpose. Together, we’re advancing the SDGs and Agenda 2063 – for every African.”

As Africa marks another year of unity, progress, and cultural pride, her words offer a timely reminder: Africa is not just a place. It is a pulse, a power, and a promise. And for Amina J. Mohammed, it is home.