Afro-Arab Youth Council roots for strengthening youth participation, expanding partnerships during 22nd anniversary

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The Afro-Arab Youth Council (AAYC) has marked its 22nd anniversary, celebrating over two decades of promoting youth unity, co-operation and development between Africa and the Arab world. 

Speaking during the commemoration on March 9, 2026, at the council’s secretariat in Bunamwaya, Kampala, council secretary general Abbas Agaba highlighted the organisation’s journey since its establishment and reaffirmed its commitment to empowering young people across both the African and Arab regions.

Founded on March 9, 2004, in Khartoum, Sudan, the Afro-Arab Youth Council was launched during the first Afro-Arab Youth Festival, which brought together youth delegations from several African and Arab countries. The organisation was created to unite youth organisations from the two regions under the theme “Youth, Peace, Unity and Development.”

According to Agaba, the council acts as a platform that brings together national and regional youth organisations to promote dialogue, cooperation and partnerships among young people from Africa and the Arab world.

“The council also acts as a lobby group for youth interests with institutions such as the African Union and the Arab League, as well as member state governments,” he said.

One of the council’s major milestones was the second Afro-Arab Youth Festival held in 2008 at Munyonyo in Kampala, which attracted more than 5,000 young people from across the African and Arab regions.

During the event, the General Assembly resolved that Uganda should host the council’s international headquarters, a decision that later led to a Host Country Agreement with the Government of Uganda.

The President of Uganda, Yoweri Museveni, serves as the patron and custodian of the Afro-Arab Youth Council secretariat.

Currently, the organisation is working towards establishing its permanent international headquarters, a major project expected to include an office complex, an international sports stadium, a hotel and recreational facilities, a University of Science and Technology, and an Afro-Arab Cultural Heritage Centre.

“Over the years, the council has held several executive committee meetings and youth engagements in countries, including Sudan, Syria, Egypt, Morocco, South Africa and Uganda to strengthen collaboration among youth organisations,” Agaba said.

In 2019, the International Executive Committee, with the support of President Museveni, reconvened and resolved to revamp the council’s activities, leading to the establishment of a functioning secretariat in Bunamwaya, Kampala.

The council has also developed partnerships with several international and regional organizations including the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (ICESCO), Pan African Youth Union, Regional Universities Forum for Capacity Building in Agriculture (RUFORUM), and the United Nations African Institute for the Prevention of Crime and the Treatment of Offenders (UNAFRI).

Meanwhile, the council’s communications officer, Dorothy Ainembabazi, reflected on her four-year experience working with the organisation, describing it as an opportunity that strengthened her professional skills and deepened her understanding of youth engagement.

She said the council has consistently created platforms where young people can share ideas, discuss challenges and contribute to conversations on peace, development and innovation.

Other members also commended the organisation for highlighting the importance of youth in development and creating opportunities for young people to contribute to social and economic transformation.

As the council celebrates its 22nd anniversary, leaders say the focus remains on strengthening youth participation, expanding partnerships and promoting unity between Africa and the Arab world.