The African Development Forum is a multi-stakeholder platform for debating, discussing and initiating concrete strategies for Africa's development. The Forum initiated in 1999, has already been held four times with very good concrete outcomes including the initiation of a programme to support national ICT policy formulation and implementation in Africa. The fifth forum will be organised under the theme " Youth and Leadership in the 21 st Century", from November 16-18, 2006, by the Economic Commission for Africa jointly with its strategic regional partner, the Africa Union and in collaboration with other stakeholders in African development.

The decision to devote the Fifth African Development Forum (ADF-V) to youth emanates from the frank acknowledgement by various stakeholders that political stability, social solidification, and economic prosperity lie in harnessing the capacities of the youth.

Globally, youth concerns have been receiving increasing attention. The World Bank, for example, is devoting its 2007 edition of the World Development Report to youth under the theme, "Development and the Next Generation". In October 2005, following the review of progress on implementation of the World Programme of Action for Youth (WPAY), the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution (RES/60/2) reaffirming WPAY, which among other things:

• Called upon Governments to develop, in consultation with youth organisations, holistic and integrated youth policies based on WPAY,

• Requested the Regional Commissions to organise regional consultations with Member States and youth organisations in order to evaluate the implementation of the WPAY, and

• Called upon organisations, programmes and specialised agencies in the UN system to enhance inter-agency arrangements on youth policies and programmes with a view to improving coordination and enhancing synergies among relevant system activities in this regard.

The African Union has already adopted an African Youth Charter that seeks to provide the political framework for youth development on the continent. At the national level several countries have also initiated attempts to develop national youth policies. However, the policy deficiencies in youth development and the gap between the real situation of youth in Africa and the potential contribution youth could make towards the achievement of development on the continent warrants further discussion that would lead to stronger concerted effort in developing our youth at all levels.