Téte António was speaking in Luanda at the opening of the Council of Ministers of the Southern African Development Community (SADC), which runs until Monday, in his capacity as acting president of this body.
In his opening speech, the head of diplomacy, quoted in a statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MIREX), considered that one cannot talk about human capital and industrialization in the region without paying attention to the needs of young people.
“Our region is blessed with a large young population, with recent estimates revealing that 75 percent of the total SADC population is made up of young people under the age of 35,” he highlighted.
According to the head of the Foreign Affairs portfolio, young people face numerous challenges, including restricted access to education, skills development, employment opportunities and resources.
The council includes ministers from the 16 SADC member states, and meets twice a year, namely in March and August.
This session of the SADC Council of Ministers takes place under the theme "Human and Financial Capital: The Key Factors for Sustainable Industrialization in the SADC Region", recognizing the need to develop, mobilize and harness human and financial capital to advance the agenda of industrialization of the Organization.
The Council will also approve the Annual Institutional Plan and the budget of the SADC Secretariat for the 2024/25 financial year.
