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We recognize that the youth of Southern Africa represent an immense reservoir of energy, creativity, and potential that is critical to the continued progress and prosperity of our communities. As present leaders and change-makers of our region, we have a vital role to play in addressing the complex social, political, economic, and environmental challenges that we face. We have a role to complement our governments, the private sector, and all developmental actors to ensure access to quality and affordable education for the SADC child.
As Batswana grapple with a BWP 22 billion budget deficit (9% of GDP in 2024), rising public debt of 27.4% of GDP, squeezing funds for youth-centric programs and youth unemployment at 43.86%, underscoring the urgency of prioritizing job creation and social services for the nation’s youth-dominated population (70% under 35), the FfD4 presents an opportunity for Batswana to redefine global rules on sovereign debt, a critical issue for Botswana as diamond revenue volatility strains public finances.
The leaders committed to “strengthen measures to curb corrupt borrowing and lending, including by enhancing domestic legal frameworks as appropriate, including clarifications regarding the authority to borrow, and fully utilizing UNCAC and its Conference of the State Parties to explore options to make such contracts unenforceable. We will establish a platform for borrower countries with support from existing institutions, and a UN entity serving as its secretariat.
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Delegates agreed on the importance of preventing disputes before they occur. Yet tools like advance pricing agreements, joint audits, simultaneous examinations, and cooperative compliance programs remain unevenly accessible. Key views included support for a legal basis enabling cross-border preventive cooperation, strong calls for capacity-building, information-sharing, and improved access to timely data, and emphasis on strengthening information systems and exchange-of-information frameworks. Interests were also seen in optional cross-border prevention mechanisms backed by future best practices and CoP-led support.
Youth should care. The main reason is because we’re paying, but not heard. Africa is the youngest continent in the world, with over 60% of its population under the age of 25. Yet despite being the majority, young people are among the most heavily taxed, especially through consumption taxes such as VAT on airtime, mobile money, transport, and everyday goods.