By Alvin Lansana Kargbo
The Government of Sierra Leone, through the Ministry of Youth Affairs, on Thursday 18 June, 2026, officially opened the first day of the Mano River Union (MRU) Youth Connekt 2026 at the Freetown International Conference Centre in Aberdeen under the theme: “One Region. One Generation. One Future.”
The three day regional forum, which runs from June 18 to 20, brought together young leaders, entrepreneurs, innovators, policymakers and development partners from Sierra Leone, Liberia, Guinea and Côte d’Ivoire to strengthen regional integration, youth empowerment and cross border collaboration.
The event is funded and supported by the United Nations Development Programme, the Mano River Union Secretariat and YouthConnekt Africa. Over the three days, delegates will participate in masterclasses, innovation and entrepreneurship sessions, leadership discussions, cultural exchanges and networking opportunities aimed at building stronger partnerships among young people across the four member states.
Opening the forum, Minister of Youth Affairs, Ibrahim Sannoh, described MRU Youth Connekt 2026 as a strategic platform designed to empower young people through entrepreneurship, innovation, skills development and regional collaboration. He said the initiative reflects the shared commitment of MRU member states to place young people at the centre of sustainable development and regional transformation.
According to the Minister, the programme seeks to strengthen cooperation among Sierra Leone, Liberia, Guinea and Côte d’Ivoire while creating opportunities for young entrepreneurs to develop innovative solutions to common regional challenges. He stressed that young people remain the driving force behind economic growth and should be provided with the knowledge, resources and support needed to realize their full potential.
The Minister urged young people to see themselves as one generation united by a common purpose rather than divided by national boundaries. He envisioned a future where young entrepreneurs would collaborate freely across the region, build businesses together and contribute to the socio-economic development of the Mano River Union.
He called on participants to embrace entrepreneurship, innovation and emerging technologies, particularly artificial intelligence, in order to remain competitive in an increasingly digital global economy. He said resilience, creativity and continuous learning would enable young Africans to transform challenges into opportunities and become leaders in shaping the continent’s future.
The Minister also encouraged participants to promote peace, social justice, unity and inclusive development while strengthening regional networks capable of addressing unemployment, poverty and underdevelopment. He reaffirmed the Government of Sierra Leone’s commitment to investing in youth through skills training, mentorship, entrepreneurship support and improved access to finance, noting that such investments are essential for long term economic growth and regional prosperity.
Speaking at the opening, Secretary General of the Mano River Union, Ambassador Simeon B. Moribah, said the forum demonstrates the region’s determination to harness the potential of its youthful population for sustainable development. He noted that rapid technological advancement, innovation and artificial intelligence are transforming economies worldwide and emphasized the need for the region to equip its young people with the skills required to compete in the global economy.
While acknowledging the abundance of natural resources and human capital across the Mano River Union, Ambassador Simeon B. Moribah observed that those assets must be effectively harnessed to address unemployment, poverty and limited economic opportunities facing young people.
He described MRU Youth Connekt as a platform that enables young people to exchange ideas, strengthen leadership, build partnerships and transform innovative concepts into practical solutions capable of creating jobs and improving livelihoods across the region.
The Secretary General stressed that the future of the Mano River Union depends on stronger collaboration among Governments, development partners, the private sector and young people themselves. He urged participants to use the forum as the beginning of a long term movement to develop the next generation of entrepreneurs, innovators, peacebuilders and transformational leaders committed to regional integration and sustainable development.
United Nations Resident Coordinator in Sierra Leone, Seraphine Wakana, described the inaugural MRU Youth Connekt Forum as a significant milestone in advancing youth development and regional cooperation across the Mano River Union.
She said the four member states share one of Africa’s greatest assets, a predominantly youthful population, which presents enormous opportunities for economic growth and sustainable development if properly empowered. While acknowledging efforts already made by Governments, she noted that unemployment, limited economic diversification, climate change and political polarization continue to undermine young people’s ability to contribute meaningfully to national and regional development.
The United Nations Resident Coordinator said the MRU Youth Connekt Forum represents a collective effort to place young people at the centre of development by recognizing them not merely as beneficiaries of programmes but as equal partners, innovators and leaders capable of driving peace, economic transformation and regional integration.
Referring to the United Nations Security Council Resolution 2250 on Youth, Peace and Security, she underscored the critical role of young people in sustaining peace and preventing conflict. Seraphine Wakana encouraged participants to transform the ideas and relationships built during the forum into practical initiatives that would improve communities across the Mano River Union.
She further urged participants to strengthen their leadership skills, actively participate in decision making, embrace entrepreneurship and digital innovation, and build lasting partnerships across borders. According to her, despite coming from different countries, the youth of Sierra Leone, Liberia, Guinea and Côte d’Ivoire share one region, one generation and one future.
The opening of MRU Youth Connekt 2026 marks a renewed commitment by the Governments of the four Mano River Union member states and their development partners to strengthen regional integration by investing in young people as drivers of innovation, entrepreneurship, peacebuilding and sustainable development.
Over the next three days, participants will focus on developing practical recommendations, strengthening regional partnerships and identifying innovative solutions aimed at advancing peace, prosperity and deeper integration across the Mano River Union.
