We the young people of the SADC region from the following countries: Angola, Botswana, Comoros, Democratic Republic of Congo, Eswatini, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Seychelles, South Africa, Tanzania, Zambia, and Zimbabwe; Gathered on the 3rd SADC Youth Forum from the 10th to the 13th of August 2021 in Lilongwe, Malawi convened by the Southern Africa Youth Forum (SAYoFSADC) a regional development platform for youth in Southern Africa and the official Convener of the SADC Youth Forum and the SADC Youth Parliament; Guided by the dictates of the SADC Regional Indicative Strategic Development Plan (RISDP) 2020-2030, SADC Vision 2050 which is premised on three pillars namely; Industrial Development and Market Integration, Infrastructure Development in support of Regional Integration, Social and Human Capital Development; built on a firm foundation of Peace, Security, and Good Governance. More so, African Youth Charter Articles 11 on Youth Participation which calls on AU Member States to 'ensure that every young person shall have the right to participate in all spheres of life and Article 10 on Development which calls on Member States to 'ensure that State Parties shall encourage youth organizations to lead youth programs and to endure the exercise of the right to development; Mindful of the African Union (AU) 1 Million by 2021 Initiative focused on Youth which seeks to promote African solutions and innovations, co-created with and driven by young people while building frameworks, institutions, and structures for effective engagement of stakeholders, sustainable financing, implementation, and accountability.
Recalling the 2015 SADC Heads of State and Government Declaration on Youth Development and Empowerment in SADC, to facilitate the realization of 3 demographic dividend, including through youth participation in development processes at all levels, the 38th SADC Summit that was held in August 2018, where “Promoting Infrastructure Development and Youth Empowerment for Sustainable Development”, was adopted as the 2018/2019 theme and the 2nd SADC Youth Forum, Mozambique which sets the tone for youth development in the SADC region; Convinced that the SADC region’s greatest resource is its youthful population, and that through their active and full participation, the SADC region’s posterity and prosperity is anchored given the dynamism, diversity, innovativeness, and potentials of Youth in ameliorating present and future challenges;