International Cooperation and Thinking Outside the Box
As propagated by former South African President Thabo Mbeki, my continent should seek “African solutions to African Problems”, however, this does not necessarily mean solely using African ideas, thoughts or technology to achieve this. To me it means using African ingenuity, strength and spirit combined with global assistance to achieve an African continent both prosperous and peaceful.
International cooperation is not something that comes naturally, in a world that is driven by the self-interest of states and global institutions, it becomes very difficult to assess if choices made by world leaders are truly in the interest of world peace or to simply assert the dominance and power of their nation. However, for us to live in a world that would make it possible for Africa and many other continents to see dramatic and constructive development, assistance from the global community is key.
The G8 Youth Summit offers young people the opportunity to demonstrate to the international community the power that is held by constructive, engaging and positive communication, negotiation and cooperation.
My participation in this year’s G8 Summit will be through the belief that young people have the capacity to truly become global agents of change. In a world where chaos is becoming the norm and global leaders are choosing to engage in ways that do not seem conductive to seeking ‘global’ solutions, we as bright young minds have the opportunity to take the road less travelled and seek solutions to problems that are not the norm. Thus I encourage my fellow delegates to be fearless and think outside the box!
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