Young people from Ghana, Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger and other countries have declared their intention to build a united youth movement against what they describe as continued neocol
The report indicates that young people from Ghana, Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger and other countries have declared their intention to build a united youth movement against what they describe as continued neocolonial exploitation and economic domination of Africa.
It further notes that the youth adopted the Legon Declaration at the International Youth Forum, “Africa’s Freedom Is in Our Hands”, held at the ISSER Conference Hall in Accra on September 5, 2026.
The declaration took a strong position against the CFA franc, expressed solidarity with the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) and called for reparations for colonial-era injustices.
The delegates also demanded the auditing and cancellation of what they described as illegitimate debts imposed on African countries.
In their declaration, the group stated they represented a generation that had inherited debts and economic systems it did not create.
“We are the generation that inherited a debt we did not create. We refuse that inheritance. We reclaim our future.”
A major concern raised by the delegates was the CFA franc, which they described as a symbol of continued economic dependence.
“The CFA Franc is not a currency of convenience. It is a leash,” the declaration stated.
The youth argued that monetary arrangements requiring African countries to deposit reserves in a foreign treasury restricted their ability to make independent economic decisions.
They consequently called for monetary sovereignty, describing it as “the bare minimum of nationhood”.
The delegates also expressed strong support for Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger, which form the AES, saying developments in the three countries represented a signal to progressive forces across Africa.
“The Alliance of Sahel States is not a threat; it is a signal to all progressive Africa,” they stated.
The group stated the three countries’ attempts to reclaim control over their resources, currencies, security and narrative showed that African countries could pursue a different path.
They pledged to build stronger links between Ghanaian youth and young people from the AES countries, as well as similar movements across Africa and the diaspora.
