Two opposing views of Africa currently headline global discourse. While one focuses on how well the continent is fairing with some of the world’s fastest growing economies, the other ponders on the ever growing gap between the rich and poor on the continent and how poverty still prevails in a region that is unarguably rich with human and natural resources.

Although Africa’s relationship with the rest of the world has remarkably improved over the years, the quality of international collaboration must increase for the prevalence of shared prosperity and collective growth.

According to Health Poverty Action, while $134 billion dollars flow into the continent each year, predominantly in form of loans, foreign investment and aids; $192 billion is taken out mainly in profits made by foreign companies, tax evasion, and the cost of adapting to climate change.

Africa therefore must leverage on its relationship with other parts of the world to enrich and develop her countries. Constituting the highest bloc of the commonwealth member countries undoubtedly provides a strategic advantage with a huge development potential that must be fully explored.

The numbers associated with the Commonwealth are staggering. More than two billion of the world’s seven billion people live within the commonwealth. With many of its member states still developing or yet to develop appreciably, the potential for the future is obvious if the trade and collaboration within the commonwealth is increased.

The Commonwealth Africa Summit 2018 with the proposed theme; Common Good, seeks to promote the benefits and interests of all through improved collective action for the common good of humanity within and outside the commonwealth.

This summit will among other things inspire a collective action among commonwealth leaders that will take bolder and more effective steps at inspiring real leadership, eradicating poverty, ending corruption and engaging a more globally united approach to promote peace and prosperity in Africa.

The 2018 Summit will also feature a special Forum for Young and Emerging African Leaders. Young people in Africa are increasingly becoming aware of their leadership potentials; many are now change makers whose voices matter in relevant global issues. Through the apartheid regime in South Africa in the early 1990s, the Jasmine Revolution in Tunisia in 2011, the 2012 ‘Enough is enough!’ campaigns in Senegal to the third-term revolution in Burkina Faso in 2014, young people remain at the forefront of democratic struggles on the African continent.

However, the participation of these young people who constitute one third of Africa’s population in mainstream politics remains largely limited. Pre-occupied by economic survival and intimidated by the monetized political structures, their contributions seldom exceed the protests and social media engagements. While they contribute the bulk of the continent’s electorates, their active involvement in traditional politics and representative democracy is systemically weakened.

This exclusion has often resulted in young people finding other means to convey their dissatisfaction. Such frustration usually turns to civil unrest and violence especially in transitional and fragile states.

The inclusion of Young Africans in political processes is however crucial to sustainable stability and peace. Furthermore, youth engagement in formulating Africa’s future politics is crucial as inclusive participation is a fundamental political and democratic right.