Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua earlier today called for a visa-free Africa to allow young people to freely move and interact within the continent without restrictive requirements.

Speaking when he officially closed the YouthConnekt Africa Summit 2023 held at Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC), Nairobi the Deputy President said the young people possessed the needed talents and motivation to free the continent from perennial challenges and spur cross-border development.

“We have tremendous confidence in our young people. In a myriad of problems in the world, we as a continent deliberately choose to put our future, and the solutions to our challenges, to our young people assembled here today and in the rest of Africa. We know in this continent, in your hands we are safe,” said the Deputy President.

The Deputy President said President William Ruto is leading efforts to make Africa a visa-free continent for Africans to spur sharing of ideas, technology and cultural exchanges among the youth.

H.E Gachagua said technology is key in driving the push to enhance interactions among Africans saying the Summit had achieved the objective of bringing young people closer together.

“We live in an age where borders are becoming more and more irrelevant. Thus, technology allows us to connect and collaborate across countries and continents. This presents a unique opportunity for the youth of Africa to rise to the occasion, to be designers of our shared future,” DP Gachagua observed.

He said President Ruto, who officially opened the Summit on Saturday, had shown interest in why a borderless Africa was critical in ensuring a united continent.

“H.E Dr. Ruto is championing a border-less Africa by, among other things, advocating for a visa-free Continent. The theme of the Summit: “Youth Innovating a Border-less African Renaissance,” therefore, resonates deeply with Kenya,” the DP said.

The Deputy President said he had been impressed by the passion, zeal and commitment shown by the youth during the previous 2022 Summit in Kigali, Rwanda and encouraged him to plead with the organizers to let Kenya host this year’s event.