National Chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Johnson Asiedu Nketia, has been elected as the inaugural chairman of the African Political Parties Initiative (APPI) for a three-year tenure. His election was endorsed at a meeting of political parties held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, over the weekend.
Speaking after his election, Mr Asiedu Nketia said the initiative aims to redefine the role of political parties in Africa by positioning them as key drivers of economic transformation rather than institutions focused solely on winning political power. He highlighted the growing employment challenge facing the continent, pointing out that between 10 million and 12 million young people enter Africa’s labour market annually, while only about three million formal jobs are created within the same period.
According to him, tackling the gap requires political parties to develop expertise and build capacity in critical sectors of the economy, including agriculture, trade, energy and public finance, even before assuming political office. He further underscored the need for policy continuity despite changes in government, as well as greater involvement of women and young people in decisions concerning the allocation and management of public resources.
Mr Asiedu Nketia noted that these priorities would form the foundation of the initiative’s Agenda 2040. He also expressed appreciation to the participating political parties, the Africa Governance Centre and the government and people of Ethiopia for hosting the gathering.
