Hugues Kouamé Yao represents Côte d’Ivoire at the Pan-African Youth Parliament

Ivorian youth leader Hugues Kouamé Yao is a candidate for the Pan-African Youth Parliament for Democracy, an initiative bringing together representatives from several West African countries. As the sole Ivorian candidate, competing against individuals from Burkina Faso, Benin, Cameroon, Congo, and Ghana, he aims to advocate for young people, particularly those in rural communities, on issues of peace, democracy, and inclusive governance. Yao's motivation stems from a desire to ensure the voices of young people, especially those in West African rural communities who are often underrepresented in decision-making spaces, are heard. He stated, "I wish to promote peace, democracy, civic participation, and inclusive youth leadership. Joining this Parliament is an opportunity for me to transform the concerns of young people into concrete proposals and contribute to the development of our continent." A former student of Lycée municipal Djibo Sounkalo in Bouaké and currently a history student at Alassane Ouattara University in Bouaké, Yao plans, if elected, to conduct awareness campaigns on peace, democracy, and citizenship in rural communities. He also intends to establish a listening network to gather youth concerns and translate them into proposals for decision-makers. Furthermore, the candidate seeks to strengthen young people's leadership skills and participation in public decisions, fostering closer ties between institutions and youth to promote more inclusive and equitable gove