Former presidential candidate and Pan-Africanist Dr Foster Abu Sakara, has urged African youth to seize the current upheaval in the global geopolitical and economic order to advance the continent’s long-standing quest for economic freedom.Speaking at the forum at the ISSER Conference Hall, University of Ghana, under the theme “Reclaiming Africa’s Wealth, Resisting Neocolonial Bondage,” Dr Abu Sakara said the existing global economic and political architecture that has constrained Africa was now undergoing significant disruption.He described the moment as a unique opportunity for the continent, particularly its youth, to push for greater control over trade, resources and economic opportunities before a new global structure emerges.According to him, although Africans are no longer physically bound by the chains of slavery and colonialism, the continent remains constrained by economic and political systems that limit its ability to determine its own development.Dr Abu Sakara said the suppression of Africa’s freedom had evolved from physical domination to structures that influence how countries trade and exploit their natural resources.“We’re no longer bound by physical chains,” he said on Saturday, September 5, arguing that the economic and political architecture of the global system continues to restrict Africa’s freedom and opportunities.He noted that the current contest among major global powers had created what he described as “opportunities” for African countries to reposition themselves.He urged young Africans to recognise the moment as a strategic opening and act before the global system settles into another structure that could again constrain the continent.“That is the key opportunity you, the youth, must take care of or take advantage of before the economic things settle again into another structure that confines you,” he said.The former presidential candidate called for intensified efforts to translate the gains made by previous generations of African liberation leaders into economic emancipation.He said the youth must build on the legacy of Africa’s liberation forefathers, whose vision extended beyond political independence to the economic empowerment of African societies.According to him, achieving that vision requires deliberate systems and institutions rather than simply relying on hope.“We have to double our efforts,” he said, stressing the need to establish mechanisms capable of addressing Africa’s economic, political and social challenges.He noted that some of those challenges were external, while others were internal and required Africans to take responsibility for overcoming them.Dr Abu Sakara identified the relationship between Africa and people of African descent in the diaspora as a particularly important area requiring renewed attention.He argued that reconnecting with the diaspora should go beyond symbolic invitations, religious outreach or short visits to Africa.“Sometimes we think this is just a matter of giving Jesus and inviting people. No,” he said.Instead, he called for a deeper process through which people of African descent could return and establish integrated communities within Africa, creating long-term social, economic and cultural links.He said the objective should be to reach a point where future generations no longer treat those who return from the diaspora as outsiders but regard them naturally as members of the wider African family.“We want them to come and form communities within Africa that are integrated with Africa in such a way that over generations we will no longer look at them as diasporas, but we look at them as our brothers and sisters,” he said.Dr Abu Sakara stressed that Africa’s economic emancipation would not happen automatically because of changes in the global system.He said the continent needed practical mechanisms to confront its economic, geopolitical and social challenges, including problems originating from within African societies.He therefore encouraged young people to approach the discussions at the forum with an understanding of their own responsibilities and the specific areas in which they could contribute to change.According to him, the youth must not only identify the opportunities emerging from the current global upheaval but also prepare themselves to take advantage of those opportunities effectively.As chair of the forum, Dr Abu Sakara urged participants to reflect on how they could contribute across the major fronts of Africa’s struggle, particularly the economic, geopolitical and social dimensions.He said the discussions should prompt young Africans to think beyond immediate challenges and consider the role they would play in shaping the continent’s long-term future.“As you prepare yourself to meet these challenges or multiple challenges, I’m sure the speakers will speak to the key fronts of that challenge, the economic, geopolitical, and of course the social context of it,” he said.He encouraged participants to listen to the deliberations while simultaneously considering their own ambitions, capacities and responsibilities.“As we listen to this, you should be thinking about your own futures and the role that you will play in each of these areas where you may have a struggle,” he added.