Youth are a reflection of a country’s future, says Korean envoy
Mr Robert Bob Okello (left), the Youth Startup Academy Uganda associate national coordinator, speaks during the two-day closing ceremony in Kampala early this week. Photo / Courtesy
What you need to know:
- The Republic of Korea ambassador to Uganda Park Sung-Soo says if you want to see the future of a country, you look at its youth
The Republic of Korea ambassador to Uganda Park Sung-Soo, has said the future of a country is reflected in the potential of its youth, making a case for continued investment in young people.
Speaking at a two-day closing ceremony for the Youth Startup Academy Uganda, in which more than 1,000 entrepreneurs were taken through a two-year pilot phase to empower them, Mr Sung-Soo said: "If you want to see the future of a country, look at its youth," noting that strengthening entrepreneurship was crucial to achieve targeted economic goals, part of which the startup academy, seeks to serve.
"Startups introduce innovative ideas and create jobs, while scale-ups drive further job creation and attract investment. Together, they propel development and foster growth," he said, underscoring the importance of connecting startups with scale-ups to create dual engines of economic growth.
The Youth Startup Academy Uganda, Mr Sung-Soo further noted, had been aligned with Uganda’s upcoming National Development Plan IV, which focuses on inclusive growth and sustainable industrialisation to mark a transformative step in empowering young innovators.
The programme, originally an initiative from Korea, has been tailored to meet the needs of entrepreneurs through which they are able to showcase their innovations at a global level and get invaluable knowledge exchange to prepare for competition.
Mr Barbara B. Mutabazi, the chief executive officer of Hive Colab, said the programme was an indicator of Uganda's growing potential in the global tech industry, noting that Uganda had been chosen as the first launch country for this innovative programme out of 54 African nations.
Mr Collin Babirukamu, the National Information and Technology Authority - Uganda (NITA-U) director general of e-government services, said youth innovations were driving change, adding that the 1,000 entrepreneurs, who had benefitted from the programme, would lead to the creation of impactful ventures.
"This year alone, startups have created over 263 jobs, with 24 individuals and 13 startups receiving $200,000 in funding support," he said.
