‘Toxic brew’ of unemployment, mistrust may fuel African extremism
Dakar — A lack of jobs and disillusion with political leaders may form a "toxic brew" driving more young Africans to migrate or join violent extremist groups, billionaire philanthropist Mo Ibrahim’s foundation said on Friday. Africa’s booming young population could de-stabilise countries across the continent and challenge economic growth if the youth is not provided with education and job opportunities, said the report published this week. The continent’s youth population will almost double to 452-million by 2050, from 230-million in 2015, and one in two Africans will be under the age of 25, according to the report. Many young people could be drawn towards escalating militant violence in Africa and rising migration to Europe via the Mediterranean, said Richard Murray of the Mo Ibrahim Foundation. "The most striking aspect of this research is the importance of the choice facing African youth on a continent where terrorist attacks have grown by 1,000% over the [past] decade," said Mur...
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