Youthmakers Hub joins “Future Africa-Europe: Youth Championing New Paths to Financing Progress” in Addis Ababa

On March 19, 2025, Youthmakers Hub’s Co-Founder and CEO, Konstantinos Maragkos, actively participated in the high-level event “Future Africa-Europe: Youth Championing New Paths to Financing Progress” held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Co-organized by the Africa-Europe Foundation and Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH, the gathering brought together over 30 young experts and key stakeholders from across both continents to explore innovative financial solutions for sustainable development.

Konstantinos was selected to contribute to strategic conversations feeding into the upcoming Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development, set to take place from June 30 to July 3, 2025, in Spain. Representing Youthmakers Hub, he contributed valuable insights on financial governance, youth-led advocacy, and the Africa-Europe partnership in tackling Illicit Financial Flows (IFFs).

During a focused roundtable on Illicit Financial Flows: Partnership Between Africa and Europe to Combat IFFs, Konstantinos facilitated dialogue around remittances, tax evasion, and financial transparency. The session emphasized the need for capacity-building, stronger regulatory frameworks, and the adoption of technology such as blockchain to enhance accountability. He underscored the importance of empowering young people in these efforts, stating: “Based on our conversations, it’s evident that there is a constant need for capacity building. Let’s continue investing in that direction.”

Konstantinos also participated in the Peer-to-Peer Learning Session on Africa-Europe Finance Partnerships, where he presented the work of the AU-EU Youth Voices Lab – Power of the Collective and the AU-EU Youth Lab, which support young people through training and financial sub-grants. The discussion focused on advancing financial inclusion, sustainable trade, and climate financing while promoting intercontinental youth collaboration.

Youthmakers Hub is proud to have contributed to this impactful dialogue and reaffirms its commitment to fostering youth leadership in financial governance and sustainable development.