The Panafrican Youth Union (PYU) is the apex continental body for National Youth Coordinating Bodies and Mechanisms in Africa. It was originally founded as the Panafrican Youth Movement (PYM) on 26 April 1962 in Conakry, Republic of Guinea, at the urging of African Heads of State and Government, who sought to create a platform to rally African youth behind the cause of African liberation and decolonization. The organization was transformed into the Panafrican Youth Union at its 2003 congress in Windhoek, Namibia.
Headquarters: The PYU was initially based in Khartoum, Sudan. It later opened new headquarters in Rabat, Morocco.
Structure: The organization's structure consists of a Congress, an Executive Committee, a Secretariat, Regional Bodies, and Specialized Committees. These bodies are elected once every three years from among the 53 African member countries. Sudan, as the host member, also forms part of the secretariat.
Leadership: The PYU is currently led by Julliana Ravona of Madagascar, who assumed the role after the resignation of Francine Muyumba of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Relationship with the African Union: The PYU is the principal youth body on the continent and enjoys a special status within the African Union (AU). It is frequently consulted by the AU's Assembly of Heads of State and Government, the Executive Council, and standing conferences of the AU (on matters such as health, youth, immigration, education, and gender) on issues relating to youth.
International Affiliations: The PYU is a founding member of both the International Coordination Meeting of Youth Organisations (ICMYO) and the Global Co-operation Co-ordinating Committee (GCCC).
Recent Developments: In October 2025, the Chairperson of the African Union Commission, H.E. Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, received the executive leaders of the PYU for the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the AUC and the PYU, underscoring the AU's vision to empower Africa's youth.
