Ghanaian youth leader and Anti Corruption Advocate, Bright Ofori, is set to represent Africa at the United Nations’ International Youth Day 2026 celebration, where he will present a continental youth position paper on corruption and governance.
Mr. Ofori, who is the Executive Director of The Bright Future Alliance (TBFA) and a member of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) YouthLED Integrity Advisory Board, will participate in the global event scheduled for August 12, 2026.
Held under the theme, “Different Contexts, Shared Futures: Youth Perspectives on Corruption,” the event will convene young leaders, researchers, policymakers and civil society representatives from across the world to examine the impact of corruption on young people and discuss strategies for promoting transparency and accountability.
As Africa’s representative, Mr. Ofori will present the continent’s White Paper on Corruption, a document that captures the views and recommendations of young people across Africa on tackling corruption and strengthening governance.
About the White Paper
The White Paper was developed following a regional consultation led by Mr. Ofori and fellow members of the UNODC YouthLED Integrity Advisory Board in 2025. The exercise engaged youth and youth-focused organisations from 39 African countries, gathering perspectives on how corruption affects education, employment, governance and opportunities for young people.
The consultation informed Africa’s contribution to the Global Youth Report, which was presented during the 11th Session of the Conference of the States Parties (COSP11) to the United Nations Convention against Corruption in Doha, Qatar, in 2025. The findings were also featured in the UNODC’s 2026 publication, Stolen Futures: How Corruption Hurts Young People.
Speaking ahead of the event, Mr. Ofori described the opportunity as recognition of the collective voice of young Africans.
“This is not a personal milestone but a recognition of the voices of millions of young Africans whom I am always ready to proudly represent. The White Paper represents their aspirations for integrity, accountability and inclusive governance. I am honoured to have led and ready to present their recommendations on the global stage.”
The International Youth Day dialogue is being organised by the UNODC through its Global Resource for Anti-Corruption Education and Youth Empowerment (GRACE) Initiative. Discussions will centre on the effects of corruption on young people and the role youth can play in promoting accountable institutions and ethical leadership.
Mr. Ofori’s participation reflects his continued involvement in international initiatives on integrity, good governance and sustainable development. In addition to serving on the UNODC YouthLED Integrity Advisory Board, he leads The Bright Future Alliance and is a member of Ghana’s National Ethics and Anti-Corruption Action Plan (NEACAP II) Working Group, where he contributes to policies aimed at strengthening youth participation in governance.
His presentation of Africa’s White Paper at the United Nations is expected to amplify the perspectives of African youth in global policy discussions and reinforce calls for greater transparency, accountability and youth-led solutions to corruption.
