The Africa-Asia Youth Forum (AAYF) is an intercontinental initiative launched by O-YES Global Foundation, a youth-led nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering young people. AAYF aims to foster youth-led cooperation between Africa and Asia by creating a platform for young leaders to connect, share ideas, and collaborate on innovative solutions to global and regional challenges. It supports young people in building skills, developing leadership capacity, and promoting mutual understanding to advance sustainable development across both continents.

The first edition of AAYF took place from 28th to 30th July 2022 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, supported by the FDRE Ministry of Women and Social Affairs and the Ministry of Labor and Skills. It featured thematic discussions on entrepreneurship, agriculture, peace, and leadership, providing a solid foundation for intercontinental youth engagement.  Building on its success, the second edition of AAYF was held from 12th to 13th June 2023, also in Addis Ababa, with expanded support from the Ministry of Peace, Authority for Civil Society Organizations, and the Embassy of Indonesia in Addis Ababa, among others. It further solidified AAYF’s role in enhancing inter-regional dialogue and youth-led collaboration. The third edition, AAYF 2024, was held from 14th to 15th December 2024 in Jakarta, Indonesia, marking the first time the forum was hosted in Asia. The event showcased growing intercontinental momentum, engaging more than 3,000 participants from over 40 African and Asian countries through both physical and virtual participation.  AAYF has emerged as a dynamic platform for leadership development, innovation, and knowledge sharing. Through keynote addresses, panel discussions, interactive
workshops, and cultural exchanges, the forum provides young people with a space to engage directly with policymakers, development experts, and private sector leaders.
The theme of AAYF 2024, “Youth Economic Empowerment: Leadership, Innovation, and Sustainable Work”, focused on equipping youth with the tools and opportunities necessary to contribute meaningfully to economic development and governance.
Now in its fourth edition, AAYF 2025 will be hosted form 30-31 August 2025 in Nairobi, Kenya, under the theme “Youth as Drivers of Peace, Innovation, and Economic Growth in Africa and Asia”  continuing the forum’s legacy of cross-continental youth empowerment. This edition reflects a deeper commitment to advancing youth-led peacebuilding, innovation, and inclusive development