African leaders are meeting in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa for a summit focusing on youth investment.

The creation of the African Union (AU) began with a wave of optimism about the continent's future.

In 1963, a group of independent African nations created the Organisation of African Unity - which later became the AU.

Its promise was to bring Africans together and propel the continent towards peaceful co-existence and growth.

The organisation now says peace and security have become more worrying than ever - and it's working to address the issue.

While the focus of the bloc's summit this year is Africa's young people and their future, conflicts in South Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo and the Central African Republic are dominating the agenda.

Millions continue to flee from violence and natural disasters across the continent.

Poverty, the outbreak of disease and food shortages are all big issues. So, will the AU be able to address these issues?

Presenter: Adrian Finighan

Guests:

Solomon Dersso - Founding director of Amani Africa Media and Research Services

David Monyae - Co-director of Confucius Institute at the University of Johannesburg

Mike Omeri - Researcher of history and war studies at the Nigerian Defence Academy

Source: Al Jazeera News