At last month’s African Union (AU) summit, members states’ attention was focused on electing the new AU Commission leadership. While that was happening, Aya Chebbi’s term as the AU’s first Youth Envoy quietly came to an end. A successor hasn’t been appointed, and the lack of clarity around the position indicates the challenges the AU Commission must overcome if it’s committed to Africa’s youth agenda. Fifteen years after adopting the African Youth Charter, the AU needs to lead by example if it wants member states to take these matters seriously. Appointing young leaders isn’t enough. They need institutional support from the AU to effectively promote change, and achieving this requires action in two priority areas.