SADC Commits to Youth Empowerment
The Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) has pledged to provide increased opportunities for youths across southern Africa to help them excel in life.
This commitment was announced at a special meeting held in Luanda, Angola, which brought together youth representatives from the SADC region, including Malawi.
During the three-day meeting, which commenced on Wednesday, delegates validated the draft SADC protocol on youth, aimed at guiding the implementation of programmes that will benefit young people in the region.
Angola’s Minister of Youth and Sports, Rui Falcao Pinto de Andrade, highlighted the crucial role of youth in contributing to the sustainable development of the SADC region.
“We want to see the youths in our region given platforms to excel and develop our region,” said Andrade.
Joaquim Lumbe, Director of Programmes for the National Youth Council of Malawi, also addressed the meeting, encouraging youths to seize regional opportunities such as the SADC Internship Programme, SADC Scholarship Programme, and the SADC Free Trade Area.
“Taking up these opportunities may help our youths to turn into agents of change,” Lumbe stated.
Malawian delegates attended a special session of the SADC Youth Forum, where participants shared various opportunities available for youths in the region.
Chimwemwe Banda, Executive Director of the Citizen Impact Organization (CIO) and representative of Malawian youths at the meeting, described the outcomes as “very beneficial.” Banda urged the Malawian government to adopt the guidelines agreed upon during the gathering.
Source: ProjectM
