SADC Holds Regional Consultation on Youth, Peace, and Security Agenda
The Southern African Development Community (SADC) Secretariat hosted a three-day consultation from September 2-4, 2024, to present its draft regional strategy on Youth, Peace, and Security (YPS).
The meeting brought together regional and national stakeholders, including representatives from Ministries of Youth and Sports, Ministries of Foreign Affairs, National Youth Councils, and Civil Society Organisations, to discuss the youth’s role in peacebuilding and conflict resolution.
The draft YPS strategy aligns with the United Nations Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 2250, adopted in 2015, which highlights youth contributions to peace processes and calls for their increased participation in preventing and resolving conflicts.
It also outlines measures to address the challenges young men and women face in conflict situations and seeks to promote the development of National Action Plans (NAPs) to localize the YPS agenda.
Mr. Fabrice Kitenge Tunda, SADC’s Mediation and Peacebuilding Officer, emphasized the strategy as a key step toward involving youth in peace negotiations and conflict prevention.
He praised the Democratic Republic of Congo and Zimbabwe for developing their YPS National Action Plans.
Ms. Marisha Ramdeen of ACCORD and Mr. Etakong Tabeyang from UNDPPA echoed similar sentiments, with both highlighting the importance of youth engagement in peacebuilding efforts.
Ramdeen cited UNSCR 2250 and the African Union Continental Framework on YPS as crucial tools for advancing youth-led peace initiatives.
The draft strategy will undergo further consultations and validation before being submitted to SADC Ministers of Youth for adoption.
Source: SADC
