By Mohamed Foday Conteh
The Minister of Youth Affairs, Mohamed Orman Bangura on Wednesday 6th October formally launched preliminary programmes ahead of the first ever youth summit to be held in the country later this year.
The Minister told journalists that the summit will be hosted at the Ernest Bai Koroma (EBK) University in Magburaka Town, Tonkolili district in Northern Sierra Leone on the 1st and 2nd of November this year. Bangura said that the venue for the event was chosen because of the geographic positioning and size of Tonkolili.
He said the gathering of young people is key to achieving the United Nations (UN) 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the African Union Roadmap. He believed the summit is also in tandem with the Government’s Medium-Term National Development Plan 2019-2023, with the youths bound to play a crucial role in the development of Sierra Leone if it is to be a medium income economy by 2035.
The Minister said the two days event is timely as the country now has more young people than ever. He said two-thirds of the population is below the age of 35, with 41 percent below the age of 15 and 62.5 percent under the age of 25.
Bangura asserted that the summit is an apolitical one that is geared principally towards development and participants will be selected based on certain criteria put forward by the ministry and its partners like the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). He stated that because of COVID-19 there will be limited number of participants but affirmed that every district will be represented.
The United Nations Resident Coordinator, Dr. Babatunde A. Ahonsi said that the youth forms a critical component of Sierra Leone’s human capital, while acknowledging the summit’s theme: ‘Towards a Partnership on Youth Empowerment and Democratic Dividend’.
Dr. Ahonsi said Sierra Leone as a country has the opportunity to seek the opportunities that the youth has to offer.
He admonished participants to use the summit as a platform to discuss issues around employment and entrepreneurship, education and skills development, health and governance among others things. He added that youth should endeavour to use the summit to shape a Sierra Leone that will better not only this generation but the next generation as well.
He expressed his faith in the country’s youth in devising apt strategies for development if given the right platform. He stated that the youths are key in the country’s drive to achieve the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030.
The UNFPA’s Officer in Charge, Jocelyn Fenard said that the summit is in line with the 2020 National Youth Policy as it will address the priority provisions which are increased access to livelihood opportunities through education and training opportunities, scale up interest in sporting activities and entrepreneurship, with emphasis on agriculture and fisheries among other priorities.
Fenard noted that there is currently a contracted youth organisation going around the country ascertaining the current trends of youths in the country.
Copyright © Politico Online 08/10/21
