Please refer to the attached file.
The Peace and Security Council (PSC) of the African Union (AU) dedicated its 1118th meeting, held on 3 November 2022, to an Open Session on Youth, Peace and Security in Africa.
Council recalled its previous decisions on Youth, Peace and Security in Africa, particularly Communiques [PSC/PR/COMM.1080 (2022)] adopted at its 1080th meeting held on 25 April 2022; [PSC/PR/COMM.1067 (2022)] adopted at its 1067th meeting held on 3 March 2022.
Council noted the opening remarks by H.E. Ambassador Emilia Ndinelao Mkusa, Permanent Representative of the Republic of Namibia to the AU and Chairperson of the PSC for November 2022 and the statement read by Dr. Rhuks Temikope Ako on behalf of H.E. Ambassador Adeoye Bankole, the AU Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security.
Council welcomed the statements by Ms. Chido Cleo Mpemba, the Special Envoy of the Chairperson of the AU Commission on Youth; Ms. Sharonice Busch, Chairperson of the National Youth Council of Namibia; and Ms. Jayathma Wickramanayake, the United Nations (UN) Secretary-General's Envoy on Youth.
Council expressed its support towards the commemoration of Africa Youth Month under the theme: “Breaking Barriers to Meaningful Youth participation and Inclusion in Advocacy.”
Council reaffirmed its commitment towards the realisation of Aspirations Agenda 2063 and, in this regard, underscored the need to create conducive conditions for meaningful participation of the youth, including women, in decision and policy making in order to drive the development programmes on the Continent, as well as in endeavours to maintain peace, security and stability.
Council welcomed the activities being spearheaded by the five Africa Youth Ambassadors for Peace (AYAPs), namely: Mr. Achaleke Christian Leke, Central Africa; Ms. Diana Paulo Chando, East Africa; Ms. Khouloud Baghouri, North Africa; Ms. Cynthia Chigwenya, Southern Africa, and Mr. Mohamed Kunta, West Africa. In this regard, the Council commended the second cohort of AYAPs for their notable contributions to Africa’s peace and security agenda by ably representing youth voices at various fora. AYAPs’ intentional collaboration with RECs/RMs and support to the Office of the Youth Envoy was graciously applauded.
Council lauded the close collaboration between and amongst the Youth for Peace Africa Program, the Special Envoy on Youth and the AYAPs, as well as the Youth Focal Points in the RECs/RMs and various youth networks for peace to ensure that all efforts deployed are context-specific.
Council commended the AU Commission for its role in advancing African Youth in the lead-up to and during the COP27 to advocate for Africa’s priorities in Climate Change and requested the Commission to redouble its efforts in popularising the efforts of the Special Envoy on Youth and the AYAPs, with a view to further enhancing their activities in the promotion of peace and security on the Continent.
Council emphasised the imperative of harnessing the demographic dividend by maximising investment in quality education and training to address intergenerational poverty and equip the youth with technical and entrepreneurial skills to enable them to be agents of positive transformation in their communities, nations, and region to the benefit of the whole Continent. In this context, Council underlined the need to use sports, cultural and recreational activities as envisaged in Article 13 of the African Youth Charter to promote holistic development and social cohesion in Africa.
Council commended Member States which have already signed, ratified and domesticated the African Youth Charter and encouraged those which are yet to do so to do the same.
Council highlighted the essence of Member States developing and implementing National Action Plans (NAPs) on Youth, Peace and Security as a prerequisite for mainstreaming youth as active partners in promoting and sustaining peace and development in Africa, and in this regard, commended the Democratic Republic of Congo for developing its
NAP on youth, peace and security.
Council underscored the critical role of the youth at national, regional and continental levels in the promotion of peace, security, stability and socio-economic development, as well as in building foundations for peaceful societies within the framework of the implementation of the AU Master Roadmap of Practical Steps to Silencing the Guns in Africa by the Year 2030, and Aspiration 4 of Agenda 2063, the Continental Framework on Youth Peace and Security (CFYPS) and its 10-Year Implementation Plan as well as UN Security Council Resolutions on youth, peace and security. In this regard, Council emphasised the call on Member States to ensure that youth are active partners in developing and implementing their NAPs on youth, peace and security.
Council expressed its appreciation to the development partners for their continued support to Youth, Peace and Security Agenda in Africa.
Council paid tribute to the Government of the Republic of Burundi for convening the Continental Dialogue on Youth, Peace and Security in April 2022 that adopted the Bujumbura Declaration on the theme. Council equally paid tribute to the Government of the Republic of Uganda for successfully hosting the 3rd Youth Symposium of the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) in July 2022 and looked forward to the hosting, by the Government of the Republic of South Africa, of an Annual Nelson Mandela Youth Dialogue.
Council reiterated its request to the AU Commission to regularly brief Council on the status of progress in the implementation of the 10-Year Implementation Plan of the Continental Framework on Youth, Peace and Security and challenges faced, including through periodic reports and annual briefings.
Council agreed to remain actively seized of the matter.