BUJUMBURA, December 13th (ABP) – Burundi has hosted from December 12 to 13, 2024, the 3rd edition of the continental dialogue on Youth, Peace and Security (YPS), under the theme: “Empowering African Youth for Peace: Education and Enhanced Coordination as a Catalyst for the Implementation of the YPS Agenda”.
In his opening speech, Head of State Evariste Ndayishimiye indicated that the chosen theme is devoted to educating and training Africa for the 21st century. He added that the youth of this continent constitutes a huge demographic dividend which, if they benefit from quality education, and equipped with appropriate skills for the knowledge-based society in a current globalized and competitive context. According to him, if this young population has the opportunity to flourish and fully develop their potential, they will be able to promote growth and progress in Burundi, in Africa as in the rest of the world. It is only education, the foundation on which we can build a common future and focus for African countries to achieve economic, social and cultural development, he said.
To ensure social cohesion and the consolidation of peace and security, the President of the Republic said that it is essential to unleash the potential of this youth as an essential component of the population and builder of peace.
He further stated that the future of any society lies in its ability to provide these young people with the tools and opportunities necessary to flourish as individuals and to contribute to the collective development of society and the country.
President Ndayishimiye also said that young people are those who have more to give and create on a virgin continent where everything is to be exploited, modernized and transformed.
On the sidelines of this dialogue, he announced, Burundi celebrates the Youth Innovation Week where the latter are endowed with enormous talents that can lead them to be their own bosses if their entrepreneurial projects are supported and equipped with practical skills.
He specified that education, as a driver of sustainable development, must take into account the needs of the younger generations. This involves building the professional, technical and productive capacities among young people capable of leading the destiny of the African continent worthy of its name.
For him, the African continent has more than 60% of young people under 25 years old, a proportion which is inevitably victim and actor of insecurity. He indicated that if all young people, wherever they are, decide to fight insecurity, no one would dare to challenge or manipulate a united, committed youth, endowed with values of attitude, behavior and lifestyle that rejects violence.
The Head of State also specified that “Who does not plan, plans the failure of time”. He was delighted with the initiatives already taken in the planning including the launch and institutionalization of the Youth for Peace programme in Africa. These initiatives have the main goal of facilitating the meaningful participation of African youth to build peace, security and deter participation in violence.
President Ndayishimiye also noted that the raison d’être of the continental dialogue on youth, peace and security is to provide a space for exchange, reflection, collaboration and action so that young people become actors of peace and development on the continent. This is why the chosen theme evokes strengthened coordination as a catalyst for the implementation of the continental programme for youth, peace and security.
He pointed out that Burundi has already adopted since May this year a national strategy on youth, peace and security as well as an action plan for its implementation and it is in the popularization and implementation phase.
For this, the President of the Republic took the opportunity to encourage other Member States to redouble their efforts to develop national action plans focused on young people and to further mobilize the resources needed to implement them effectively.
Before concluding his speech, the Head of State thanked the African Union Commission and all those who, in one way or another, supported the organization of the holding of the 3rd edition of the continental dialogue on youth, peace and security as well as those who contribute to highlighting the talents of young people through the week of innovation, more particularly the UNDP.