The SADC Secretariat convened a three-day meeting of Member States, from 02 to 04 September 2024, to present the draft regional strategy on Youth, Peace and Security (YPS). Regional and national stakeholders, namely representatives from the Ministries of Youth and Sports, Ministries of Foreign Affairs, National Youth Councils and the Civil Society Organisations discussed on the youth's increased participation in peace processes and their roles to prevent and resolve conflicts. The SADC Secretariat was supported by the United Nations Department of Political and Peace building Affairs (UNDPPA Botswana) and the African Centre for the Constructive Resolution of Disputes (ACCORD).
SADC is developing the draft regional YPS strategy in alignment to the United Nations Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 2250, which was adopted by the United Nations Security Council in December 2015. The UNSCR 2250 recognises the youth's efforts in peace building and provides a set of guidelines upon which policies and programs should be developed by Member States, the United Nations and the Civil Society. The Resolution also explores how conflict impacts young people's lives and what must be done to mitigate its effects, as well as how youth can be meaningfully included in creating peaceful communities.
The regional Youth, Peace and Security Strategy is intended to highlight measures to address challenges experienced by young men and women in conflict situations and to ensure equal representation and meaningful participation of young people in key decision-making positions in conflict resolution, peace building, and peacekeeping. The Strategy also aims to promote development of the National Action Plans (NAPs) on YPS to address the specific challenges faced by young boys and girls in each Member State. Such national plans serve to guide the localisation of the implementation of the youth peace and security agenda.
Representing the SADC Secretariat, Mr. Fabrice Kitenge Tunda, Mediation and Peace building Officer, noted the development of the YPS regional strategy as an intentional step by SADC towards enhancing the participation of young people in peace and security processes, including in peace negotiations and peace building and, in the prevention, and resolution of conflicts at all levels. Mr. Tunda also noted the diversity of participants to the workshop, demonstrating indeed the recognition of the role of various sectors in implementing the youth, peace and security agenda collaboratively. Mr. Tunda further commended the Democratic Republic of Congo and the Republic of Zimbabwe for having developed their Youth, Peace and Security National Action Plans.
Ms. Marisha Ramdeen, Coordinator of Programmes at ACCORD, noted that her organisation recognises the role that youth play in peace making and peace building processes. Ms. Ramdeen highlighted that UNSCR 2250, and the establishment of the African Union Continental Framework on Youth, Peace and Security have become foundational pillars and help to legitimise initiatives needed to advance youth agenda in these various peace and security efforts.
Mr. Etakong Tabeyang, representing UNDPPA, also indicated that the United Nations recognises the critical role of youth in peace and security initiatives. On December 9, 2015, the UN Security Council unanimously adopted Resolution 2250, a ground-breaking framework that acknowledges "the important and positive role young people play in maintaining and promoting international peace and security...". As such, recognising the importance of youth in peace and security is vital for fostering inclusive, resilient, and peaceful societies. Moreover, by prioritising the empowerment and participation of young people in peacebuilding, the region paves the way for a more secure and sustainable future, he said.
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From the consultative meeting, Member States recommended, among others, that further consultations with regional and national stakeholders be conducted to consider the views and insights of young people in the SADC region. The draft YPS Strategy will be validated by technical officers from Member States and the youth in the region before its submission to SADC Ministers of Youth for its adoption.
