The third edition of the youth, peace and security in Africa dialogue organized by the African Union has opened in Bujumbura, Burundi.

The objective of the dialogue is to promote the youth peace and security agenda through advocacy and participation of young women and men across the Continent to meaningfully contribute to the implementation of the YPS Agenda in Africa.

The dialogue running under the theme, 'Empowering African Youth for Peace: Education and Enhanced Coordination as a Catalyst for the Implementation of the YPS Agenda' is being held at the at the Kiriri Presidential Palace and President Évariste Ndayishimiye who is also the African Union champion of the Youth, Peace, and Security (YPS) agenda is among the participants.

With more than 60% of Africa's population under the age of 25, the youth are a critical force for shaping Africa's future.

However, the continent still faces challenges in peace and security, including armed conflicts, political instability, and the rise of extremist groups, which disproportionately impact youth, women, and other vulnerable populations.

The dialogue in Bujumbura has brought together key stakeholders to assess progress, identify challenges, and explore strategies for mainstreaming peace education in school curriculums and mobilizing resources for YPS initiatives.

Over 1,200 participants, including policymakers, young leaders, and representatives of international institutions are attending.

The third edition of the dialogue has brought together key stakeholders in the implementation of the youth, peace and security agenda at the continental, regional and member states levels in order to assess the progress made so far, the challenges and opportunities for enhanced coordination, collaboration and complementarity.

On the other hand, the dialogue seeks to engage the participants in reflecting on effective ways to promote peace education in Africa.