EASF Represented at the African Union Youth Validation Workshop

The African Union validation workshop of the youth continental report was officially opened on the 22nd October, 2019 at the “Labadi Beach Hotel" in Ghana. The Eastern Africa Standby Force is being

represented by Information Manager, Mr. Jules Hoareau in his capacity as the EASF’s Youth Focal Person for the African Union. The Director of the EASF Dr. Abdillahi Omar Bouh appointed Mr. Jules Hoareau as the EASF Youth Focal Person for the AU in January this year.

The AU youth validation workshop is the result of 11 months of hard work involving youth groups and networks across Africa.  During the four-day workshop the participants will review, analyze, and validate the continental report. Peace and security, conflict prevention are some of the core elements of the youth involvement featured in the continental report.  The African Union ‘youth 4 peace’ under the AU peace and security council is working assiduously to empower youths on the continent.  

In July 2006, the Summit of the African Union in Banjul, the Gambia, adopted the African Youth Charter (AYC). The Charter is a political and legal document which serves as the strategic framework that gives direction to youth empowerment and development at the continental, regional and national levels. The AYC aims to strengthen, reinforce and consolidate efforts to empower young people through meaningful participation and equal partnership in driving Africa's development agenda. The document refers to the rights, freedoms and duties of young people in Africa.

The AU youth validation workshop will include presentation and deliberations of the regional reports including the youth report for the Eastern Africa.  It was reported in the meeting that EASF has for the first time involved the young people in the commemoration of the International Peace Day this year. This was through a youth public speaking on the theme ‘peace in Eastern Africa which was held at the EASF secretariat on the 20th September, 2019 in Karen, Nairobi. During the same ceremony donations were also made to a refugee school based in Nairobi, Kenya.

According to the EASF’s youth focal person for AU, the youth for peace is an important structure in the African Union and political leaders should pay more attention to the ‘AU Youth Charter’ especially ‘Article 17’ which speaks about the roles of young people in peace and security.

The validation workshop of the continental report is financed by GIZ and the TFP is financing the continental youth framework.