AYC at Youth Entrepreneurship and Self-Employment Forum, Dakar, November 2018

Unleashing the potential of youth to succeed in business

The two-day event was held in Dakar, Senegal on 13-14 November 2018 during the Global Entrepreneurship Week. It was a featured event of the Global Entrepreneurship Week and was jointly co-organized by the partners of the Global Initiative on Decent Jobs for Youth: International Labour Organization (ILO), International Trade Centre (ITC), United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF), United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) and the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO). It is held in collaboration with the Government of Senegal, Agence Nationale pour la Promotion de l’Emploi des Jeunes (ANPEJ), Agence Sénégalaise de Promotion des Exportations (ASEPEX), the Government of Spain, the Government of Luxembourg, NEPAD Planning and Coordination Agency, Nestlé and Jokkolabs, host of the Global Entrepreneurship Week in Senegal.

Mr. Kawsu Sillah, AYC Executive Secretary alongside Mr. Lamin Darboe, Executive Director of Gambia National Youth Council participated at the Forum in Dakar.

Mr. Darboe spoke on a panel “Making policy work for youth entrepreneurship”.

This panel aimed at: Promoting youth entrepreneurship and self-employment calls for actions at policy and institutional levels. Evidence shows that effective reforms in business environments lead to the emergence of new firms and job creation. The session focuses on understanding what works and what does not in promoting an enabling policy and regulatory environment for young entrepreneurs and self-employed youth. Challenges in supporting youth entrepreneurship and self-employment
encountered by policymakers and institutions, particularly in West Africa, are also explored. The discussion will be informed by experiences and lessons learned from integrating youth into national entrepreneurship and industrial strategies, in coherence with relevant national strategies, including on employment and education, in line with regional development objectives anchored in frameworks such as the
Third Decade of Industrial Development for Africa (IDDA3), the Agenda 2063 of the
African Union and the Continental Free Trade Area (CFTA).

Other Speakers includes:
 Finda Koroma, Vice President, ECOWAS Commission
 Aminata Kouyaté, National Director of Youth Employment, Guinea
 Martin Ruvugabigwi, Chair, Commonwealth Alliance of Young Entrepreneurs

And was moderated by Fiorina Mugione, Chief, Entrepreneurship Section, Division on
Investment and Enterprise, UNCTAD.

For more information about the Forum including the Concept Note, Programme Guide, Participants List and other documents, please visit: https://www.decentjobsforyouth.org/events/32/en#overview

View the posts from National Youth Council facebook page:

https://www.facebook.com/nycgambia/posts/2323211164574675

#YESForum #YESDeclaration

Regional Youth Consultations on ConstitutionWeWant, Gambia, November-December 2018

In partnership with three of AYC Gambia National Consortium members, National Youth Council, Activista The Gambia, National Youth Parliament – The Gambia and Peace Ambassadors-The Gambia, and with funding from UNDP-The Gambia, organised Regional Youth Consultations on the #Constitution the Gambian Youth Want.

Held in all the regions of the Gambia, the consultations brought together a total 700 young people including regional authorities. It seeks to present to the participants the recommendation of Constituency Dialogues, the initial activity of #ConstitutionWeWant and sought their response and approval.

We thank our Youth Organizations for the initiative; not forgetting our donors#UNDPGambia for supporting the project; The Government of The Gambia, the our Regional and District Youth Committees for the mobilization in all the regions.

See posts from National Youth Council facebook page.

https://www.facebook.com/nycgambia/posts/2339616892934102

https://www.facebook.com/nycgambia/posts/2340219659540492

Launch of AYC National Consortium in the Gambia, Kenya and Uganda, October-November 2018

Following the successful launching of the AYC Gambia National Consortium on October 25th 2018 with the Gambia National Youth Council, National Youth Parliament, Activista The Gambia and the Gambia Youth Chamber of Commerce as pioneer members,  at the headquarters of African Wildlife Foundation we successfully launched AYC #Kenya National Consortium in partnership with Youth Senate – Kenya as the pioneer member organisation on November 7th 2018.

On November 9th 2018 in Kampala, the AYC #Uganda National Consortium was launched with Youth Initiative for Youth Action (YIYA Foundation) as pioneer member, making the Republic of Uganda the 3rd member state to launch the AYC National Consortium after the #Gambia and #Kenya.

AYC is on a mission to #Federate #Africa with #youth leading the way. Delivering #TheAfricaWeWant to the #2063 younger generation. #Africa#Must #Unite.

See below posts from our facebook page.

1. Gambia

https://www.facebook.com/nycgambia/posts/2311407065755085

2. Kenya

https://www.facebook.com/AYCommission/posts/1114139935414866

https://www.facebook.com/AYCommission/posts/1123345767827616

3. Uganda

https://www.facebook.com/AYCommission/posts/1114939845334875

AYC at African Human Rights Day, Banjul, October 2018

National Youth Council – The Gambia in collaboration with African Centre for Human and People’s Rights celebrated African Human Rights Day. The celebration took the form of a match pass by young people from Palma Rima Junction in Kololi and ended at the NGO Forum of African Center for Democracy and Human Rights Studies at Paradise Suites Hotel.

The event organised under the #Theme: “Fighting Corruption & Advancing Human: Our Collective Responsibility”, accorded young people the opportunity to raise the voice against human rights violation and corruption in Africa. Ms. Natalie Sonia Mukundane, Ag. AYC Executive Chairperson spoke at the opening ceremony alongside Mr. Marr Nyang, Executive Director of Gambia Participates and they highlighted the work and contribution of young people in the Gambia and Africa towards ”Winning the Fight Against Corruption in Africa”.

AYC Meeting with Minister of Youth and Sports, Minister of Foreign Affairs and other partners in the Gambia

YOUTH MINISTER MEETS AFRICAN YOUTH COMMISSION CHAIRPERSON – by MUHAMMED S. BAH 

The Minister of Youth and Sport Hadrammeh Sidibeh, received in his office on Tuesday 23 October 2018, Natalie Mukundane K, the Chairperson of the African Youth Commission (AYC), to talk on the upcoming African Youth Conference. The meeting was held at the Minister’s office in Banjul together with a delegation from the National Youth Council.

The briefing was to get the Ministry’s support in the upcoming African Youth Conference on African Unity and Development to be co-hosted by the NYC and AYC Secretariat. According to the AYC Chairperson, the theme for the conference is: ‘‘The Future Is Now; Youth Are Not Too Young to Lead.’’

The conference is expected to bring together more than 200 young people across the African Continent. Minister Sidibeh hailed the delegation and assured them of his Ministry’s support to the success of the event. “Young people are problem solvers. That is why I always commit myself to support them,” the Minister said.

In assuring his Ministry’s support, Sidibeh underscored their commitment at all times; that they will do all it takes, to make it a success. He told the delegation that his Ministry is here for young people and they are committed to serve their interest.

Prior to the meeting, the AYC Chairperson met with the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Momodou Tangara, at his office in Banjul. The two meetings were seen as “fruitful” by the delegation, and they embraced the assurance of the two Ministries’ support, to the upcoming Activity of the AYC.

Link to the News Story: https://gambianewstoday.com/youth-minister-meets-african-youth-commission-chairperson-2/

1. Meeting with Mr. Hadrammeh Sidibeh, Honorable Minister of Youth and Sports The Gambia and Dr. Momodou Tangara,  Honorable Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation and Gambians Abroad.

https://www.facebook.com/MOYS4Youths/posts/1080673202093377

 

2. Meeting with Mr. Kunle Adeniyi, Resident Representative, UNFPA The Gambia and madam Sandra Lattouf, Resident Representative, UNICEF The Gambia.

https://www.facebook.com/AYCommission/posts/1105264872969039

3. Radio interview with Mariama Colley at Afriradio, meeting with Lord Mayor Talib Ahmed Bensouda of Kanifing Municipal Council, IOM Gambia, The Gambia Youth Empowerment Project YEP, Empretec Gambia, British High Commission in the Gambia, European Union in The Gambia and International Republican Institute.

https://www.facebook.com/AYCommission/posts/1104652483030278

AYC Town Hall Meeting with Young People in the Gambia

As part of the visit of Ms. Natalie Mukundane Kyamutetera the Ag. Executive Chairperson of the African Youth Commission – AYC, the National Youth Council in collaboration with MDI Student’s Union oragnised a Town Hall Meeting with Youth to openly discuss on Bridging the Gender gap: Inclusion and participation of young people in civil, political, and economic spaces in the Gambia.

The meeting took place at MDI Garden on Monday, October 22nd 2018 from 4-7pm.

Find more information from AYC facebook page below.

https://www.facebook.com/AYCommission/posts/1101574946671365

AYC at Policy Forum on Development, Regional Meeting Africa, in Gaborone, October 2018

More than 100 representatives of civil society organisations (CSOs), including the private sector, Local Authorities (LAs), the African Union (AU) institutions and representatives of European Union (EU) institutions gathered in Gaborone (Botswana), from 8 to 10 October 2018, for the Regional Meeting Africa of the Policy Forum on Development (PFD).

Mr. Kawsu Sillah, AYC Executive Secretary represented the AYC at the Forum and he made a presentation at the Roundtable discussion on ”Issue-focused review of the AU-EU Summit – Key outcomes, implications and recommendations.” The objective of the session was to allow deeper reflection on the key outcomes of the AU-EU Summit on the basis of the previous session.

The PFD is a multistakeholder platform launched and supported by the European Commission where civil society organisations, associations of local authorities and the private sector together with EU Members States to debate on development matters. This year the Africa regional meeting addressed the last African Union – European Union Summit recommendations around: youth, peace and security; mobility and migration and governance.  It also addressed the progress made by the EU and its partners from the Africa, Caribbean and Pacific group of states in advancing towards the definition of the provisions governing their future relations. Lastly, the meeting will examine the African Union theme of the year on corruption.

The PFD Team have compiled the main results of the debates and exchanges in the attached “PFD in brief”. All the other outcomes such as the final communiqué, a visual booklet, the results of the working groups as well as the photos are available on our Capacity4Development website: https://europa.eu/capacity4dev/policy-forum-development/wiki/communication-materials-1

You can also find the Concept Note, Programme Guide and Outcome Report below.

1. Concept Note PFD Africa
2. Agenda Africa Region PFD draft_2708
3. PFD-in-Brief-Africa-2018FINAL

AYC at The East Africa Youth Empowerment Forum on Peace and Security in Africa, Kampala, September 2018

1. EA Forum Concept Final New

2. http://yvfug.org/east-africa-youth-empowerment-forum-on-peace-and-security-in-africa/

3. https://www.facebook.com/yvfug/

AYC at AGA 2018 Regional Youth Consultations

AYC members participated in the 2018 Regional Youth Consultations under the theme ‘Leveraging Youth Capacities for the fight against corruption in Africa’. in line with the AU theme of the Year: Winning the Fight Against Corruption: A sustainable path to Africa’s Transformation.

The Consultations were convened under the auspices of the African Governance Architecture (AGA) Youth Engagement Strategy (AGA-YES). They focuses on leveraging and reinforcing young people’s insights, capacities, and initiatives for preventing and fighting corruption in Africa.

In line with the principle and spirit of the AGA Platform, the 2018 Regional Youth Consultations were organised in close collaboration with the AU Advisory Board on Corruption as well as with civil society partners. In this vein, the consultations were held as follows:

REGIONAL YOUTH CONSULTATIONS TIMELINES VENUE
Southern Africa and East Africa: Gaborone – 15 – 17 August 2018
West Africa & Central Africa: Dakar – 29 – 31August 2018
North Africa: Casablanca – 12 – 14 September 2018

The aim was to identify, support, strengthen and amplify youth perspectives on the sustainable fight against corruption. It will also provide a platform for capacity building for youth-oriented and  focused organisations/networks towards enhanced involvement in building a culture of personal integrity, transparency, and accountability in Africa; in addition to facilitating inter-regional exchanges and lessons learning.

For more information and concept note, please visit AGA Platform website below.

1. http://aga-platform.org/2018RYC

AYC at African Leaders of Peace Summit, Cape Town, August 2018

SUMMIT AIMS TO FIND SOLUTIONS TO ACHIEVE PEACE IN AFRICA – by Kaylynn Palm

Government ministries, civil society organisations and youth groups from across Africa and the globe have gathered in Cape Town to spread a message of peace.  AYC was a partner to the Summit and have contributed in mobilising participants and partners for the Summit. 

CAPE TOWN – In an effort to find solutions to achieve peace in Africa and the world, the African Leaders of Peace Summit has been held in Cape Town this week.

The two-day summit has been held in partnership with the International Women’s Peace Group and Heavenly Culture World Peace Restoration of Light.

Government ministries, civil society organisations and youth groups from across Africa and the globe have gathered in Cape Town to spread a message of peace.

The summit has included various sessions for women, men and leaders.

International Women’s Peace Group Co-ordinator Cindy Chokoza says the aim of the summit is to bring leaders together to seek practical solutions for peacebuilding.

“The purpose of this event was to be able to continuously raise awareness for peace, but also to remember those that left a legacy for peace within Africa.”

Keynote speaker, Her Majesty Dr Semane Bonolo Molotlegi is encouraging women to work with men to address the challenges in society.

Venerable Phra Kitsakol Phaenoi of #Peaceforafrica leading a session of meditation for peace with various religious leaders #ALPSummit2018 #PeaceisPossible pic.twitter.com/JIYTqmkrYk

— African Leaders of Peace Summit (@ALPS_2018) August 13, 2018

“We’ll never go anywhere if we don’t bring our men together. If we don’t push ourselves in confidence in talking about violence against women when the perpetrators are not there.”

The event has concluded with an award ceremony for women who are active in Cape Town and around the world, as well as a pledge for peace.

For more information, visit the Summit website and social media account below.

1. Website: http://www.africanleadersofpeacesummit.org/

2. https://twitter.com/ALPS_2018

3. https://ewn.co.za/2018/08/14/summit-aims-to-find-solutions-to-achieve-peace-in-africa