The Cameroon National Action Plan (NAP), on Youth, Peace and Security (YPS), a scheme that has been in gestation since 2016 could soon be finalized and implemented. Stakeholders have taken a commitment to drive the finalization and implementation of the action plan that aims to bolster youth participation in peace and security processes in the country.
The commitment is one of the outcomes of the national colloquium on YPS that held at the International Relations Institute of Cameroon (IRIC), in Yaounde from November 20 -23.
The Ministry of Youth Affairs and Civic Education (MINJEC), and the Cameroon National Youth Council (CNYC), in partnership youth-led not-for-profit organization Local Youth Corner Cameroon (LOYOC), hosted the conference. This was in collaboration with Search for Common Ground Cameroon (SFCG) – a Non-governmental Organization transforming violent conflicts into peace.
The initiative is part of the Young Cameroon project that is being supported by the European Union, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) Cameroon and UNFPA Regional Office for West and Central Africa, according to a press release by LOYOC.
The colloquium, organisers said, was a platform for inclusive dialogue, collaboration, and reflection on achievements and future pathways for youth participation in peace processes in the country.
The Secretary General in the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Civic Education, Benga Zachee Robert Theophile hailed the process saying the eventual adoption of the National Action Plan on Youth, Peace and Security will ensure greater participation of young Cameroonians in processes undertaken at national level to restore and consolidate peace, social cohesion and living together in the country.
Young people are usually highly vulnerable to radicalization and extremism, the President of the Cameroon National Youth Council (CNYC), Fadimatou Iyawa admitted, reason why the Council mobilized youth from all the ten regions of the country to be part of the discussions, she said.
“The colloquium was a moment for all of us to bring our various contributions on how we can concretely contribute to peace and security issues in the country,” said Iyawa.
The three- day event brought together over 300 participants including young peacebuilders, government officials, lawmakers, religious and traditional authorities, students, development partners and members of the national commission and technical committee on YPS.
According to revered varsity don and Lead Consultant for the project, Prof Jean Emmanuel Pondi, the peculiarities of all Regions of the country have been included in the NAP, which addresses the problems of young Cameroonians given their contexts.
With Young people accounting for 60% of the population of Cameroon, the Country Representative for Search for Common Ground Cameroon, Tatiana Lobe, emphasized that it is important for them to be involved in peace processes.
She disclosed that her organization is on board with proposals for an inclusive approach in addressing the issue of peace and security that will bring on board women, youth and also persons with disabilities.
