AU conference kicks off in Harare tomorrow

Sunday Mail Correspondent

THE African Union (AU) Commission high-level ministerial conference on the role of governments, regional economic communities (RECs) and regional mechanisms (RMs) opens in Harare tomorrow, with over 100 delegates from different parts of the continent attending.

The conference will chart ways to promote youth, peace and security.

In a statement, the Ministry of Youth, Sport, Arts and Recreation said the Indaba aims to advocate for more inclusive participation and meaningful engagement with young people as an asset in peace-building and conflict-prevention mechanisms.

“It also seeks to popularise regional, national and continental normative frameworks that seek to promote youth, peace and security (YPS) and to showcase and highlight the initiatives and programmes developed or endorsed by African multilateral institutions and member states to capacitate young people in Southern Africa, particularly as relating to advancing peace and security, including early-warning systems,” reads part of the statement.

The conference will also determine the viability and encourage the establishment of a regional forum to support and enhance youth roles in peace and security.

In addition, delegates will consider strategies to strengthen capacity of the national youth councils and “promote and protect civic spaces for the engagement and participation of young people and organisations in peace processes peace-building; and advocate for periodic consultations providing opportunity for stakeholders to engage and share updates on the YPS agenda”.

The conference is jointly organised by the African Union Political Affairs, Peace and Security Department; Common Market for the Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA); Save the Children; Institute for Security Studies (ISS); African Centre for the Constructive Resolution of Disputes (ACCORD); Horn of Africa Youth Network; Southern Africa Partnership for the Prevention of Conflict (SAPPC); and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

It starts with an experts meeting tomorrow and on Wednesday before the ministers’ meeting on Thursday.