Gabon: IOF advocates inclusion and citizen participation of youth in sustainable development
The International Organization of La Francophonie (OIF), through its Central Africa office, launched on December 7 the first edition of the Regional Initiative for Central Africa: "Youth and citizen participation for sustainable development". The objective of this initiative is to strengthen the technical and operational capacities of youth and media organizations in OIF member countries in Central Africa.
Some thirty young people from 15 youth and media organizations in Gabon, selected following a call for applications, are participating from 7 to 9 December in the first activity of the pilot phase of the Central African Regional Initiative: "The Role of Youth in Development". from 7 to 9 December in the first activity of the pilot phase of the Regional Initiative for Central Africa: " Youth and citizen participation for sustainable development". For these winning structures, it is a question of benefiting for 72 hours from a capacity building session for trainers and access to pedagogical resources in order to facilitate the animation of training workshops on participation and citizen engagement.
"Dearyoung people, sustainable development and citizen participation are two related themes, because for there tobe sustainable development,there must be a form of citizen participation .This theoretical link between the two concepts is true for you, dear young people," said the Minister for Youth, Franck Nguema, welcoming the fact that today the country has a conscious youth committed to sustainable development. "This awareness is reflected nowadays by a strong involvement of young people in the community and media that arereal instruments of civic engagement.
The long-term objective is to contribute to the development of all young citizens as "responsible eco-citizens", i.e. those who are informed and aware of the issues. i.e. who inform themselves, educate themselves, train themselves and act responsibly, throughout their lives, in favour of sustainable development. This initiative, based on current experiences and the strong concern for environmental issues, aims to strengthen the conditions for raising citizens' awareness and commitment. Indeed, advancing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in relation to environmental concerns means advancing all the SDGs in view of their systemic nature.
"Ladies and gentlemen, participants, you understand that there are important issues at stake in Gabon and Central Africa in terms of sustainable development and within the framework of this initiative for the Congo Basin, you will be called uponto identify the best ways to achieve these goals.In the framework of this initiative for the Congo Basin, you will be called upon atthe appropriate time to identify value-added niches for the Francophonie in order to develop noble projects for young people," said the representative of the OIF for Central Africa, Alphonse Waguena.
This first generation of the Regional Initiative for Central Africa will easily be able to act to avoid the worst effects of climate change around three axes: producing, enhancing and disseminating knowledge on sustainable development; better educating and training to implement sustainable development goals; and improving tools and mechanisms for citizen participation in sustainable development. "Young people are often seen as problems on the margins of the solution. At the IFM level, we have decided to involve these young people in everything we do, to make themtrue actors of change, so that they can contribute to to drive a positive dynamic of change in favour of sustainable development," said Yves Nassouri, acting head of the IOF's Youth, Sport and Citizenship Unit.
Source: www.gabonreview.com
