{Rwanda will this Friday, October 17, host a consultative conference on peace, security, conflict prevention and development and establishing the African Youth Peace Initiative.}
The conference is jointly organised by the United Nations Association-Rwanda (UNA-Rwanda) and United Nations Association-Uganda (UNA-Uganda).
The consultations will engage African youths, politicians, religious leaders, media and the academic community as well as UN in discussions on Peace, security and conflict prevention within the Post 2015 Development Agenda.
The Post-2015 Development Agenda refers to a process led by the UN aimed at helping define the future global development framework that will succeed the UN Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), a set of eight global development targets which come to an end in 2015.
Jackline Kamanzi, the Chairperson of UNA-Rwanda says the consultations in Kigali, will provide an opportunity for the declaration on the establishment of the African Youth Peace Initiative as well as giving out awards to university students for best essays on why peace, security and conflict prevention should be included in the post 2015-Development Agenda.
She exclusively told IGIHE, “Since June, series of trainings were conducted throughout the country aimed at creating awareness, capacity building, gathering of thoughts and opinions among NGOs, Youth, Media and the academic Community on the inclusion of peace, security and conflict prevention in the Post – 2015 development agenda.”
Kamanzi explains that UNA – Rwanda and UNA- Uganda have a special mandate from WFUNA (world federation of United Nations Associations) to advocate for implementation, disseminate information, lobby government, mobilise public support and to collaborate with other national voluntary organizations on projects related to all themes under the UN pillars.
“UNA-Rwanda is strategically placed, with cooperation and assistance from WFUNA and other UNAs to lead this project in Rwanda and to work with other members to make the aims and objectives of this project a reality,” she said.
Rwanda supports the inclusion of peace, security and conflict prevention in development. And has been including peace, security and conflict prevention in its national development plans as well as involving citizen participation, on Umudugudu level, in ownership of development and maintaining peace, security and order.
{{ Peace and security: President Paul Kagame of Rwanda speaks on Peace and Security at African Union Summit in January}}
Both the inclusion of peace and security, including social protection and protecting Rwandans from violence and ownership of development and security, has contributed greatly to the Rwanda’s rapid development, to become one of the safest countries in Africa, safe environment for doing business and empowering and protecting women.
Because of Rwanda’s experience and background, its achievements in MDGs and as such being called a “shining Star”, Rwanda is best situated to call for the inclusion of peace, security and conflict prevention in the Post-2015 Development Agenda.
More to this, Rwanda has made efforts to preserve her historical land marks of conflicts, genocide and bad governance as a preventive measure to avoid history repeating itself. This is mainly why Rwanda was chosen to host this continental event.
Similarly, African youth continue to suffer the most from conflict and violent, this is mainly because Africa has more youths than any other age category, youths are recruited to join the military and as such are more likely to suffer and because of continued conflict on the continent, most youths are not able to positively and peacefully contribute to their own goals and nations’ development.
It’s against this background that UNA-Rwanda and UNA-Uganda set up an African Youth Peace Initiative for continuation and sustainability of including peace in development agenda in Africa.
angedelavictoire@igihe.com
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