BY AWA TOURAY
The National Youth Council yesterday briefed the media on the 3rd PAN African Youth Conference on African Unity and Development and the Annual General Assembly of the meeting of the African Youth Commission (#AYCGA2019) on the theme ‘The future is now; Youth are Not too Young to lead’. These events are scheduled for 23-26 of March 2019.
This briefing was done to update the people on their level of preparedness for the Africa Youth submission on the Gambia National Youth council to start an African youth conference on peace and development.
Speaking on the briefing session, Mr. Dembo Kambi, the chairman of the NYC, in his briefing said NYC being the host of the grand event that will take place they are indeed prepared because since November last year, they signed a memorandum understanding between the Africa Youth Commission when the acting executive chair president of the Africa Youth Commission came to the Gambia so that they will host this year’s conference.
He further said that since the time they signed for them to host the conference, they have been working tirelessly, and they have been to all their crucial partners to this important event and they have got the commitment, and they have got the political support, because the honourable minister of youth of sport is fully behind the event. And he promised them in his own words “if young people are up he will be running to ensure that whatever they require will be given to them”.
He said that the Minister of Youths assured them that his ministry and by extension the entire Government of the republic of the Gambia will fully support the hosting of the conference. He further said that the local authorities are also helping and they have met the mayor who assured them that he will support since the municipality will be the host of the program for the entire young African people.
Mr. Kawsu sillah, the executive secretary, said that this platform is the only platform that is led and driven by young people alone. He also said that they have received over 1000 applications from different countries mainly young people interested to come to the Gambia during the conference.
He said that other partners are willing to organize side events to inspire youths to take up leadership in the political space, civic space, and environmental space and also in the Digital space. And they will have not less than 30 side events on different topics. And on the 26th it will be a general assembly meeting where delegates will be taking part in discussions on the future of the commission.
