IGAD urges youth to take lead in regional peace
Addressing participants at the IGAD Youth Peace and Security Conference in Nairobi, Executive Secretary Dr Workneh Gebeyehu emphasised that the era of young people as mere observers is over.
The Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) has called on youths across the region to play a central role in building and sustaining peace, noting that stability is impossible without their active engagement.
Addressing participants at the IGAD Youth Peace and Security Conference in Nairobi, Executive Secretary Dr Workneh Gebeyehu emphasised that the era of young people as mere observers is over.
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“There is no peace without the youth, and there’s no youth without peace. The age of youth as passive beneficiaries is over. The age of youth as partners in peace has begun,” he said on Wednesday.
Gebeyehu encouraged youth representatives to use their skills and energy to protect the interests of young people in their communities.
He pointed to Sudan as a country where ongoing conflict has caused immense suffering and stressed the importance of youth involvement in peace efforts.
“Silence will not help. We have to be the voice of the Sudanese people; this can happen to any country. As IGAD, we are working on soft and hard power and anything we can do to bring back peace and tranquillity in the region. I urge you to be peace ambassadors,” Gebeyehu added.
He highlighted the role of IGAD’s Conflict Early Warning and Response Mechanism (CEWARN), which trains young people to observe and report early signs of conflict.
“From the bustling markets of Addis Ababa to the remote villages along the Sudan-South Sudan border, young peace monitors are providing real-time intelligence that prevents conflicts before they ignite,” Gebeyehu said.
He also spoke about the IGAD Centre of Excellence for Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism, which has trained over 500 young leaders since 2018 in building community resilience and developing alternative messages to combat violent ideas.
“These young champions are not just recipients of our programs; they are the architects of innovative solutions,” Gebeyehu added.
Margaret Kiogora, CEO of the President’s Award, representing Sports and Youth Affairs Cabinet Secretary Salim Mvurya, echoed the importance of youth in peacebuilding.
“Youths are not just recipients of peace but drivers of it and development. Without peace, there is no development, no jobs, but when young people are supported, they create lasting peace,” she said.
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