Kofi Ampeah Woode
The Commandant of the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Center (KAIPTC) embarked on an official tour of Uganda, for a security and peacebuilding campaign, to confer with representatives from government institutions, civil society organizations, youth-led initiatives, and regional bodies, to facilitate constructive dialogue, identify challenges, and explore opportunities for advancing the Youth Peace and Security (YPS) agenda.
The KAIPTC Commandant – Major General (Maj Gen) Richard Addo Gyane’s campaign from Wednesday 10 to Saturday 13 of April 2024, was codenamed: Deepening the Role of Women and Youth in the Implementation of the Women Youth Peace and Security Agenda in Africa.
The campaign also sought to foster collaboration, build consensus, and lay the groundwork for policy and programmatic interventions that prioritize youth empowerment and participation, to catalyse positive change, and contribute to sustainable peace and security outcomes across Africa.
The itinerary of the Commandant’s Youth Peace and Security Campaign in Uganda, saw Maj Gen RA Gyane meeting the following caucuses;
On Wednesday, 10 April 2024, the Commandant met with Wouter Dijkstra – Founder and Executive Director at TRAC FM – a non-governmental organization (NGO) that links communities with decision-makers by utilizing live data gathering, interaction, software system with mobile technology and radio, to foster enhanced governance and developmental results.
On same day, the Commandant met with Emmanuel Wabwire – Executive Director, Faraja Africa Foundation, and Coordinator of the East Africa Youth Parliament, who expounded the activities of the foundation, and their interventions relative to YPS.
Then General Gyane met with Joseph Munyangabo – Country Representative of Westminster Foundation for Democracy, who gave an overview of the scope and depth of youth participation in Ugandan politics.
On Thursday, 11 April 2024, the KAIPTC leader met with Restless Development – an organization that supports the collective power of young people to create a better world, who presented a list of projects and activities they have undertaken with peacebuilding and women inclusivity, such as the Karamoja peacebuilding during disarmament in north of Uganda.
He then met Action Aid International Uganda – an organization that fights for gender equality, youth and women empowerment, which the Commandant visited in Kansanga, where an officer – Mr Xavier showed the programs and activities they undertake, in line with youth in peacebuilding, asserting that 78.5% of Uganda’s 45 million population, is under the age of 30.
Mr Xavier said, Action Aid International Uganda, has fought against Gender Based Violence (GBV) by running 10 shelters, and over 14,000 women faced by GBV have passed through them.
The next consultations were with the Parliament of Uganda, where Maj Gen Gyane met with the Deputy Director, Corporate and Public Affairs – David Ivan Masajjage, who dilated on the areas where the Parliament works closely with the youth, to support them.
Parliament, he said, also works closely with Community Based Organizations (CBO), the Faraja Foundation – who are behind developmental agenda like National Youth Council (NYC) and National and East African Youth Parliament, and also holds Mock Youth Parliament Sessions, but acknowledged that Uganda’s greatest dilemma is youth unemployment.
The day was rounded up with a meeting with Sam Ogwal of the Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD) Youth Envoy in Uganda, who gave a brief on developments in meaningful youth inclusion in IGAD, his team’s plans, and how best KAIPTC could work with him to achieve his goals in the role.
On Friday, 12 April 2024, General Gyane went to Uganda’s Ministry of Gender, Labor, and Social Development/National Youth Council, and held discussions with the National Youth Council Chairperson – Eyeru Jacob, the National Youth Officer – Sylvia Pimer, and 2 other officers, and was given a background of their women and youth participation activities.
The Chairperson stated that IGAD has platforms that have been created for promoting peace and security; such as the IGAD Youth Forum for Peace, and the International Conference for the Great Lakes region.
The Chairperson further stated that, peace and security have been prioritized throughout its partnerships with the United Nations (UN), United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) agencies and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), and that the Uganda National Action Plan will be launched on International Youth Day, in 2024.
The Commandant then met with a Makerere University representative, and former Guild President – Counsel Ivan Bwowe, who highlighted the groups through which students actively participate in leadership and peacebuilding; which include Leadership Academy Africa, Rotary Peace Center, School of College Leadership, Games Union and Culture Association, among others, and also offers courses on peace, and has a school of gender.
Then on Saturday, 13 April 2024, he conferred with the Ugandan National Students Association & EU Youth Sounding Board, where he met with the Vice President of the Ugandan National Students Association – Ms Ikiriza Gold and members of the EU Youth Sounding Board – Dr Jemba Micheal, and Ms Patience Poni Ayikoru, who shared their experiences and perspectives on youth participation in leadership and peacebuilding.
