Cameroon: Youths Empowerment/Development – Govt Begins a New Project

The initiative

The government of Cameroon has announced the launch of a new initiative “Youth Connekt Cameroon” meant to inspire, create employment through youth entrepreneurship as well as connecting young people to various socio-economic and political opportunities in a bid to optimize their empowerment and facilitate their full participation in the development of the country. The announcement was made yesterday, December 4, 2019 during a joint press conference granted by the Minister of Communication, Emmanuel Rene Sadi and the Minister of Youth Affairs and Civic Education, Mounouna Foutsou, the Resident Representative of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Jean Luc Stalon and the President of the Executive Bureau of the Cameroon National Youth Council. It is an inclusive project that targets all youths from high schools to universities, from urban to rural areas as well as those with disabilities. Youth Connekt (YC), the Minister of Youth Affairs and Civic Education said, is an African initiative launched in 2012 in Rwanda. The initiative has received full endorsement from the President of the Republic, Paul Biya, reason why events are taking place under his auspices. Looking at the calendar of events, the official launch activities for the Youth Connekt Cameroon initiative will take place from the 6 to 9 December at the Youth Connekt Village located at the Yaounde Multipurpose Sports Complex.

Minister Mounouna Foutsou said a Youth Cultural Evening to welcome all Cameroonians and African youths will take place tomorrow. Exhibitions and a “B 2 B” exchanges and presentations on various themes will take place on Saturday and Sunday December 7 and 8. Youths will also have a special inspirational session with Samuel Eto’o Fils, who is an ambassador of the initiative and other young leading icons on the theme; “Beyond Inspiration.” The apex of activities will be the official launch of Youth Connekt Cameroon on Monday December 9, 2019 in Yaounde by the Prime Minister, Head of Government, Joseph Dion Ngute. The Head of Government will immediately open the Youth Connekt Village before chairing the first-ever meeting of the Youth Connekt Cameroon Steering Committee, which will serve as a roundtable for donors to ensure better participation and commitment of all invited potential partners, for the successful implementation of the YC project in Cameroon. On his part, the Minister of Communication, Emmanuel Rene Sadi said the project is welcome in the Cameroonian society where many young people are disorientated, faced with the many societal challenges, where the quest for excellence are undermined every day. As such, the Minister of Communication underlined that the concept will allow young people to be connected to their role models, to be in close, active and beneficial contact with the top flightof multi-sectoral actors, with proven, known and recognized talents and skills, both nationally and internationally. A major partner in the putting in place of the initiative, Jean Luc Stalon said it is an additional platform which brings everybody on board to create youth leaders for peace and social cohesion.