DPI Weblog

 VISION 2020: SETTING THE AGENDASpecial Roundtable Forum for Nigerian Youth in the Diaspora Preparatory event for the Young Citizens for Sustainable Development Conference Saturday March 29, 2008Salmon Youth Conference Center in Old Jamaica Road, Bermondsay, London This is a consultation of Nigerian youth in the Diaspora: to exchange ideas on Nigeria’s long term development plans including the Niger-delta development master plan, the second National Economic Empowerment and Development Strategy (NEEDS 2) and the President’s 7 point agenda. This will present an opportunity for them to share their vision for Nigeria’s future as well as how and what they hope to contribute.

Organiser  Development Partnership Initiative (DPI) http://www.developmentpartnership.org/dpi/ 

PartnersAfrican Youth in Diaspora NetworkNigerian Professionals International Network www.niproevents.com

Do Sumthing Poisitive Africa- DSPA www.dosumthing.org 

Supporters: Federal Ministry of Youth Development Abuja RSVP Dumebi Agbakoba: dumebi@dosumthing.org Victor Gotevbe: victor@unesco.co.uk Dabesaki Mac-Ikemenjima: dabesaki@developmentpartnership.org+44 075 346 94724

 I wrote this blog post from the CYF6 in Uganda.

These past six days, I have been in Entebe Uganda for the Commonwealth Youth Forum, which preceds the Commonwealth Heads of government meeting. I am here with Ms. Ewajesu Asala as co-participants from the Nigerian government. This year’s theme is: Breaking the Barriers: Unleashing Young people’s potential for Development and its being attended by youth representatives from 48 out of the 53 Commonwealth member states.  Its my first time at a pan-Commonwealth meeting since after being selected Regional Youth Caucus representative for Nigeria, so its a unique opportunity too see how the Commonwealth functions.

 Since I came to this meeting, I have been asking colleagues if we really need new commitments from governments. Commonwealth governments are part of the big  United Nations that made the  groundbreaking Millennium Development goals. How much progress has been made with the implementation of the MDGs in Commonwealth countries? Poverty, health problems, poor education services, poverty and many more challenges are still being faced by these countries.

 The Commonwealth Youth Programme recently launched the Plan of Action for Youth Empowerment (PAYE 2007-2015), could this be the needed opportunity to act towards investing in youth development and empowerment efforts with a firm commitment by Commonwealth heads of government? Is it possible to use the space to push for young people’s increased leadership in development processes at national level in various countries? Is it possible to increase the visibility of Regional Youth Caucus members and work with them as the voice of youth throughout the Commonwealth? I am really looking forward to the final communique from this meeting. Intense lobbying is also going on.

 At the end of the Youth Forum, 6 selected young leaders will have a dialiogue with some heads of government in Kampala. This will probably be the space to ensure that youth issues are put more firmly on the agenda. President Museveni put it clearly at the opening, young people should stop asking for space to participate, they should start taking advantage of the spaces available to advance their leadership skills and development processes in their respective countries. Maybe this Commonwealth Youth Forum will be the ground breaking event that will set that agenda. I will write more from this forum as often as I possibly can.

Makurdi May 10, 2007: Youth attending the National Planning Commission’s zonal consultation for the northeast geopolitical zone held in Bauchi has called on the Commission to support the establishment of a Youth Expert Panel on NEEDS 2. The young people said that the establishment of the panel became imperative because the draft NEEDS 2 has a Monitoring and Evaluation Framework which requires the participation of young people to ensure that youth issues are taken into consideration while measuring progress with the implementation of the document.

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During the last 7 days, I have been travelling accross Nigeria as part of the process to ensure that young people’s issues are integrated into the Second National Economic Empowerment and Development Strategy (NEEDS 2). NEEDS 2 will focus on poverty reduction, wealth creation, employment generation and value reorientation. The strategy will build on the achievements of NEEDS and will assist the new government’s work towards sustainable development.

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Bauchi May 8, 2007: Youth attending the National Planning Commission’s zonal consultation for the northwest geopolitical zone held in Kaduna has called on government to invest in youth friendly reproductive health services. The young people said that while the draft NEEDS 2 has highlighted the need to invest in strengthening Primary health care, there was a need to pay particular attention to reproductive health services that take into consideration critical issues like maternal health, reduction of harmful traditional practices, HIV/AIDS interventions and related services.

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