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Sent to CPNN by Jerry Bibang, coordinator of PAYNCoP Gabon (translation by CPNN)
The National Coordination of the Pan-African Youth Network for the Culture of Peace (PAYNCoP Gabon) recently met with a UN delegation, sent by the UN Secretary-General, as part of the strategic review of the UN Regional Office for Peace in Central Africa (UNOCA).
The multidisciplinary team, led by the former Special Representative of the SG of the United Nations, Ahmedou Ould-Abdallah, came to assess the work done by UNOCA in the sub-region. Among several civil society organizations invited to take part in the assessment, the National Coordinator of the Panafrican Youth Network for Peace Culture took advantage of the opportunity to advocate for youth involvement in peace and security issues.
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For Jerry Bibang, youth is the largest and most important social category in the subregion and in the world. Young people are therefore the main artisans and the victims of conflicts and wars. It is therefore necessary to involve these young people, at all levels of process in issues of peace and security, particularly in prevention, mediation, post-conflict activities, etc.
According to the National Coordinator of PAYNCoP Gabon, it is simply a question of implementing Resolution 2250 (youth, peace and security) in accordance with the recommendations of the UN Security Council. Also, the first person in charge of PAYNCoP Gabon invited the UN team to support activities and projects related to the prevention and promotion of the culture of peace. Despite our commitment, our goodwill and our ideas, if we are not supported, our action will remain limited, he said.
The problem of legal recognition of civil society organizations was also highlighted. All the organizations present, in particular, the women’s press network for peace, the Gabon Group Resolution 1325 platform, the Center for Democracy and Human Rights (CDDH-Gabon), the NGO Brainforest and PAYNCoP Gabon unanimously acknowledged that the difficulty of obtaining legal recognition is an obstacle to the mobilization of funds for associations and NGOs. Hence they requested advocacy with the government to make efforts on this issue.