May 31, 2023 (Juba, South Sudan): The African Union Commission (Department of Political Affairs, Peace and Security) through the African Governance Architecture and African Peace and Security Architecture (AGA-APSA) Secretariat, launched a National of Trainers’ program on youth participation in political and electoral processes in Juba, Republic of South Sudan from 29 to 31 May 2023.
Recognizing the role of youth in the electoral cycle, a three-day training was organized to empower youth and encourage them to engage meaningfully in the electoral cycle of South Sudan. The Nile Youth Development Actions (NYDA) was represented by its Executive Director, Mr. John Youhanes, who appreciated the African Union for facilitating this timely capacity-building training as it will position youth as responsible actors in the electoral process in 2024.
Youhanes further stressed the urgent need to promote the inclusion of young people in all electoral processes including in the legal framework, pre-electoral phase, electoral phase, and post-electoral phase, which are critical for democratic development in the county.
The training was organized in collaboration with the Ministry of Youth and Sports (MOYS) of the Republic of South Sudan, as well as the National Elections Commission (NEC). The training is based on a comprehensive Training of Trainers’ Manual, developed under the auspices of the AGA-APSA Youth Engagement Strategy, to support the creation of national, regional, and continental training programs that focus on enhancing meaningful youth engagement in the electoral processes.
The program is key in defining an inclusive and credible electoral process and leveraging youth participation as guided by the African Charter on Democracy Elections and Governance (ACDEG), which obliges State Parties to ensure the effective participation of citizens in the democratic and development processes for a united, peaceful and prosperous Africa.
