Today, we officially kicked off a two-day capacity building training for Ministerial Focal Persons on Youth, Peace and Security (YPS), bringing together 40 participants from various government ministries. The training aims to strengthen institutional coordination and enhance the effective implementation of The Gambia’s Youth, Peace and Security agenda across government structures.
The opening ceremony was chaired by the Executive Director of the National Youth Council, Mr. Alagie Jarju, who welcomed participants and underscored the critical role of ministries in translating the YPS framework into tangible actions that positively impact young people nationwide.
The event was graced by the UNDP Resident Representative, Ms. Mandisa Mashologu, who delivered the keynote statement. In her address, she reaffirmed UNDP’s strong commitment to supporting The Gambia’s peacebuilding and youth empowerment efforts. She emphasized that young people are not only beneficiaries but also key actors in sustaining peace, preventing conflict, and strengthening social cohesion. Ms. Mandisa Mashologu highlighted the importance of equipping ministerial focal persons with the knowledge and skills to mainstream Youth, Peace and Security into sectoral policies, planning, and implementation. She further noted that investing in youth participation and inclusive governance is essential for long-term peace and national development.
Delivering the opening remarks on behalf of the Honorable Minister of Youth and Sports, Mr. Abass Bah stressed the Government’s continued dedication to the Youth, Peace and Security agenda. He highlighted that The Gambia has made significant strides, including the establishment of a Technical Working Group that coordinated the development of the country’s first-ever National Action Plan on Youth, Peace and Security (NAP-YPS). He also acknowledged the series of capacity-building initiatives for the Technical Working Group and the nationwide popularization of the NAP-YPS, noting that this training is a crucial step toward deepening ownership and coordination at the ministerial level. He called on participants to actively engage and champion YPS principles within their respective institutions.
The training seeks to:
✔️ Strengthen understanding of the Youth, Peace and Security framework
✔️ Enhance coordination among ministries on YPS implementation
✔️ Support the mainstreaming of YPS into national and sectoral policies
✔️ Build the capacity of focal persons to effectively contribute to peacebuilding and youth inclusion
This important initiative is being implemented with support from the Infrastructure for Peace Project, funded by the Peacebuilding Fund through UNDP.
Together, we continue to invest in young people as agents of peace, stability, and sustainable development in The Gambia.
