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B. Rafini: Address to Peace Summit 2023, Opening Plenary
Written by H.E. Brigi Rafini, prime minister, Niger (2011-2021); executive secretary, CEN-SAD
Wednesday, May 3, 2023
Address to Peace Summit 2023
May 2-5, 2023
Excellency Dr. Hak Ja Han Moon, Mother of Peace and co-founder of the Universal Peace Federation; Excellencies ladies and gentlemen heads of state and government in office and former and speakers of parliaments; first ladies; Excellency Dr. Yun Yong-ho, director general of UPF International; Hon. Dr. Thomas Walsh, chairman of UPF International; distinguished ministers, parliamentarians, religious and private sector leaders, leaders of women and youth organizations; honorable guests; ladies and gentlemen,
I am delighted to take part in this important global event of the Peace Summit 2023 and extend my congratulations and sincere thanks to Dr. Hak Ja Han Moon, Mother of Peace and co-founder of the Universal Peace Federation (UPF), and director general of UPF, Dr. Yun Young-ho, for their invitation and the warm welcome to my delegation and me. The theme of this summit, "Contemporary Challenges to Global Order: Toward a World Culture of Peace" is particularly well chosen at a time when many conflicts are shaking the world and endangering social cohesion, stability and peace.
It is in this context of great challenges and [with the aim] to contribute to the consolidation of peace; fight against poverty; and tackle security, food and health challenges, the Community of Sahel-Saharan States (CEN-SAD) has developed the Regional Youth Program in close cooperation with governmental and non-governmental actors from its 25 member countries.
This program mobilizes youth for the improvement of the living conditions of populations at three levels, namely, the social, economic and environmental, in harmony with and centered on the principles of interdependence, mutual Prosperity and universal values advocated by UPF and its associations.
The 25 CEN-SAD countries, like the rest of Africa, are characterized by strong demographic growth, with a high proportion of young people. In fact, more than 70 percent of the population is under 30 years old and no less than 10 million young Africans enter the labor market each year. These youth constitute the fringe of the most active and enterprising population. Unfortunately, they are also the most affected by the crises shaking the region and this has become a breeding ground for extremist armed groups.
Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen,
This initiative, which is inspired by the Korean model of development, [emerged] from the participation of the Executive Secretariat of CEN-SAD in the International Conference on Youth Leadership, organized by UPF, which took place in August 2022 in Seoul. It is also aligned with the vision of the African Union's Agenda 2063, which is centered on the construction of a peaceful, integrated and prosperous continent.
The CEN-SAD Regional Youth Program is based on the triple pillars of citizenship education, green entrepreneurship and sustainable land management. These pillars will be interconnected and interdependent throughout the implementation of the program.
Citizenship education, also called Education for Good Character and Peace, constitutes the substratum, the base of this important initiative. It aims to build in young people wisdom and responsibility and an awareness of national and global peace and development issues. It will help young people develop a sense of virtues and universal values that will be useful to themselves and to society. Particular emphasis will be placed on educating families and promoting values linked to the family, the basic cell and foundation of society.
Green entrepreneurship and sustainable land management will create decent job opportunities for young people, lead to improved incomes and living conditions, while contributing significantly to the restoration of broken ecological balances and the effective fight against climate change.
It should be noted that this program is a long-term one that will be carried out over a period of 20 years, renewable for a minimum cost of 137.035 million United States dollars after its first five-year phase, and cover the 25 CEN-SAD countries.
It is thus a long-term intergenerational commitment, within countries and between countries. This commitment derives from the understanding that the only way to ensure that our future will be better than our present, by deliberate choice and not by chance, is to imagine it, plan it and build it. It is also an expression of our conviction that the fight for peace and development is a continuous long-term struggle and that nothing is definitively won.
After the technical validation of the program by experts from CEN-SAD member countries last January, the ministers in charge of youth gave their unreserved support to the implementation of the program. A summit of heads of state is expected to officially adopt, launch and effectively implement this important initiative.
With this program, CEN-SAD aims to work with governments and all categories of actors as well as various partners to bring appreciable added value to the peace and development efforts of countries by promoting the talents, vitality and capacities of youth.
In this context, CEN-SAD has developed an active and fruitful cooperation with UPF, which has provided invaluable technical and financial support to the formulation of the feasibility study. This is an opportunity for me to reiterate my sincere thanks to Dr. Yun who has been at our side and who has supported us throughout the preparatory phase of the program, by way of various initiatives towards ministers of youth and the signing of MoUs with the Sun Hak and Magnolia Education Foundations as well as Korea's Sun Moon University. To all, I extend my sincere thanks.
We strongly wish to involve all the partners that were visited and met in August 2022 in Korea, including the National Assembly, government of Korea and various partner foundations and institutions, in order to work actively towards a future of economic stability, mutual prosperity, peace and sustainable human development for Africa in general and the Sahel-Saharan region in particular.
Cooperation with the International Association of Youth and Students for Peace (IAYSP) will continue to deepen. A link will be established with the CEN-SAD Youth Coordination.
Distinguished world leaders, Dr. Hak Ja Han Moon,
As the executive secretary of CEN-SAD I fully support the proposal to convene an Africa Summit later this year in Africa. It has already been announced during UPF’s Mozambique International Leadership Conference convened earlier this year.
CEN-SAD fully supports the hosting of that summit as well as the continental youth of hope project.
I would like to end by expressing my deepest feelings of gratitude to Dr. Moon; Dr. Yun; UPF-Africa chairwoman, Catherine Rigney; and to all the partners, including the Interstate Committee for the Fight Against Drought in the Sahel (CILSS) which is accompanying us in the materialization of the regional youth program of CEN- SAD.
Peace is not just the absence of war; it also proceeds from the achievement of economic security; social security and justice; environmental, health and food security. It is the manifestation of humanity's aspiration to common life and shared well-being.
I know that with the governmental and non-governmental actors of the member countries of CEN-SAD; UPF; IAYSP; the partners at the national, regional and international levels; as well as all the goodwill that we invite to join us, including the eminent and distinguished participants of the 2023 Peace Summit, we will succeed, through the implementation of the Regional Youth Program, in making a significant contribution to an Africa of peace, to a world of fruitful interdependence, in active solidarity and love for one another.
Thank you.
To go to the Peace Summit 2023 Schedule page, click here.