The Minister of Youth and Civic Education (Minjec) wants the communes and regions to take ownership of the Youth Connekt initiative. "This year's work plan aims to decentralize this initiative, so that the regions, the communes can take ownership and that there is a strong territorial anchoring to benefit the maximum number of young people,” minister Mouna Foutsou said during the annual session of the steering committee held on April 27 in Yaoundé.

The Youth Connekt is a concept co-sponsored by the UN and the government of Cameroon. Implemented by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), the initiative aims to connect youth to various socio-economic and political opportunities, maximize their empowerment and facilitate their full participation in development.

Based on six axes, the initiative is aimed at building the capacity of youth and connecting them with leaders in the public and private sectors and civil society through partnerships that will lead to employment and entrepreneurial opportunities (financing, coaching, etc.).

CFA800 million for 2022

According to the minister, the decentralized local authorities can capitalize on their opportunities for young people through the Youth Conneckt. "That is why we need more public-private partners, decentralized territorial authorities to offer more opportunities to these young people. To strengthen and especially to involve them in the promotion of peace and living together," he said at the meeting to review and adopt the 2022 action plan. The steering committee adopted a budget of CFA800 million for the current year.

Implemented in Cameroon in 2021, the Youth Conneckt has enabled the professional integration of more than 3,000 young people, according to figures from Alassane Ba, the UNDP resident representative in Cameroon.

L.A.