The National Youth Council and the Pan African Youth Union paid President Hage Geingob a courtesy visit to discuss issues troubling young people and map out a strategic framework to champion youth development in Africa.
The delegation was led by NYC chairperson Sharonice Busch, who informed Geingob that they want to concentrate on pertinent issues that young people are facing within the continent.
The youth delegation told the President that they want the African Union to decide on issues affecting Africans and distance themselves from political matters.
The secretary general of the Pan African Youth Union, Ahmed Wiisichong Bening who occupies the secretariat responsible for the coordination of national youth councils on the continent, appreciated the Namibian leaders for the support offered as well as Namibia’s continued efforts towards a cooperative Africa.
“As young people, we identify with Uganda because of the role the country has played in always leading the integration process. The PAN-African Youth Union is aimed at bringing together youth councils across Africa, this we do by harmonising the efforts across the board,” Bening said.
He emphasised that there is a need to create quality jobs for young people to mitigate high unemployment issues in the country.
“The youth unemployment challenge needs to be addressed in the context of rapid technological change, which will have a profound impact on jobs in a number of ways and regardless of whether the net employment impact will be positive or negative,” he explained in an interview with New Era.
Concurring with Bening in the meeting, Busch told the President more needed to be done to create quality jobs for the young people.
She said productive and decent employment for women and men is not only a global challenge but also a major policy concern.
“It is not just about the number of jobs keeping unemployment rates low that
matters, but also the quality of jobs available for young persons,” she emphasised.
She said owing to the high rate of youth unemployment in the country, the focus of the 16th National Youth Week is on exploring practical solutions to that challenge.
The President told the youth delegation to take practical driving actions to deal with issues that are affecting them.
However, he noted the issues of the African Union, saying he will mention it at the meeting which is expected to take place on Friday and chaired by South African president Cyril Ramaphosa.
Speaking at the same event was the president of the Pan African Youth Union Moumouni Dialla, who urged African leaders to push for access to economic projects for the youth, to benefit as more institutions are led by old people.
Geingob countered by saying there are also institutions led by young people that have failed the continent.