Zambia grateful to Commonwealth

Zambia grateful to Commonwealth

Lusaka, February 26, ZANIS—Minister of Youth and Sport Chishimba Kambwili has said government s cherishes the support it has received from the Commonwealth Youth Programme (CYP) in the last 40 years.

Mr. Kambwili said the commonwealth youth pogramme has helped Zambia build capacity in handling the current complex socio-economic problems facing young people.

He said Zambia will continue to priorities the involvement of youths in the country’s socio-economic development, planning and implementation.

The minister was speaking in Lusaka today when he officially opened the Commonwealth African regional senior officials’ meeting of the Commonwealth Youth Programme.

The commonwealth regional meeting has drawn participants from 14 African member countries that would deliberate on the new operating model of the Commonwealth Youth Programme.

Recently, the Commonwealth Youth Programme announced the new model of its operations which will entail the closure of operations at its four regional centers in Asia, Caribbean, Pacific and the African office in Lusaka next month.

Mr. Kambwili has however expressed hope that once implemented, the new model will enhance national and regional programme ownership and strengthen coordination of youth programmes.

He pledged government’s commitment to the new model by ensuring that it fits into the institutional arrangement that provides for national and regional relevancy of the Africa centre.

“It would be illogical to move in the opposite direction at a time that all the nations of the world are heavily pooling resources together to address youth unemployment, among other problems confronting the youths,” he said.

Meanwhile, CYP Director of Youth Affairs Kathrine Ellis said the new model of operations is expected only to have one representative in each region who will manage relationships with governments.

Ms. Ellis said the new model is also one measure of freeing up resources that will be invested into youth programming at regional and country level.

She explained that under the new model, the CYP will continue to provide technical support, capacity development for national youth councils in the commonwealth countries.