Venue: Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

WHAT: Virtual Launch of Youth Silencing the Guns Campaign

THEME: Advancing Youth Roles and Capacities to Silence the Guns in Africa

WHEN: Friday, 24^th July, 2020

TIME: 15:00h – 16:30h East African Time (EAT)

WHERE: Register in advance for this webinar:

https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_ry-d0US2TZOXq7B8-VvYAQ

WHO: The Africa Union through the The Peace and Security Department and The AU Office of Youth Envoy (OYE) in collaboration with the Human Resource Science and Technology Department and the Department of Political Affairs.

High-level Panels

Moderator by Dr. Admore Kambudzi, Director, Peace and Security Department

Keynote Address by H.E. Ambassador Smail Chergui, Commissioner, Peace and Security, AUC

Statements by

• H.E. Prof Sarah Agbor – Commissioner, Human Resources, Science and Technology, AUC
• General Francis Behanzin – Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security, ECOWAS Commission
• Chair of the AU Permanent Representative Committee – South Africa’s Ambassador to Ethiopia and African Union
• Chair of the Peace and Security Council – Burundi’s Ambassador to Ethiopia and African Union
• Ms. Hanna Tetteh – Special Representative of the Secretary General and Head of UN Office to the AU
• Ms. Aya Chebbi – African Union Chairperson’s Special Envoy on Youth
• Ms. Emma Ng’ang’a – African Youth Ambassador for Peace, East Africa

The main aim of the youth silencing the guns campaign is to provide a platform to mobilize the development and support of key actions that can be undertaken by youth to fast track the implementation of the STG Agenda in Africa. Specifically, the objectives are to:

• Identify the roles and key activities that the youth can play to advance the Silencing the Guns agenda;
• Foster intergenerational co-leadership on silencing the guns and promotion of governance, peace, security and development;
• Identify the challenges and gaps that hinder the effective participation and contributions of the youth to silencing the guns;
• Provide policy and action-oriented recommendations to address the identified challenges and barriers to youth’s participation, as well as maximise opportunities and enhance their contributions.

EXPECTED OUTCOME

Declaration on key actions to be undertaken by youth, which will feed into the deliberations of the Extraordinary Session of Heads of State and Government on the theme of the year;

• Recommendations to policy makers to advance the participation and contributions of youth in Silencing the Guns;
• Support for youth-led projects and activities that contributes to advancing the silencing the guns agenda.

For further information contact

Lulit Kebede / Peace and Security Department /Communication Officer/African Union Commission Tel.: 251911211183 /Email: lulitk@africa‐union.org

Ms. Raghda Elshaloudy| Communication assistant| Office of the Youth Envoy| African Union Commission | E-mail: ElshaloudyR@africa-union.org

Media Contact: Ms. Faith Adhiambo | Communications Officer-Agenda 2063 | African Union Commission | E-mail: OchiengJ@africa-union.org|