Nigerian youth have endorsed the establishment of the Non-Aligned Movement Youth Network, NAMYN, to provide a platform for youth development in the country.
The endorsement was unanimously carried out at the First Youth Consultative Forum on the Non-Aligned Movement Youth Network in Nigeria held at the Ministry of Youth and Sports Development headquarters in Abuja on Wednesday.
NAMYN is the youth wing of the Non-Aligned Movement, a forum of 120 countries that are not formally aligned with or against any power bloc, of which Nigeria is a signatory.
Speaking at the event, the Country Representative of Sustainable Development Goals, SDGs, Youth Nigeria Office, Mr. Uzor Ifeanyi, said the meeting was convened to brainstorm on the establishment of the youth network in Nigeria.
Ifeanyi, who stressed the importance of youth development in the country, said his interest in the youth network was informed by the drive for the development of Nigerian youth.
The meeting also nominate an 11-man committee for the drafting of a framework and other documentations to formalise the establishment of the NAM youth network in the country.
National Coordinator of NAMYN in Nigeria, Mrs. Chioma Tamuno, who delivered a concept note on the establishment of the network, said the NAM Youth Network with a solid structure and clear, result-oriented vision will enable the NAM youth community to address youth development-related challenges more effectively.
Tamuno added that the youth network will also convey the unified messages of NAM youth to the international community in a more systematic way.
According to her, the purpose of establishing NAMYN is to create an opportunity for the youth of the Member States of the Non-Aligned Movement, NAM, to actively engage in governance and in problem-solving of global challenges, as well as promote the basic values of the NAM and the important mission that NAM is carrying out in light of the growing challenges to peace and security.
“Only recently, at the NAM event held in Baku, Azerbaijann from July 25-29 the chairman reiterated the need to establish NAM chapters in the Non-Aligned Movement States on that premise, this event is been convened today in a bid to establish the Nigerian chapter of the Non -Aligned Youth Network.
“The movement is undoubtedly a catalyst for establishing world peace and stability, We, therefore, must take advantage of our special place amongst the comity of nations to make the world a better place,” she said.
While commenting on the role of the youth, she said “The world today is home to the largest generation of young people in history – 1.8 billion. Close to 90 percent of them live in developing countries, where the Member States of the Non-Aligned Movement constitute an absolute majority.
“Connected to each other like never before, young people contribute to the resilience of their communities by proposing innovative solutions and driving social progress.
“At the same time, they continue to face
multifaceted challenges, including, among others, access to quality education, healthcare, and decent work, forced displacement, different forms of discrimination and marginalisation, all of which impede them to achieve their full potential. The way how young people navigate their way and overcome these challenges is critical for the progress of mankind.
“Youth development and youth engagement are essential elements of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, as well. Youth-related targets are under several SDGs and are interrelated.
