The Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre (KAIPTC) officially opened a Learning, Design, and Leadership (LDD) workshop, aimed at strengthening leadership and peacebuilding skills among African youth.
The three-day workshop, brings together experts and professionals from various distinguished organizations to initiate discussions on developing a course that will enhance the leadership capabilities of young men and women in Africa. This initiative seeks to empower them to take on more significant roles in decision-making at all levels of society, from the grassroots to the national stage.
Deputy Director of the Women, Youth, Peace, and Security Institute at KAIPTC, Joana Osei Tutu, emphasized that the workshop’s deliberations would lead to the creation of a training manual designed to build the skills of African youth.
“Your contributions today and over the coming days will ensure that this training course becomes a powerful tool for empowering Africa’s future leaders,” she stated.
According to Mrs. Osei Tutu, KAIPTC engaged with five African countries over the past year to identify challenges facing the youth and address the gap created by their underrepresentation in peace and security initiatives.
“We realized the need to strengthen the leadership skills of young African leaders to better equip them for their roles. This training will provide them with the necessary skills to engage more effectively within the peace and security ecosystem,” she added.
Edmund Akoto-Bamfoe, Youth Senior Programme Officer at KAIPTC, underscored the importance of youth participation in security and peacebuilding. He highlighted that the workshop is expected to produce a comprehensive and robust training manual to serve as a blueprint for nurturing a new generation of effective African leaders.
“Gone are the days when young people sat at decision-making tables without meaningful contributions. The goal is to build their capacity to engage meaningfully,” he noted.
Representing the UNFCCC, Fatuma Mohamed expressed enthusiasm about the workshop’s discussions. She envisioned a future where young African leaders apply practical knowledge to drive impactful decisions that benefit not only the region’s youthful population but the entire continent.
The LDD workshop, running from Wednesday, January 29, 2025, to Friday, January 31, 2025, is part of KAIPTC’s Youth, Peace, and Security Programme (YPS), which aims to enhance the leadership capabilities of young African men and women to take on pivotal roles in maintaining peace and security across the continent.
With support from the Government of Sweden through the Swedish International Development Agency (SIDA), KAIPTC has embarked on this initiative to develop a comprehensive training manual, leveraging the expertise and knowledge of Subject Matter Experts (SMEs).
