Engage young people to foster sustained diplomacy

It has always been said that the future of any nation depends on its young people, who will naturally become the future leaders.

In the same vein, it is also important to involve young people in decisions that we take, which will no doubt have a direct bearing in their lives in future.

It has often been said that in diplomacy there is no permanent friend, but permanent interest.

However, engaging and involving young people by designing special programs and activities for our youth and the young people of our diplomatic allies is essential, and could be a catalyst for a sustained relationship.

Programs such as the annual Taiwan Youth ambassador’s cultural exchange to The Gambia and the just-concluded Gambia –Taiwan youth seminar on the relationship between the two countries are some of the events that need to be sustained.

While the youth ambassadors programme will promote cultural ties and an exchange of ideas and skills between the students of our two countries, the youth seminar held in Banjul recent would help young people in the country know more about what really binds the two countries.

We therefore commended the Taiwanese ministry of Foreign affairs for inititiating the youth ambassadors programme, while encouraging them to also consider inviting Gambian students in future for the return leg.

Similarly, we wish to applaud the Youth in Development Organisation (YIDO) organisation for the first youth forum on Gambia-Taiwan ties.

Such forums will help young people have first-hand information about the political, economic and cultural ties between the two countries.

We encourage the youth group to also consider organizing similar events focusing on various countries that have close relations with The Gambia.

Such forums will help young people know the basis of such relations, and what they stand to gain from such relations, including the country as a whole.