Delegates at the just-concluded National Youth Conference and Festival, NAYCONF 2010, have called on the governments of the Gambia and Senegal to engage in a dialogue to solve any problems between them. This call was contained in NAYCONF 2010 conference resolutions.
Delegates “call on the government of the Gambia and Senegal to ensure dialogue in the promotion and maintenance of peaceful co-existence between the two countries”, one of the resolutions stated.
Representing young people from across the country and beyond, the NAYCONF conference delegates expressed their dissatisfaction with the current state of relations between Banjul and Dakar.
They said that considering the historical, cultural and family ties that exist between the two sister republics, nothing should undermine our peaceful good neighbourliness.
In the resolutions adopted, the delegates also urged the government and local authorities to provide material and financial resources (funding, farm implements, land tractors etc) for the active participation of young people in agriculture and related fields, in all regions of the Gambia.
Participants of the 9th edition of NAYCONF also called for the creation of special schemes to encourage young people to be effectively engaged in fishing.
They also called for the review of the National Youth Council Act, and to popularise the Gambia National Youth Policy 2009-2018.
Young people also committed themselves to ensure the total abandonment of the production, usage and trafficking of illegal drugs.
They also reaffirmed their commitment to participate in meaningful development activities at all levels of national development.
The Gambia’s young people are also calling on their government to nominate a youth representative in parliament who will champion their cause.
Among the NAYCONF 2010 resolutions was a call for the promotion and enhancing of equal opportunities for the physically challenged youths, and to ensure their easy access to facilities and other amenities.
Delegates in their resolutions urged the government and development partners to create a special grant or loans scheme for young people and youth organizations to enable them engage in self employment initiatives.
Please see our Youth Forum this Thursday for the full text of the NAYCONF 2010 Resolutions.
