The 48th Ordinary Session of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) Council of Ministers underway in the Sudanese Capital, Khartoum, has discussed the security situation of the region. The session will also dwell at length on the situation of peace and security across the Horn.
As one of its principal mandates, IGADs due attention to dealing with peace and security issues of the region is a vital step. It is high time the Horn of Africa region as well as the entire continent work relentlessly to ensure peace and security. Among the various measures, they have to take towards this end is to address the socio-economic problems the youth are facing. Creating job opportunities is likely one of the proper measures to divert the attention of the youth from engaging in conflict to development.
Africa’s population in general and that of Ethiopia in particular is highly characterized by being dominated by young people. This makes the continent endowed with adequate labor force to boost work and economic growth.
It can be recalled that recognizing the dire challenges and great opportunities that youth present in Africa, the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the African Union (AU) declared the period 2009 to 2018 as the “Decade on Youth Development in Africa” during the meeting held in January 2009, in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
However, what is happening in the continent and all developing countries is that the youth are increasingly resorting to mass exodus to the developed world in search of better living conditions. Those who could not make it to the developed countries have no other option than falling victim to those recruiters of terrorism and conflict.
Unemployment usually tends to lead the youth to conflict, armed insurgencies. Even though the direct correlation between unemployment and conflict is contested, one can easily understand that those youth who could not meet their needs for income generation have no other option than accepting any offer for survival including violent means.
It is also possible to judge from ordinary human behavior that the youth who have decent means of income and are making dignified living are not likely to join armed groups and gangs as good options.
In addition to the loss they incur on their country through the conflict, the country would also lose the rich labor force which would also have been an integral asset for development. Therefore, making more on youth development and empowerment is a lucrative investment and alleviates the double jeopardy. Ethiopia is also one of the most populous nations of the continent. Majority of the population, around 70 per cent is believed to be young and at working age.
As the country is also found in the turbulent Horn of Africa region it’s advisable to devise policies that open up job opportunities for this large number of youth. Accordingly, the government has been implementing various development projects that create jobs for the youth. The various ecotourism attraction sites like amusement parks, resorts, greening campaigns among others are likely to open up as many jobs as possible. Furthermore, the government has recently launched the Yelemat Tirufat initiative that focuses on harnessing the nutritional resources of the country to ensure food security.
These are but a few of the development endeavors that can cater for the economic development needs of the youth thereby encouraging them to be active participants in development rather than in conflict. Therefore, all concerned stakeholders can channel their support to such initiatives that respond to both developmental and security issues of the continent.
The Ethiopian Herald December 1/2022
