Provide more funds for youth emancipation, govt told

Afro-Arab Youth Council (AAYC) has appealed to the government to increase funding of the youth programmes. 

AAYC delegation made the appeal in different meetings with government officials in Kampala and Masaka over the weekend. 

The engagements were about the modalities of how government and Afro-Arab Youth Council can work together to advance youth productivity. 

Launched in March 2004, the Khartoum headquartered AAYC, is shaped towards fostering solidarity in approaching youth issues by Africa and Arab countries. 

In an engagement with the government Chief Whip, Ruth Nankabirwa, on behalf of the Prime Minister of Uganda Dr Ruhakana Rugunda at the Prime Minister's Office, AAYC delegation commended Uganda for prioritising youth transformation. 

The AAYC general secretary, Eng. El Hassan Huzyfa Elmutassim, called on President Yoweri Museveni to stick to his push for free border trade in Africa. 

"It is also upon the youth in Africa to ensure that Africa is one. To achieve this we must start advocating for Africa without borders," he said. 

"It should become the gospel of the youth since it is us who are involved in production, education and security. Therefore support President Museveni in advocating for Africa without borders," he added. 

To enhance cooperation, Elmutassim reported that they have opened a regional office in Kampala which will coordinate the activities of AAYC with nine regional governments.

The governments include Uganda, Kenya, South Sudan, Tanzania, Rwanda, Djibouti, Eritrea and Somalia. 

Huzyfa said the youth should emulate the 1950s youth who worked hard for Africa's independence and transformation. 

"The generation of the youthful Kwame Nkrumah, Julius Nyerere, Gama Abdel Nasser, Apollo Milton Obote and the next generation of President Yoweri Museveni, Col. Muammar Gaddafi worked hard to ensure that Africa gets independence and stability. As we talk now over 70% of Africa has relative peace and stability," he said. 

Nankabirwa revealed that government has not only implemented affirmative programmes to transform the lives of the youth, but also all other Government programmes are promoting the youth wellbeing. 

Nankabirwa told the delegation that since its launch in 2014, the Youth Livelihood Programme has disbursed a total of over sh160.2b to support 20,159 youth groups, benefiting about 241,779. 

Nankabirwa reminded them that Africa demands productive youth who will support development. 

"The youth should start looking at themselves as Pan-Africanists and back the unity of Africa to help it to be well off politically, economically and socially," she said. 

The coordinator of AAYC Uganda office, Ibrahim Kitata noted; "Our strategic plan as the Eastern African office is to play a pivotal role in promoting free international trade, attracting foreign investments and pushing for closer cooperation among the states." 

Kitata said this will be achieved through appreciation of the fact that one interdependent people in the Afro-Arab world will achieve sustainable stability of all the states. 

The state minister for micro-finance, Haruna Kasolo, tasked AAYC to support the government in the area of skills development for the youth. 

Kasolo called for continuous engagement between AAYC and government through the sharing of strategic information in order to impact positively on the lives of the youth in Uganda.