United Nations Youth Envoy to Meet Young People and Champion Investments in Youth Development in Five-Country Visit to Africa

UNITED NATIONS, New York - The United Nations Youth Envoy, Ms. Jayathma Wickramanayake, will undertake an Official Visit across five (5) countries in Africa from 2 – 15 February 2018.

The objective of the visit is to meet young people on the ground, learn about the work they are doing and issues they are facing, provide a platform for youth voices to be heard at the country level and at the United Nations, and galvanise momentum to deliver on commitments to empower and enable young people to achieve their full potential.

Ms. Jayathma Wickramanayake will also meet Government officials, civil society leaders, UN agency representatives and other key partners to discuss the unique challenges and opportunities faced by young people in Africa and participate in a youth-focused events. The Envoy will raise awareness on the importance of investing in youth development in order to advance a more sustainable and peaceful future.

The tentative itinerary and some key engagements for the UN Youth Envoy’s mission as follows:

In the Republic Senegal, 2 – 4 February, the Envoy will address the Global Partnership for Education’s Financing Conference to be hosted by His Excellency President Macky Sall of Senegal and His Excellency President Emmanuel Macron of France. As in the other countries on this trip, she will furthermore have the opportunity to undertake several site visits to learn more about youth programming in the country.

In the Gambia, 5 – 6 February, the Envoy will attend and provide opening remarks at the International Forum held on the Commemoration of the International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation (FGM). Also, she will be addressing the National Assembly of The Gambia on the theme of “Harnessing the Demographic Dividend through Investments in Youth”

In the Republic of Ghana, 7 – 8 February, the Envoy will participate in the launch of the Canadian funded UN Joint Programme on Empowering Adolescent Girls.

In the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 8 – 11 February, the Envoy’s visit will amongst others include high level engagements with Government officials, site visits and meetings with young leaders and innovators.

In the Republic of South Africa, 11 – 15 February, the Envoy will participate in the 8th African Conference on Sexual and Reproductive Health in Johannesburg, where she will provide opening remarks as well as engage in its Youth Pre-Conference.

More information on additional engagements and activities in the countries will be made available progressively as respective dates draw closer. The UN Youth Envoy’s visit is supported by UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund.

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