By Philip Buda Ladu
National Youth Union has urged the transitional government of national unity to include representatives of the youth in the stalled Tumaini Peace Talks in Nairobi, Kenya.
The union’s chairperson, Taban Paride Lokasmoi, believes that the youth, who are often at the forefront of the country’s conflicts, can play a crucial role in achieving lasting peace.
Tumaini Initiative, launched in May 2024, aims to bring onboard the holdout groups who are not signatories to the 2018 revitalized peace agreement to address the root causes of the ongoing conflict in South Sudan.
While the talks have made progress in certain areas, but some contentious issues made the SPLM-IO representatives pull out of the unity gov’t delegation to the talks. Additionally, the inclusion of youth representatives has also popped up as a point of contention.
Lokasmoi argued that the youth’s involvement in the peace talks is essential because they are often used as pawns in the country’s conflicts.
By giving them a voice at the negotiation table, the government can tap into their unique perspectives and experiences to develop more effective peace-building strategies the youth leader lamented.
Following a meeting with the Minister of Information, Michael Makuei Lueth, on Tuesday, Lokasmoi expressed his concerns about the lack of youth representation in the Tumaini talks.
He emphasized the importance of involving the youth in the peace process to ensure that their needs and aspirations are addressed.
In addition to calling for youth inclusion in the peace talks, Mr. Lokasmoi also urged the government to prioritize the legislation of cybercrime and data protection bills.
He argued that these laws would help to regulate the telecommunications sector and create new opportunities for youth employment adding that by addressing the issue of youth unemployment, the government can help to reduce the factors that contribute to conflict.