A new generation of young African leaders is stepping forward to shape the future of peace and security. This was the highlight of a five-day Youth in Leadership and Peacebuilding Course organized by the Women, Youth, Peace and Security Institute (WYPSI) of the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre (KAIPTC) in partnership with the National Youth Council of Kenya (NYC).
Held in Nairobi from 23rd to 27th June 2025, the training convened 35 youth representatives from Kenya and Uganda, equipping them with practical skills in leadership, mediation, conflict resolution, and policy advocacy.
At the official opening, Kenya’s Principal Secretary for Youth Affairs, Mr. Jacobs Fikirini, stressed that youth must be “at the centre of peacebuilding processes, not on the margins.” He linked the training to Kenya’s ongoing efforts to draft its first National Action Plan on Youth, Peace and Security, in line with UN Security Council Resolution 2250.
The training programme drew broad institutional backing, with representatives from the State Department for Internal Security and National Administration, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and the National Youth Council of Kenya actively engaging in the sessions.
Mad. Sylvia Horname Noagbesenu, Acting Director of WYPSI, speaking on behalf of the Acting Commandant of KAIPTC, emphasized the Centre’s commitment to fostering cross-border youth leadership networks.
“Africa’s peace and stability cannot be sustained without the active participation of its youth. This training builds bridges between countries and communities to strengthen resilience,” she said.
Funded by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA), the course marked a significant step in empowering African youth as co-creators of peace and agents of social transformation. It concluded with a certificate ceremony on June 27, celebrating not just the completion of training, but the strengthening of a regional movement for peace led by young people themselves.