African Governments hypocrisy blasted

Zimupdates (13/04/10)

Sixteen countries out the forty six African Union countries managed to send in youth representatives to attend a precursor conference organized by Zimbabwean Pan-African Youth chapter to express their concerns and ideas ahead of the AU minister’s conference which started in Victoria Falls yesterday.

Those who failed to attend cited financial constraints as the major obstacle. Ironical at the beginning of the conference over 50% of youth ministers had arrived and more were expected to arrive for the conference which ends in the resort town on Friday.

“I find it cynical that the African governments fail to send in youths to attend such conferences and afford them opportunities to convey their ideas and aspirations to the main forum and yet they have ensured over 80% participation for the ministers,” said Tendai Wenyika, deputy secretary general of the Zimbabwe Youth chapter.

Whilst so much money has been raised through different donor agents the majority of these have been directed towards conferences and workshops and little has been done toward alleviating the plight of the African child.

The commitment of African governments towards the African Child came under the spotlight as the meeting also noted that only nineteen member states, Zimbabwe included had ratified the African Youth Charter which was adopted in August 2009.

Again , to date twenty-seven countries are yet to ratify the charter but still find financial resources to attend these conference and fail to send their youths for youths conferences to deliberate on issues that directly affect their livelihood.

Speaking on the sidelines of the conference, one youth representative Dumoluhle Ngcobo from South Africa commented that they were fears that these conferences will remain talk shops without achieving anything for the youths.

“Its sad when only 16 countries which translates to only 34% are afforded the opportunity to attend and when 41% of the member states ratify a charter and yet they make 100% attendances here and still fail to implement what was deliberated here so what is the purpose of these conferences?” a visibly irritated Ngcobo commented.

In passing their resolutions the youths called for the establishment of an African Youth fund which will provide financial support to the National Youth councils through the Pan African Youth Union so that they are in a position to run their activities without depending on their governments.