PRESS RELEASE FOR THE FIRST GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE COMMONWEALTH YOUTH COUNCIL

Introduction

Young people make up over half of the Commonwealth’s population, and the present and future success of the commonwealth rests with the continued commitments and contributions of young people in upholding and promoting the commonwealth and its values and principles, and advancing the youth development agenda for a relevant, vibrant, effective and prosperous Commonwealth. Consequently, article XIII of the Commonwealth Youth Charter called for establishment of an internationally recognised youth-led organization to mobilise, harmonise, recognise, legitimise, utilise, and prioritise the important role of young people in the Commonwealth. This lead to the recommendation by the Commonwealth Eminent Persons Group to establish Commonwealth Youth Council (CYC), and adopted by the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Perth, Australia in 2011, which is established to play an integral role in advancing the youth development agenda and the co-ordination of activities and policies of the Commonwealth in the field of youth. The council shall work for and represent the voice of all young people within the commonwealth.

At the Commonwealth Youth Leaders’ Conference in Chandigarh, India (December 2010), the commonwealth youth programme supported the then Commonwealth Regional Youth Caucus representatives (RYCs) to establish a youth led committee to draft the legal framework for the new Commonwealth Youth Council. The first general assembly was agreed to be held during the 2013 Commonwealth Youth Forum as an official parallel youth event of CHOGM. 

CYC General Assembly, Hambantota, Sri Lanka.

As usual the Commonwealth Youth Forum was organised as a CHOGM parallel youth event from 10-14 November, 2013, but this year’s edition was special due to the introduction of the CYC activities: CYC general assembly and CYC first general elections. The first general assembly of the CYC ratified and signed the constitution of the Commonwealth Youth Council; this took place on 11^th November, 2013. The CYC nominations into the executive positions were made through an open and transparent process a month before the general assembly. Final list of nominees were published on 14^th November, 2013. Rigorous and intellectual campaigns were made online through different social media. Delegates at the Commonwealth Youth Forum (cyf) formed the list of voters for the first CYC general elections, one vote per country. However, upon arrival at the venue of the CYF, campaign debates and speeches were organised for every position. The debate for Chairperson Position was made more rigorous with the introduction of special panel, who threw questions to the contestants before general questions from the assembly. There were 51 contestants vying for 9 positions, with four contestants vying for post of the Chairperson as follows:

Chairperson position:

1.      Ahmed Adamu, from Nigeria.

2.      Kesaobaka Pharatlhatlhe, from Botswana.

3.      Francesca Danmole, from UK.

4.      Ngen Yves Riyuh, Cameroon.

The election took place on the 12^th November, 2013 through online preferential voting system. The election results were revealed on the same day as follows:

Chairperson	Ahmed Adamu (Nigeria)
Vice Chairperson - Policy, Advocacy and Projects	Sudharshana Lakshmi (India)
Vice Chairperson - Partnerships and Resources	Sadham Zarjahan (Sri Lanka)
Vice Chairperson - Inclusion and Engagement	Mohamed Husni (Sri Lanka)
Regional Representative - Africa and Europe	Kiziah Philbert (Kenya)
Regional Representative - Asia	Tharika Dileepani (Sri Lanka)
Regional Representative - Caribbean and the Americas	Royden Beharry (Grenada)
Regional Representative - Pacific	Harry James (Solomon Islands)
Representative - Special Interest Groups	Wathsala Samarakoon (Sri Lanka)

This means that Ahmed Adamu from Nigeria will chair the new body, which will be the recognized voice of more than 1.2 billion young people of the Commonwealth and provide a framework for youth-led development initiatives. The Commonwealth Youth Council is also the largest, biggest and most diverse youth organization in the world. Leaders will serve a two-year term until the next Council General Assembly in Malta in 2015.

Adamu is from Kastina State, Nigeria and a graduate of Bayero University Kano, and he is doing his PhD in Economics, in Newcastle University, UK. He is the Founder and Pioneer President of Youth Participation for Progressive Development Initiative, member, Katsina State Executive Council Committee on youth restiveness and Unemployment, December, 2011 and Secretary, Constitutional review Committee, Katsina Central Constituency, 2012. He was also the pioneer Chief Whip of the Nigerian Youth Parliament, and represented Nigeria in the last CYF in Australia. He published book, and many international academic articles.

On 15^th November, 2013, the installation ceremony of the first CYC executives took place in a very big and colorful closing ceremony of the CYF, which was attended by more than 2000 audience including special guests and the president of the Sri Lanka. In his inaugural address, Ahmed Adamu acknowledged the daunting tasks that lie ahead, and call for inclusive and immediate support to the council, he also thank the people and government of Sri Lanka for their warm hospitality, he also presented the final communiqué of the CYF to the representative of the commonwealth Secretariat. The whole 9 days were full of cultural and social events.

The newly elected executives of the CYC met with all the presidents/heads of commonwealth countries in an interactive session. Ahmed Adamu, the new CYC chair, addressed the heads of governments by highlighting major issues of concerns raised by the youth during the concluded CYF, he also emphasized on the need to partner and support the CYC. In reactions, Presidents/heads of governments from Malawi, South Africa, Malta, Malaysia, St Lucia, Nigeria, Samoa etc responded positively and promise to support the council immediately, other heads of states who did speak at the interactive session were also in full support of the CYC. This was demonstrated by immediate donation of $100, 000.00 by the Prime Minister of Pakistan as a takeoff grant to the council. The whole CHOGM events ended 17^th November, 2013.

The commonwealth youth council, being the mother umbrella of all youth organization within commonwealth will now be expected to harmonize and establish its representatives in all commonwealth countries. It is also expected to established contacts and close relationship with all heads/presidents of the commonwealth countries, commonwealth secretariat and other commonwealth institutions, as well as other youth development partners all over the world. It is expected that the council will come up with line of actions and programs for the next one year.

SIGNED:

CHAIRMAN, COMMITTEE ON MEDIA, PUBLICITY AND PUBLIC RELATION