CYP RCA Hosts Commonwealth High Commissioners

CYP RCA HOLDS BRIEFING MEETING FOR COMMONWEALTH HIGH COMMISSIONERS ACCREDITED TO ZAMBIA.

CYP just concluded its three year strategic plan (2003 - 2006). The culmination was the CYMM Meeting held in Bahamas this year. This meeting reviewed the work done and gave birth to a two year strategic plan (2006 - 2008).

CYP RCA being located in Lusaka, Zambia enjoys good relations with the High Commissions accredited here. In light of this relationship, CYP has been in constant touch with these offices. This has involved among others: visits by CYP RCA staff to all the High Commissions accredited to Zambia; dissemination of briefs on CYP RCA activities and invitation of the High Commissioners to CYP RCA organised activities such as the Commonwealth Day celebrations. All these are aimed at creating a culture of free flow of information.

It is in this spirit that on 9 August 2006, CYP RCA organised a Commonwealth High Commissioners' breakfast briefing in Lusaka whose purpose was twofold, that is to provide highlights of:
·          2003 -  2006 strategic plan review report, and
·          2006 - 2008 strategic plan

As such the meeting provided a platform for the High Commissioners to be familiar with the work of CYP. 

Mrs. Valencia Mogegeh, Regional Director CYP RCA provided the brief. She indicated that the 2003 - 2006 CYP work programme was executed in line with four strategic progammes areas approved by the previous CYMM held in Botswana, May 2003 which are:

·         Youth Enterprise Development (YED)
·         Youth Network and Governance (YNG)

·         Youth Participation (YP)
·         Youth Work Education and Training (YWET)
The strategic planas approved at this year's CYMM is comprised of three programmes as follows:
·         Youth Enterprise and Sustainable Livelihoods (YESL)
·         Governance, Development and Youth Networks (GDYN)
·         Youth Work Education and Training (YWET)
In the ensuing discussion, the following issues were raised by the High Commissioners:
·         CYP should have closer collaboration with other regional bodies such as SADC/COMESA/NEPAD/AU in order to maximize on resources and ensure greater impact.
·         CYP should create synergy with strategic partners working with young people.
·         CYP's support to young people should also include national definitions of young people.
·         It was observed that the impact of CYP programmes and activities was minimal in comparison to youth empowerment needs across the commonwealth member countries which constitute about one third of the world's population.
·         It was noted that CYP's operational period should be long enough to ensure sustained impact.

·         Interest was expressed in country level institutions that were involved with CYP programme delivery.  Partner institutions offering the Commonwealth Diploma in Youth Work Education and training were made available to the High Commissioners, as part of their programme information package.
By and large CYP's work was appreciated with recommendations to step up the efforts in response to the many young people in the region at the helm of ills like unemployment and HIV and AIDS. In helping the High Commissioners understand how other sectors beyond the area of youth input into the rest of the bigger picture, the Regional Director explained that although CYP's focus was on youth, there were other wings under the Commonwealth Secretariat that focused on other social challenges.
In a nutshell the High Commissioners felt the session helped them to appreciate CYP's work.

The following participated in the briefing:
·         BotswanaHigh Commission          
·         British High Commission                        
·         Canadian High Commission          
·         KenyaHigh Commission               
·         Indian High Commission               
·         MalawiHigh Commission              
·         NamibiaHigh Commission            
·         NigeriaHigh Commission              
·         Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Republic of Zambia.