By Foday Moriba Conteh
The Ministry of Youth Affairs, in collaboration with international development partners, on Thursday, August 21, 2025, convened the inaugural meeting of the National Steering Committee and the National Technical Working Group on Youth, Peace and Security at the Sierra Palms Hotel in Freetown. The milestone event was co-funded by the European Union and supported by ECOWAS, UNDP and other international partners committed to strengthening Sierra Leone’s peacebuilding and youth empowerment agenda.
The meeting brought together an impressive mix of Government leaders, Civil Society Organizations, international development agencies and youth representatives, reflecting the shared recognition that young people must be at the center of the country’s peace and security frameworks. Among the dignitaries present were the Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs, the Minister of Gender and Children’s Affairs, the Minister of Employment, Labour and Social Security, as well as senior Government officials and stakeholders from across the development spectrum.
Delivering the keynote address, the Minister of Youth Affairs, Ibrahim Sannoh, emphasized the urgency of ensuring that young people are meaningfully included in decision-making processes that directly affect their lives and the stability of the nation.
“This inaugural meeting marks a turning point in our national commitment to youth, peace and security,” the Minister declared. “Young people are not just beneficiaries of peace, they are drivers of peace. The Government of Sierra Leone, under the leadership of His Excellency the President, remains resolute in ensuring that our youths are meaningfully engaged in decision-making processes that affect their future. Through this Steering Committee and Technical Working Group, we are building the institutional frameworks necessary to transform young people into central actors of national stability, reconciliation and development.”
The Minister also outlined the Ministry’s ongoing efforts to implement youth-centered policies that address unemployment, skills development and youth exclusion, which are often cited as drivers of insecurity. He reassured stakeholders that the Steering Committee would serve as a mechanism to bridge Government action with grassroots youth participation.
The United Nations Resident Coordinator, in her statement, reaffirmed the UN’s support to Sierra Leone in advancing the global Youth, Peace and Security agenda. She underscored that the country’s growing youth population represents both an opportunity and a challenge, noting that harnessing their energy constructively would be key to consolidating peace and achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The event also highlighted Sierra Leone’s alignment with global, regional and continental frameworks on youth, peace and security. In 2015, the UN Security Council adopted Resolution 2250, which recognizes the positive role young people play in sustaining peace. That was followed by Resolutions 2419 (2018) and 2535 (2020), which reinforced the global call for greater youth participation in peacebuilding processes. Similarly, the African Union’s Continental Framework on Youth, Peace and Security, adopted in 2020, stresses the importance of African countries creating enabling environments for youth inclusion in governance, conflict prevention and peacebuilding.
Sierra Leone’s experience makes the initiative particularly relevant. With young people constituting more than 60 percent of the population, the country’s future hinges on how effectively their aspirations are integrated into national development and peacebuilding policies. The scars of the civil war, in which youth were both victims and participants, remain a cautionary reminder of the consequences of marginalization. Today, however, the youth of Sierra Leone are increasingly engaged in entrepreneurship, education, advocacy and leadership, making them indispensable partners in advancing stability and growth.
Civil Society Organizations and youth representatives at the meeting welcomed the establishment of the Steering Committee and Technical Working Group, describing it as a significant step toward institutionalizing youth participation in governance and security matters. They urged Government and partners to ensure that the process is inclusive, transparent and responsive to the real needs of young people across rural and urban communities.
The Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs and other Government officials also spoke on the importance of cross-sectoral collaboration. They highlighted how youth involvement in community policing, early warning systems and civic education could contribute to reducing violence, crime and extremism, while promoting national cohesion.
The inaugural meeting concluded with commitments from stakeholders to strengthen partnerships, mobilize resources and support the implementation of an inclusive action plan that prioritizes youth engagement in peace and security. Participants agreed that the establishment of the Steering Committee and Technical Working Group would not only ensure coordination among stakeholders but also serve as a model for regional efforts in promoting youth-centered peacebuilding.
As Sierra Leone continues to consolidate its hard-won peace, the initiative by the Ministry of Youth Affairs stands as a bold step toward ensuring that the country’s young population is empowered, engaged and equipped to play a constructive role in shaping a more stable and prosperous future.
The meeting, described as a landmark in the nation’s journey, closed with a renewed sense of optimism. For many participants, it represented not just another conference but a concrete step toward redefining the role of young people as active partners in peace, security and development.
