Continental Youth, Peace and Security Stocktaking Conference

From 8 to 10 December 2025, we took part in the Continental Youth, Peace and Security Stocktaking Conference in Nairobi, Kenya, marking the 10-year anniversary of the UN Security Council Resolution 2250 on Youth, Peace and Security (YPS).

The conference was co-organized by Search for Common Ground, the African Union Commission, COMESA, ICGLR, UN agencies, other international development partners, and our programme. It brought together youth leaders, policymakers, and civil society actors from across Africa to reflect on progress, identify challenges, and discuss ways to strengthen youth engagement in peace and security.

Opened with a vibrant cultural performance, setting the tone for an inspiring gathering. The first session explored the status of Youth, Peace, and Security in Africa, examining both continental and regional trends. This was followed by a high-level intergenerational panel that reflected on a decade of progress.

In the third session, countries including Nigeria, DRC, Cameroon, Malawi, Liberia, Gambia, and Burundi shared their experiences and lessons learned in developing and implementing National Action Plans (NAPs), presented in a dynamic Gallery Walk format. The fourth session brought participants together in a World Café rotation, where mixed groups synthesized insights by examining successes and challenges across the five pillars of UNSCR 2250: Participation, Protection, Prevention, Partnerships, and Disengagement & Reintegration.

The work conducted in Nairobi will feed into an outcome document and a joint declaration to be presented at a high-level meeting in Burundi.

This initiative reinforces our ongoing commitment to supporting youth voices and fostering meaningful intergenerational collaboration in peace and security across Africa.