Somali Youth Celebrate Europe Day in Mogadishu

Hiiraan Online
Press release
Sunday, May 19, 2013

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The first ever Europe Day in Mogadishu was celebrated on 15th May 2012. The celebration brought together Somalia government officials, Civil Society and international partners, led by the European Union Special Envoy, Ambassador Michele Cervoned'Urso.

All parties to the celebration noted the significance and the symbolism of the event-Europe Day marked the day that Europe decided to join forces to prevent further conflict by 'making war not only unthinkable, but materially impossible'. The EU Special Envoy pointed out that the day was quite relevant to the effort of all partners in rebuilding the new Somalia. He reiterated that EU and the other partners were ready and willing to work with the Somali government on Somali soil to reconstruct Somalia. On his part, Mr. Hassan Sheikh Mohamoud, the President of Somalia welcomed the support so far offered by EU and other partners, and pointed out that his government was committed to fully implementing “Project Somalia” and the six Pillar Policy Framework, with the help of friends like EU.

To mark the celebration, EU Delegation to Somalia in collaboration with IIDA Women’s Development Organization and the Center for Research and Dialogue (CRD) organized a very successful high profile Youth Round Table titled: “The role of youth in peace building and reconstruction of Somalia” in which critical issues affecting the youth in Somalia including unemployment, security, economic skills development, youth’s potential to bring and deepen the fragile peace in Somalia, and the need for a comprehensive approach to youth programming were critically interrogated.

The roundtable recommended that: the youth should be involved more in the peace conferences; there is need for expansion of vocational training and employment opportunities for the youth; there is need to enhance public-private partnership to expand youth led businesses; Chamber of Commerce to deepen Somalia-EU businesses through conferences; there is need to set up a Youth Enterprise Fund; and the UN and international NGOs to target Somali youth with jobs in Somalia.

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