HAVOCOYO, in collaboration with the Government of Somaliland (especially the Ministry of Youth and Sports) and Oxfam, organized the commemoration of International Youth Day under the theme “IWASTHERE Open doors to Opportunity” at Maansoor Hotel, Hargeisa, Somaliland.

Attended by His Excellency Vice President Abdirahman Saylici, the Minister of Youth, the Minister of Information, Culture and National Guidance, the Minister of Parliamentary Relations and Constitutional Affairs, the Vice Minister of Interior and Internal Security, the Chief Police Commander and the two youngest DGs, the DG for Planning and Social Affairs.

Around 400 youth participants, including people with disability, from all regions across Somaliland, joined the event to celebrate the International Youth Day event.

The event began with an introduction from Abdilahi Hassan, HAVOYOCO Country Director, who emphasized the importance of the day and the opportunities generated by the organization for the youth.  

On the occasion of International Youth Day, the VP stated in his opening remarks that the Government of Somaliland puts the youth issues at the heart of its manifesto and policies, and as such committed to making a positive difference in their lives.

“Government of Somaliland is ready to open doors of opportunity for young people. The National Service (Shaqo Qaran) is just answering the employment challenges within the youth,” said the Vice President Saylici.

Considering the importance of youth to Somaliland, the Minister of Youth, Boos Mire, said: “the government is giving high priority to the Somaliland youth, and we are very ready to build their skills and generate job opportunities for them.”

Mr Mire pledged to the youth that the government would spare no effort to help youth bridge their skills and knowledge gaps by creating platforms to do practical work. As such, the Minister highlighted, that reaching out to youth from often overlooked locations will help to reawaken hopes, contribute to social cohesion, and set a renewed impetus for youth collaboration.

During the event, the Director-General of Ministry of Employment, Social and Family Affairs, Mr Abdirashiid Ibrahim said, “The Ministry of Employment, Social Affairs, and Family is in the process of finalizing policies that will boost employment creation including, but not limited to the internship policy, employment policy, and the Pension policy. With the help of international organizations, more than 10,000 youth were provided employability skills training and the tools to use,”

“Today is an opportunity to celebrate together the enthusiasm, the creativity and the energy of youth. Young people are an untapped reservoir of talent, and it is essential to give them the right tools to express their opinions and unlock their potential,” Mr Abdirashid added.

Followed the remarks of the officials, the four young role models shared stories of how they overcome challenges and how they made a difference in their lives, as well as the message of encouraging others to make changes.  The participants highly appreciated the stories and role models, which were inspirational.

During the celebration, two interactive plenary sessions were held on the topics: Youth & Education and the Importance of Youth & Women Inclusions in Decision Making.

“It is our day, and it is important for the youth to speak up and talk about their issues jointly,” added Hamda Haiabe, a female participant during the first-panel discussion.

The panellists were youth who represented Premier bank, Hud-Hud company, MESAF Jobcentre, HAVOYOCO youth centre and the ministry of youth and sports. Among the issues raised, they discussed the burning issues on youth people, mainly the creation of employment opportunities and address recommendation and way forward to shape a better future for our youth.

The artist Nujuum has displayed her artwork on the role models, highlighting the stories from different perspectives, which has grabbed the participants’ attention.

The Circus Drama team performed a short drama on the risks of illegal migrations (Tahriib) and stimulating youth to bring changes they want or dream. 

The function has received full media coverage by the local Televisions, and the official social media platforms by the VP, and the respective ministers.

Prepared by:

Kamal Hassan Isak

HAVOYOCO