The Minister of Youth and Sport, Joseph Geng Akech, on Monday presented the National Youth Development Policy 2024 to the Transitional National Legislative Assembly (TNLA), following its approval by the Council of Ministers.
Originally drafted in 2013, the policy aims to empower the nation’s youth, with a particular focus on peace and security. During his presentation, Minister Geng outlined the policy’s goal to reform the existing youth union, transitioning to the South Sudan National Youth Council in line with East African community practices. He emphasized that the policy had been developed with the collaboration of relevant ministries and various partners.
“The policy was prepared with input from a wide range of stakeholders, including the National Youth Policy Review Task Force, which comprises youth leaders from across the country, line ministries, development partners, and civil society organizations,” Minister Geng stated.
Geng noted that while the policy had been approved by the Council of Ministers, it was now time for the TNLA to deliberate on its contents. He explained that the House had previously suggested that the policy be returned to the Ministry of Youth and Sports for further review, particularly due to the recent division of the Ministry of Culture, Youth, and Sports, which initially held the policy’s mandate.
“The Council further directed the Minister of Youth and Sports to present the policy to the Transitional National Legislative Assembly, which is what I am doing today,” Geng added.
The policy’s primary objective is to empower South Sudanese youth, who make up the majority of the population, by creating developmental programs. According to Geng, youth in South Sudan comprise approximately 72 percent of the population, meaning that for every 10 people, seven are youth. This underscores the need for strategic and ambitious youth empowerment initiatives.
“Therefore, the goal is to empower youth to contribute to the attainment of a peaceful and prosperous South Sudan, where all young men and women can fully develop their potential and actively participate in both economic and social activities,” Geng explained.
The presentation of the National Youth Development Policy comes shortly after the tabling of the Sports Financing Policy 2024, which aims to attract investment to support sports in the country. Minister Geng also noted that the youth development policy would encourage young people to engage in activities that nurture culture, sports, and the arts.
“The policy aims to promote youth participation, civic engagement, and initiatives that foster culture, arts, sports, and recreational skills,” Geng said, adding that it also proposes the establishment of an integrated, holistic, and coordinated framework for the development of young men and women.