Sudanese youth to be trained in democracy

The Sudanese Ministry of Youth and Sports announced yesterday that it will start an independent youth-based programme on Sudan's transition to democracy. It will do so in partnership with the US-based Carter Center.

The programme aims to train more than 20,000 young Sudanese men and women on impartial monitoring, reporting, constitutional principles, and conflict mitigation.

After the training, young people can play an influential role in the transitional period and help the country to achieve a smooth and safe transition to democracy, Minister of Youth and Sports Wala El Boushi said in a statement yesterday.

She described the programme as “one of the most important and greatest steps that the ministry takes in pursuit of the most prominent goal which is providing training and development opportunities for young people in various fields”.

“The training will prepare them to play a leadership role, in the present and future,” she stated. “It is a great push for us to develop more programmes that support youth.”

Paige Alexander, CEO of the Carter Center, expressed her great pleasure about the agreement with the ministry. She said that the Carter Center, which has worked for more than three decades with the Sudanese people in fighting disease and supporting peace, democracy, and human rights, is well placed and fully qualified to help Sudan proceed towards democracy.

“Young men and women have a vital role to play in supporting the transition process in Sudan and guide them to the right path. We are happy to contribute,” she added.

The website of the Carter Center has a video of El Boushi and Alexander discussing the training programme (in English, with Arabic subtitles).

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