Call for Applications: 3rd Cohort of African Youth Ambassadors for Peace (AYAP)

Unknown child soldiers. Image from Twitter/@TheRealPro7
The African Union’s relentless pursuit of youth engagement and the promotion of peace and security has entered an exciting new phase with the call for applications for the 3rd Cohort of African Youth Ambassadors for Peace (AYAP). As part of the Youth, Peace, and Security (YPS) agenda, the African Union’s Political Affairs, Peace and Security Department (PAPS) introduced the Youth for Peace (Africa) Program (Y4P) in September 2018. The primary goal of this initiative is to empower African youth to actively participate in peace and security efforts and deter their involvement in violence.
To bolster youth participation in the peace and security agenda across the African continent, the African Union Peace and Security Council (PSC) called for the appointment of five regional African Youth Ambassadors for Peace (AYAP). These ambassadors collaborate with the AU Youth Envoy to champion the cause of peace and security. They advocate for the implementation of the five priorities outlined in the Continental Framework on Youth, Peace, and Security (CFYPS), guided by the AU Youth Charter (2006) and United Nations Security Council Resolutions (UNSCR) 2250 (2015), 2419 (2018), and 2535 (2020).
The cohort of AYAPs, appointed for a two-year non-renewable term from February undergo a rigorous selection process and must gain endorsement from the Assembly of Heads of States and Governments. Their primary mandate was to promote and advocate for the mainstreaming and inclusion of young Africans in peace and security efforts, amplifying their contributions and addressing their challenges.
The call for applications for the 3rd Cohort of African Youth Ambassadors for Peace is now open. For more information on how to apply and detailed application guidelines, please visit the official African Union website [https://www.peaceau.org/en/article/call-for-application-african-youth-ambassadors-for-peace-ayap].