In October 2014 AAI and the various AYTF partners sponsored the AYTF members to conduct a mission to various African Permanent Missions to the UN in New York.

The AYFT managed to have 9 meetings with Permanent Missions namely Benin, Botswana, Burundi, Kenya, Liberia, Mozambique, Nigeria, South Africa and Zambia. Of the 9 meetings the AYTF was able to meet the 8 Permanent Representatives with the exception of South Africa. 

Objectives

The short-term objectives of this project were to mend the disconnection between the African continent and the negotiators in NYC, by:

•    Identify key African negotiators in the permanent missions, based on position in the OWG, stances at home and in NYC on youth empowerment issues such as health, education, employment and inclusive participation, security and good governance.
•    Sensitise, build alliances with and advocate that these PMs improve the representation and demands of African youth in the global processes.
•    Discover and discuss the stances of the countries based on existing regional commitments such as Maputo Plan of Action, African Youth Charter, African Common Position and the Agenda 2063.
•    Offer the Youth Task Force and backing organisations as resources for the PMs in doing their work.
•    Provide a platform for youth representing African civil society to advocate with the African OWG members and other African negotiators on the Post-2015 agenda.
•    Propose and inform African strategy for engagement beyond September 2014.
•    Identify and repair barriers to consistency between capital and PMs, and work to ensure all relevant individuals, both home and abroad, government and civil society are more accountable.
•    Demonstrate with empirical evidence the (unmet) need for youth’s universal access to health, education, employment, inclusive participation, security and good governance as a means to provide PMs with resources for their advocacy of greater youth inclusion.

Summary of AYTF Meetings

The following meetings were held by the African Youth Task Force:
•    2 day strategy meeting at IWHC offices
•    9 meetings with African Permanent Missions
•    3 meetings with key UN agencies and Partners (UN Statistical Division, UN Youth Delegates and Ford Foundation)
•    1 Evening Cocktail (AIDS Accountability International’s A dialogue on Accountability) 

Quotes from AYTF Members

“A couple of days before my departure for NY, I had this weird thought; a very discouraging and mixed feeling on whether the PRs would want to meet us.  Behold, I was astonished when I finally met with some of them: their warm reception and encouraging words were very touching. I was also moved when they promised to share expertise as well as engage with our works throughout and even after the Post2015 review. This was somewhat an ‘aha’ moment for me, witnessing how a 30 minutes conversation can bring lasting and meaningful change to so many people.” Zoneziwoh 

“I was amazed by the openness of the ambassadors we met. Different discussions, these figures have shown -share available to exchange and learn – from us. It was a positive achievement that young people from the continent come together and discuss issues of youth and future outside of official meetings. This allowed us to break the myth distorted that seem to exist sometimes between permanent representations and Capitals.” Loukman 

Read the full Activity Report on the AYTF Mission to PMs in NYC here.