Controversy Overshadows on the Upcoming National Youth Conference in Somalia 

Government officials and local Somali youth living in the country have taken to the social media such as twitter and facebook about their feeling towards upcoming National  Youth underway in Mogadishu accusing the conference not including and aiding the local youth.

Galmudug deputy Minister for youth, Sadaq Dahir Mire boycotted to attend the National Youth Conference and amplifying that the conference has been organized by a group that seeks  means to collect funding.

“Galmudug will not attend a conference aimed to create divisions within the Somali Youth.” Galmudug Deputy Minister of Youth, Mr. Sadaq Dahir Mire said, “How come did the Diaspora group make up 95% of the conference delegates.”

The Minister pointed out that the huge amount of funding that was transported Diaspora group from outside Somalia could have been saved by inviting capable youth leaders inside the Country.

Several Young Somali social media  users expressed their feelings saying government is giving most of the opportunities to Diaspora educated class, which if proves true could create high migration and terrorists cells in the country and could spark divisions within the Somali youth as social media hashtag #Hadhicindhalinyarada which translates to “dont rob young people” is trending among the twitter users mainly young Somalis inside the country.

“This week i’m heading to Libya to cross the sea and get a better life outside the country because my government is giving the most priority to Diaspora, now they are organizing the so-called National Youth Conference and no one is participating the conference from the local youth except a few number of their friends,” reacted youthful facebook user.

Another one blamed diapora friends for not respecting the locals “Where’s local youth rights? Shame on you diaspora shame on you. Most of you are supporting them because  they’re pushing down local youth.”

In an interview with the national youth conference organizer, Abdifatah Feysal told Dalsan Radio that 75% of the conference delegates have been invited from the local youth.

“We have invited 75% of the conference participants inside Somalia.’ Abdifatah Feysal, the conference organizer said, “therefore the local youth makeup 75% of the overall conference delegates.”

Local Somali youth feel Diaspora educated colleagues are taking up chances from them in terms of job opportunities, leadership positions and now attempting to hijack national youth conference on the future of young population as far the political representation is concerned in Somalia.

On the contrary, the Somali Minister of Youth,Mohamed Abdullahi Hassan Nuh said that the root cause for the local youth to miss the opportunities is the education, which made them busy all the time,  in a comment he recently made on the youth.

The conference comes a amid the United Nations Security Council, Unanimously Adopting Resolution 2250 (2015), last week, which Urges Member States to Increase Representation of Youth in Decision-Making at All Levels.

The Security Council said, Youth should be actively engaged in shaping lasting peace and contributing to justice and reconciliation, as they represented “a unique demographic dividend that can contribute to lasting peace and prosperity” if inclusive policies were put in place.

 

 

 

 

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