YLSL President delivers statement to SL High Commissioner in UK

Statement delivered by President of Young Leaders-Sierra Leone, Unisa “Dizo”-Conteh to the SL High Commissioner to the UK on Wednesday 4 August 2010 at a meeting. (Photo: Hon. Edward Turay, Sierra Leone High Commissioner to the UK shaking hands with Unisa Dizo Conteh, President YLSL)

His Excellence the SLHC UK Hon Edward Turay

Head of Chancery: Mrs.  Bangali

Your Excellency, may I take this opportunity on behalf of Young Leaders and Sierra Leonean youth in the UK to extend to you our frank congratulations on your appointment to the esteemed post as Sierra Leone High Commissioner. Indeed, it is a pleasure to have a dynamic person like you.   May I also, on behalf of my organisation, commend you for your valuable endeavour in reaching out to Sierra Leoneans and making your office accessible to all.  We have no doubt that you will make us proud!

About Young Leaders-Sierra Leone

YLSL fosters a platform form young Sierra Leoneans and other stakeholders at home and in the Diaspora to participate actively in nation-building through dialogue, education, advocacy and networking.  The organisation was in operation since 2003, but it was in 2005 that the then President of Sierra Leone Dr Ahmed Tejan Kabbah lunched it.  We currently have branches here in the UK, USA and the main headquarter in Sierra Leone.

Over the years, we have along with partners, held a series of major activities geared towards youth empowerment and development.  Such as the Sierra Leone Youth Empowerment Conferences (SLYECs) held in the USA and UK, which brought Sierra Leonean young people from all walks of life to engage in dialogue and pertinent discussions to come up with practical solutions to the numerous issues that affect us.  Late last year, I travelled to Sierra Leone to work along with youth groups to help create awareness about the establishment of the National Youth Commission.

At present, Young Leaders is building up its organisational capacity to ensure that we are better able to cope with the challenges that we face and to be better able to capitalise on opportunities to help make a better place for the youth in Sierra Leone.

Our colleagues back home are facing numerous difficulties, particularly in areas such as education, jobs and social right.  Many see these factors as a social injustice and the social exclusion of the country’s young people.   But we are proud of the significance the current government places on the youth.  We are happy that the government is taking issues such as youth employment seriously and they are putting words into action.

We are happy that the government has enacted the National Youth Commission, which will help make provisions to empower the youth to develop their creativity and development.  A fact which you echoed, in your recent visit to Dublin, revealing that “government has established the Youth Commission in Sierra Leone to address sensitive youth issues,”

We are also happy that in just a month a whopping $25 million has been allocated in the area of youth employment.  This includes the recent announcement of World Bank’s $20 million to support youth employment and the government’s announcement of $5 million to be used for the National Youth Commission.

I was on my way to this meeting when I read in the news that President Koroma has launched in Kenema a “Smallholders Commercialisation Programme,” which is a nationwide initiative aimed at increasing agricultural productivity in Sierra Leone.   This is welcome news and it is something young people can involve in.

SLHC Youth Division

Your Excellency, you may recall that 6 months ago, at a meeting organised in your honour, I made a passionate call for the establishment of a dedicated office for the youth in the High Commission.  I would like to take this opportunity to re-echo that call.  The aim of such office would be to provide vital and credible links with youth groups here and their colleagues in Sierra Leone.   It would also be an office that would help to bring the many youth groups in the UK together.   This would then be channelled to complement the government of Sierra Leone AFC scheme geared towards youth development and national development at large.   The youth in the Diaspora are really keen on playing actively in the development of their country and such office could help coordinate Diaspora youth participation to ensure it is in sequence with the national agenda.

We are currently working on the details along with other partners and we will present that to you in due course for your consideration.

Our Aspiration

The government has in its AFC, outlined the map of the ground to be covered.  It has identified infrastructure, energy, agriculture and human development as key priorities.   We know the road to the destination to be reached won’t be smooth.   We know it will be sometimes bumpy!  But, one has to keep the optimism that we will get there.  We know for Sierra Leone to move from where it is now to where we desire it to be, we’ve got to work concertedly.

And that is why Young Leaders-Sierra Leone would like to declare that we will work collectively with our colleagues, other stakeholders, and of course the High Commission, to make sure we reach this destination together.

Sierra Leone has enormous potentials, but the youth offer the greatest gift that will help the country achieve sustainable development.

Your Excellency, I thank you very much for your attention.

In Attendance were:

Sierra Leone High Commission

His Excellence the High Commissioner UK Hon Edward Turay

Head of Chancery: Mrs.  Bangali

Young Leaders-Sierra Leone members were:

President, Unisa “Dizo”-Conteh

UK Executive member, Nicholas Asgill

UK Executive member, Kadi Koroma

UK Executive member, Karen John

by Unisa ‘Dizo’-Conteh, President, YLSL

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