The United States government, through the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), renewed its commitment to supporting peace and tolerance in Nigeria by holding a youth, peace and security summit, in Abuja.
Minister of Youth Development Jamila Bio Ibrahim attended as the keynote speaker.
Participants at the summit represented youth groups and networks that received support from the USAID Community Initiatives to Promote Peace (CIPP) activity. USAID CIPP is a five-year $15 million activity that promotes peaceful coexistence and collaboration in Nigeria by mitigating violent conflict in at-risk communities.
According to a statement from the US Embassy on Friday, the United States is committed to working with Nigeria in addressing security challenges.
The statement read: “Our partnership harnesses the diverse strengths of its religious and traditional leaders, women, youth groups, government officials, and civil society. Through initiatives like USAID CIPP, the U.S. government is jointly identifying and promoting community-based solutions, empowering these groups to enhance community responses to challenges and build a resilient and peaceful future together.
“This summit showcases learnings and best practices from USAID’s investment and achievements towards youth participation and leadership in peace processes across six northern states: Kano, Kaduna, Katsina, Benue, Kogi, and Plateau.”
Key highlights from the summit include panel discussions and presentations on strengthening peacebuilding efforts, and building sustainable partnerships between youth-led organizations, government agencies, and civil society groups. Additionally, the summit is amplifying youth voices through the sharing of experiences, successes, and innovative approaches for addressing challenges to insecurity. Speaking at the summit, United States Chargé d’affaires David Greene remarked, “By attending today’s conference, you’ve each signaled how important the cause of peace is for Nigeria…Youth are the bedrock of society’s social and economic development. The future of Nigeria depends on youth charting a path of peace, as you are the future leaders of this great nation.”