By Shabait,
THE regional meeting of the World Federation of Democratic Youth (WFDY)-Africa Commission today opened at Asmara Palace Hotel in which senior Government and PFDJ officials, National Associations, Ambassadors, as well as a number of youths took part.
In an opening speech, Mr. Yemane Gebreab, Head of Political Affairs at the PFDJ, said that the meeting affords African youths an opportunity to exchange experience and for Eritrean youths to share their experience. As such, the participating youths need to cope with challenges in the political, social, economic and other domains, Mr. Yemane underlined.
Also speaking at the meeting, the Chairman of the National Union of Eritrean Youths and Students (NUEYS), Mr. Saleh Ahmedin, explained that the Union shares common values and stances with the WFDY. He further pointed out that Eritrean youths are waging staunch resistance against the unwarranted and illegal anti-Eritrea sanction, as well as occupation of sovereign Eritrean territory and the illegal human trafficking activities, among others.
Similarly, the Vice President of the WFDY, Mr. Dolfino Hòster Guila, indicated that imperialist forces continue to foment conflict among the African people on the basis of religious, ethnic and other factors with a view to promoting vested interests. In this connection, the WFDY Vice President stated that the organization takes pride in the holding of the meeting here in Eritrea, a country that not only waged persistent struggle against such forces of domination but also dealt defeat to the same forces all by itself.
Mr. Dolfino went on to explain that the current meeting affords a vital opportunity for strengthening closer ties between the Eritrean youths and the World Federation of Democratic Youths.
According to reports, the present regional meeting of the World Federation of Democratic Youth (WFDY) – Africa Commission would conduct discussion as regards heightening the awareness of African youths pertaining to the fostering of common understanding vis-à-vis existing challenges in the continent, in addition to formulating a Declaration by the WFDY on ways and means of effectively coping with current challenges and drawing up action program that would ensure effective African participation at the forthcoming International Youth Festival due to take place in Namibia next May.
The South African Ambassador to Eritrea, Prof. Iqbal Jhazbhay, conveyed a message of solidarity to the present meeting here from the African National Congress of Youth League (NCYL).