Displaced youth call upon African governments to do more to end conflicts

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Migrants from several African countries have shown resolve to work together to help end conflicts on the continent. They gathered in the Ugandan capital, Kampala, in a two-day meeting to urge governments to do more to tackle instability and violence in the hope of putting an end to the resulting displacements

Over 30 million people are currently displaced in Africa, according to the the International Organization for Migration (IOM).

A member of the International Organization for Migration (OIM) distributes food to illegal migrants from Africa, at a naval base in Tripoli after they were rescued by Libyan coastguards in the Mediterranean Sea off the Libyan coast, July 24, 2017. /AFP Photo

The Kampala gathering called for security and employment, noting that youth would not engage in migration if the two existed in abundance.

“If the youth are effectively engaged in the right way there is no way a youth will even think about migration. If they feel they are getting what they deserve in their countries, why would you think about migration? We need employment and security,” Uganda's Ambassador for Women and Girls Esther Nakajjigo said.

The organizers of the conference also called for close partnership between African and European authorities to resolve the crisis.

Millions of Africans are forced to flee their homes each year due to conflicts in their countries.

Earlier this year, the United Nations announced that South Sudan had become the continent’s biggest refugee crisis, coming third after the Syrian and Afghanistan crises.

A newly arrived refugee from South Sudan walks near the Ngomoromo border post, in Ugandan side, April 10, 2017. /AFP Photo

South Sudanese refugees in Uganda hit the one million mark earlier this year, with authorities warning of a strain in resources if that flow continues. The UN and the international community have called for dialogue to help resolve the crisis in the world's youngest nation.

Earlier this week, the government said it would welcome Riek Machar – holed up in South Africa – for talks if he denounced violence.

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