A-YAT Advocacy Mission to Addis Ababa 2025

The delegation met senior officials and policy teams to strengthen youth engagement with institutions that shape peace and security in Africa. Taking place in the symbolic 10th anniversary year of UNSCR 2250, the mission provided a strategic opportunity for A-YAT to:

Advocate for coordinated and impactful youth inclusion in peace and security
Showcase A-YAT’s work and lived experiences
Build long-term partnerships to support youth-led peacebuilding
Connect the YPS agenda with other intersecting issues like climate and gender

Who did A-YAT engage with?

The A-YAT delegation met with a diverse set of stakeholders working on peace, governance, development, and youth inclusion, including:

African Union (AU) Silencing the Guns Unit
AU Transitional Justice Unit
The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) Africa
Embassy of Ireland
Embassy of Denmark
European Union (EU) Delegation to the African Union and
EU Delegation to Ethiopia
GIZ - Support to African Peace and Security Architecture (APSA)
Search for Common Ground

The mission coincided with Addis Climate Week, offering a platform to connect peace and security with climate action and gender justice.

Key learnings & recommendations

Youth inclusion needs political will and long-term partnerships.
Diplomatic allies and development actors play a key role in making youth participation possible and impactful.

Inclusion must be institutionalised.
Youth need permanent spaces to engage, not just ad hoc invitations.

YPS is not a silo.
Young people are already bridging climate, gender, and justice agendas. Institutions must reflect this reality in policy and practice.

Access remains a barrier.
Youth engagement is still too dependent on networks or individual connections. Clear, inclusive, and transparent entry points are needed.

Youth are equal partners, not beneficiaries.
Institutions must co-create with youth and share leadership and accountability at all stages of peace and security work.