Bakary Y. Badjie, Minister of Youth and Sports
By Fatou Sillah
The Ministry of Youth and Sports, led by Bakary Y. Badjie, has issued a statement joining the global celebration of International Youth Day. This year’s theme, “From Clicks to Progress: Youth Digital Pathways for Sustainable Development,” emphasizes the pivotal role of young people in driving digital technologies to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Every year on August 12, the Gambia joins the rest of the World to Celebrate International Youth Day. In its resolution 54/120, the United Nations General Assembly endorsed the recommendation from the 1998 World Conference of Ministers Responsible for Youth to declare this day as International Youth Day.
The statement stated that the day serves as a powerful reminder of the significant role young people play in shaping a sustainable future, and celebrates their achievements thus far.
“The theme for this year is “From Clicks to Progress: Youth Digital Pathways for Sustainable Development”. The theme highlights how young people drive digital technologies to advance progress towards achieving the SDGs.
“By celebrating the digital contributions of youth, we can inspire further innovation and collaborations towards achieving sustainable development,” the statement reads.
The statement also notes that The Gambia is poised to become a leading tech hub. Despite being one of Africa’s smallest nations, The Gambia is uniquely positioned to pioneer in technology. The National Digital Economy Master Plan 2023, launched as a flagship project, aims to leverage technology and digital solutions to ensure digital inclusion, create jobs, and develop the economy.
“While The Gambia is among Africa’s smallest nations, it is uniquely positioned to become a pioneering tech hub. To take advantage of this, the National Digital Economy Master Plan 2023 was launched as a flagship project that will leverage technology, digital solutions, and services to ensure digital inclusion by connecting the unconnected and under-connected, creating jobs, and developing the economy.
“The Recovery Focus National Development Plan ‘Yiriwaa’ 2023 – 2027 highlights the four pillars—enabling environment, policy, and regulation, Inclusive digital infrastructure, Digital innovation and entrepreneurship, Digital skills; and human capital development—as critical to enhancing our digital landscape with a whole-of-society approach for its development,” It Said.With the support of partners, the Ministry is providing ICT training to the youth through various Youth Centers in Rural Gambia, including Jarra Soma, Bansang, Janjanbureh, and the soon-to-be operational Farafenni.
“With the support of our partners and through our satellite agencies, the Ministry is providing access to ICT training facilities at our various Youth Centers in Rural Gambia, including Jarra Soma, Bansang, Janjanbureh and soon to be operational Farafenni.
“These centers are offering training opportunities that can help enhance the digital skills of young people who otherwise might not have had the capacity. The UNDP Accelerator Lab is also providing an enabling environment for budding entrepreneurs to co-work and network. It also supported local informal traders, particularly women and youth, through “My Lumo” a digital e-commerce platform allowing local informal traders to market their goods and services and transact electronically,” The statement said.
The statement further emphasizes the future demand for digital skills. Millions of jobs will soon require advanced digital skills, and a shortfall is projected.
While young people are considered digital natives, jobs requiring coding or other advanced digital skills will continue to need skilled human resources. The growth potential of the digital economy presents an opportunity to tackle youth unemployment, especially through fostering youth-led digital entrepreneurship.
The statement acknowledges the efforts of various institutions in improving digital skills among young people, noting an increase in training opportunities in coding and robotics. Despite limited resources, young people are winning robotics competitions abroad and developing apps that improve the business landscape and livelihoods in The Gambia.
“Millions of jobs in the very near future will require advanced digital skills, and a shortfall is projected. While young people are considered digital natives, jobs requiring coding or other advanced digital skills will continue to need skilled human resources. The growth potential of the digital economy presents an opportunity for tackling the youth employment challenge, especially through fostering youth-led digital entrepreneurship.
“It will be important at this juncture to recognize the work of various institutions leading to the process of improving digital skills among young people. We are witnessing an increase in training opportunities in Coding and Robotics for children and young people,”
“Our young people are winning robotics competitions abroad despite the limited resources at their disposal. Young people are developing Apps that are helping to improve the business landscape in the Gambia and improving lives and livelihoods.
The statement concluded that the government assures continued support for the necessary policy and regulatory environment, including resources to leverage the digital environment’s potential.
“To conclude, I wish to assure you all that the government will continue to avail the necessary policy and regulatory environment, including needed resources, to continue to leverage on the potentials of the digital environment. Government recognizes the fact that its potential can help address unemployment, thereby reducing poverty.
“While I wish you all a happy celebration of International Youth Day 2024, I further wish to invite you all to collaborate and partners with us to harness the demographic potential of our youth to transform education, economic growth, peace and prosperity in the Gambia,” It Reads