🎙️ In this episode of AfriCan Geopardy, we spotlight "Africa's Future in Focus: Empowering Youth for Conflict Prevention and Peacebuilding" with our guest, Ms Simone Mbodé Diouf, the African Union's Youth Ambassador for Peace in West Africa.

Ms. Diouf shares her journey into the Youth, Peace, and Security (YPS) space, what drives her work, and the goals she is championing across the region. A seasoned international consultant on Women, Peace, and Security and co-founder of the Association for the Promotion of Young Women's Leadership in Senegal, she brings grassroots and global experience to the conversation.

Ambassador Diof reflected on the peace and conflict dynamics in West Africa through the lens of YPS, tackling issues from youth unemployment, conflicts and climate change to governance challenges. With youth making up nearly 53% of the region's population and 19.2% not in education, employment, or training, Ms Diouf reflects on how these realities influence peacebuilding efforts and why youth must be at the centre of solutions.

She also shares inspiring stories of youth-led initiatives, such as those in Niger, where young people are boldly leading change in the face of insecurity. We end with her reflections on what gives her hope, policy recommendations, and a heartfelt message to young Africans and peacebuilders everywhere.

You may hear my son in the background. I thought of editing it, but I left it in. It's a reminder of the many hats we wear and a small window into my life as a mother.

#YouthPeaceandSecurity

#Peacebuilding