FOREWORD BY THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Dear Reader,

I am pleased to present the 2nd issue of the "Research Report" Series of the ICGLR Levy Mwanawasa Regional Centre for Democracy and Good Governance, based in Lusaka.

Levy Mwanawasa Regional Centre is a Regional Think Tank established by the Heads of State andGovernment of Member States of the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR) in the Pact on Security, Stability and Development in the Great Lakes Region adopted on 15th December 2006. With its operationalisation in 2011, the Regional Centre is the scientific and technical body of the ICGLR Secretariat. It is responsible, inter alia, for conducting operationalresearch and facilitates multi-actor dialogue on the complex issues of governance, including peace,security, conflicts and human rights, to inform decision makers and other stakeholders of our Region and our Members States in decision making.

It is in this context that our Research Department conducted the study on the situation of Youth unemployment in the twelve ICGLR Member States, namely, Angola, Burundi, Central African Republic, Kenya, Democratic Republic of Congo, Republic of Congo, Rwanda, South Sudan, Sudan,Tanzania and Zambia. We present in this report the results of this study which we hope will contribute to a better understanding of the magnitude of the problem of Youth unemployment in our Region and identify appropriate strategies to address this collective challenge.

I take this opportunity to thank the Board of Directors of the ICGLR Special Fund for Reconstruction and Development which has provided us with the resources to conduct the study. I also thank Prisca Kamungi who collaborated with our Head of Research, Pamphile Sebahara, in conducting the studyon the 7 countries. Our thanks also go to national experts on employment issues, the Committee of the Regional Youth Forum and representatives of other stakeholders who participated in the Regional workshop which validated the results of this study in Lusaka, Zambia, on 15 and 16 July 2013, for their invaluable contributions.

Dr Frank Okuthe-Oyugi
Executive Director
ICGLR Levy Mwanawasa Regional Centre for
Democracy and Good Governance
Lusaka – Zambia

July 2014

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