Non-Aligned Movement has stressed the pivotal role played by youth in the overall development. NAM has reaffirmed the importance of the inclusion of youth in the process of the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, including the SDGs, and National Development Policies.
Malawi, a Member State of the Non-Aligned Movement, has recently launched the Malawi 2063 Youth Engagement Strategy (YES) which is aimed at facilitating the active participation of the youth in the transformation of the country towards an inclusively wealthy and self-reliant nation by the year 2063. The YES was launched alongside the 2024-2030 Strategic Plan of the National Youth Council of Malawi (NYCOM) during the 2024 National Youth Summit by Minister of Youth Uchizi Mkandawire in November 2024.
The stated goal of 2063 is to ensure the vibrant and meaningful participation and involvement of the youth in the implementation of the MW2063 (Malawi Vision 2063), which aims to transform Malawi into a wealthy and self-reliant industrialized ‘upper middle-income country’ by the year 2063. YES 2063 is based upon four guiding principles namely equality and non-discrimination, ownership which entails that the youth will take the initiative to own the MW2063 implementation process, recognition and rights and responsibilities of the youth, and the realisation that youth are critical partners in the implementation of the MW2063.
The expected outcomes of YES2063 aim to enhance the capacity of youth in understanding and contributing to the long-term development plans of the nation, particularly in the context of the MW2063. Youth will gain a deeper knowledge of their role in the implementation and monitoring of the MW2063, beginning with the Malawi 2063 First 10-year Implementation Plan (MIP-1). Through this initiative, an informed, activated, and well-equipped youth population will work alongside government bodies and other stakeholders to support the achievement of the MW2063 targets. The strengthened engagement structures at both the district and national levels will ensure that youth actions align with the overarching goals of the MW2063, particularly its key pillars and enablers.
Additionally, there will be improvements in the coordination and collaboration among youth engagement structures, both in policy and practice. Enhanced capacities of youth leaders and activists will be crucial in fostering effective partnerships across all sectors. A government-backed, supportive policy environment will further facilitate meaningful youth participation in development activities, ensuring that youth can access relevant information and financial resources. With better credit facilities, loans, and youth-friendly financial products, the youth will have the means to actively contribute to and benefit from the country’s economic and developmental growth.
At the launch of YES 2063, Minister of Youth Uchizi Mkandawire remarked that young people are key in the realization of the Malawi 2063, hence the importance of the YES in defining how they will take a lead in its realization. “Malawi 2063 will only be realized with full involvement of the youth in its implementation,” he said.
The National Planning Commission (NPC) of Malawi will coordinate the implementation of the MW2063-YES, with the Malawi Ministry of Youth and Sports (MoYS) taking the leadership role in all these processes. The youth themselves, inclusive of out of school and rural youth, with support from the NPC, MoYS and NYCOM, will develop the annual workplans and design initiatives to give effect to the strategic objectives of the MW2063-YES. Trainings and resources in vernacular languages can be utilised to ensure smooth implementation.
Since the MW2063-YES is aligned to the MIP-1, its overall impact assessment will be done at the end of the ten-year implementation period. However, continuous monitoring and annual reviews will be undertaken under the MW2063 implementation oversight function coordinated by the NPC. Additionally, individual institutions will be responsible for reporting on the progress of their activities, challenges, and proposed interventions to address the challenges. An annual assessment will be conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of the MW2063-the YES and the proposed actions in light of the other dynamics encountered in the implementation. A comprehensive midterm review will be carried out after five years.
