Youth Empowerment

Today we updated the nation on the indigenisation of the mining sector.Like I said ,the progress to date is very encouraging and it has dawned upon all that the law of the land must be upheld.The cooperation and goodwill are key features in successful transformations.The empowerment program me is a very important development in the history of our nation and i am certain that at the end of the process ,we must see an empowered nation benefitting from her natural endowments.The world over,nations have developed on the back of their resources and endowments,Zimbabwe is no exception.The journey has been tough and ahead of us lie trying times as we implement the program me aimed at broad based and inclusive participation.The communities and workers occupy an important role in a democratic economy.The energies of our youths being called upon to embrace the mining industry as the future.


The visit to my office by the MDC(T) Youth leadership was interesting and illuminating.I came out of the meeting with a sense that the challenges that confront our young people are common.Empowerment of the youths and skills are key to developing young people who will be central in national development.The 1:30 hr meeting has opened to all communication that is vital in youth work and l commend them for the courage and desire to engage positively.A lot can be done to develop the youths and the meeting today has set on course a trajectory that we should build on.

Empowerment and Young Sables

President Mugabe greets Zimbabwe Under 19 rugby team Captain Sean Linfield and coach Bright Chivandire while Youth Development, Indigenisation and Empowerment Minister Saviour Kasukuwere looks on at State House yesterday


Comrades,

It's been a good day .In the morning ,the President of Zimbabwe met the Young Sables,Zimbabwe Junior Rugby Team.The youngsters make us proud.They have been winning big and had not received much coverage.I liked the young fighters and the President too was happy and encouraged them .I am sure this is encouraging many young people to strive for more success in various fields of endeavor.I have no doubt that the Presidents gesture will go a long way in motivating many of the youths in our country.

Empowerment,like l said yesterday,they is going to be no reverse.We remain ready to engage those who are positive and are willing to achieve a win win situation,that allows us to benefit from our resources and they too ,including recovering their initial investments.So let's continue to build our country and equitably share in these resources.

At the heart of all these efforts will be the communities and workers and our sovereign wealth fund.The communities and workers must benefit and we will change the circumstances of our people.This we are going to achieve.The law is there and l will implement it.Side shows and promises that it won't be implemented can only be believed by those who are not serious in terms of securing their investments and growing value for their shareholders.There is no point in denying shareholders to benefit by being positive ,lest you end up loosing.

Thank you all for your continued support ,let's remain strong .We are right and nothing will scare us.

2011 The Youths and Empowerment

2011 has come and 2010 is gone.We carry the joys and sorrows of the past year. Two things happened that l will never forget,graduating at the University and placing on the national agenda the empowerment program me.Gazetting the empowerment regulations ,to me,was to say,lets finalize the struggle for independence.

The young people in our country are everyday rising to the challenge and displaying amazing talent in all fields of endeavor .We had our youths making us proud,from Samson Muripo to Munya ,Zvavanjanja brought us the enterprise trophy.Young farmers are leading the way across the country,young traders ,manufacturers and industrialists are building our economy.The young people studying abroad continue to shine the world over and those in the diaspora are contributing to the growth of our nation.

Empowerment is firmly on the agenda and there is no going back.We just have to rise to the challenge .Economic apartheid is dead and opportunities must be created.Once again our workers ,the youths and women must be involved.Together we will grow our GDP and build a proud people and country.

Tomorrow l head to Masvingo to meet the young people and our indigenous entrepreneurs.We are going to succeed.Nothing will stop us and let our people enjoy their resources.Poverty must go ,but it can't be fought by the faint hearted and non believers.Let's have faith in ourselves and have policies and programmes that empower our people.Cast fear aside and let's move on.

Hon S Kasukuwere (M.P)

Minister of Youth, Indigenisation and Empowerment

ZIMBABWE`S POSITION PAPER ON YOUTH DEVELOPMENT

PAPER PRESENTED BY THE MINISTER OF YOUTH DEVELOPMENT, INDIGENISATION AND EMPOWERMENT, HON. SAVIOUR KASUKUWERE AT THE GOVERNMENT FORUM OF THE WORLD YOUTH CONFERENCE: LEON, MEXICO: 25 AUGUST 2010

Chairperson

Esteemed Guests

Ladies and gentlemen

On behalf of my country and President of the Republic of Zimbabwe, I would like to start by congratulating the Government and people of the Republic of Mexico for successfully hosting this 2010 World Youth Conference. As a country,   Zimbabwe,  we wish to associate ourselves with as well as  congratulate the people of  Mexico on their anniversary of 200 years of independence. My country is  now 30 years old and continues to transform the economy to become more inclusive.

Due to their energy, and their numbers, young people the world over contribute the most to the social, economic and political development of their countries and communities. They are central to the reform of national economies.  In much of Africa they were in the fore front in the fight for independence.

However, despite their energy and potential, young people remain economically marginalized. Most of them remain impoverished, are unemployed or under employed. They lack the opportunities to participate meaningfully in the economic development of their nations. They are the most vulnerable to HIV, AIDS and other health risks as well as other forms of abuse, especially the girl child. In my country Zimbabwe the illegal economic sanctions imposed by some Western countries have affected the successful implementation of some of the youth development programmes.

In Zimbabwe youth empowerment is considered to be key to youth development. There is need to   create equal opportunities for meaningful youth participation in the social, economic and political development of the nation. The future of any nation lies with its youth.  The youth should thus be placed at the centre of any development strategies and opportunities should be created for them to play a leading role in poverty reduction and economic development.

As a way to economically empower the indigenous people of Zimbabwe and reverse the unequal land ownership system, the Government embarked on a Land Reform and resettlement programme that resulted in more than 400 000 families being allocated land. Many young people benefited from this successful programme. The nation is beginning to see the positive results of the programme with increases in production such as in tobacco.

Furthermore, young people are set to benefit from the Indigenisation and Economic Empowerment Regulations that the Government of Zimbabwe has put in place.  In terms of the Regulations, indigenous people must own at least 51% shareholding of any company operating in Zimbabwe.  This indigenization programme thus has created opportunities for young people to take ownership and enter such sectors as mining, tourism, manufacturing, and agriculture. This programme will also go a long way in addressing the problems of youth unemployment and under employment.   Zimbabwe has vast mineral resources which must be used for the benefit of its young people. 

 Following the establishment of the Government of national Unity, young people of different political persuasions are  now working together under the umbrella of the National Youth Council. Through the Youth Council, youth are afforded the opportunity to participate through such forums as the Children`s Parliament and Junior Councils.

To enhance access to finance, the Government established the Youth Development Fund through which young people are able to access soft loans to support their projects. The Funds are accessed through participating banks.

Skills training is a critical component of the government`s youth development and employment creation programme. Through the vocational skills training centres and the community based Integrated Skills Outreach Programme (ISOP), many young people are accorded the opportunity to acquire technical skills to enable them to start their own projects and thus create employment for themselves and others. The Government supports these young entrepreneurs to acquire the basic start-up kits through the Youth Development Fund.

To facilitate a more coordinated approach to youth development efforts as well as to ensure that the current youth needs are addressed, the current National Youth Policy is being reviewed.  All stakeholders including young people themselves will be engaged in this process. In addition, the National Employment Policy has been developed.

Young people must be considered as assets and strategic partners in national development. They must be placed at the centre of socio-economic development strategies and they must be allowed to determine their own destiny for, as the young people themselves often say`, ``anything for them without them is against them``. Governments must thus create opportunities for young people to participate meaningfully in the social, political and economic development of their communities and nations by creating and putting in place the necessary enabling conditions, policies and legislative framework.

Developing nations must open up their massive resources for the benefit of their youths for it is the young people who are the engine of growth. Fellow ministers, we must design strategies that place the youth as the solution to the development problems countries are facing.

Development Partners and the Private sector must complement governments `efforts by channeling more resources towards supporting youth development programmes especially in the African continent.  They should not ´´think for us´´.  Undermining governments is counterproductive. They should not provide funding to youths to work against their governments.

Hon S Kasukuwere (M.P)

Minister of Youth, Indigenisation and Empowerment