Ameen Abdul, a Nigerian native from Ilorin, Kwara State capital, has been elected as the new President of the African Youth Network of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies in Africa. At the age of thirty, Abdul is the first Nigerian to hold this esteemed position.
The election took place during the 10th PAN African Summit in Nairobi, Kenya under the theme “Renewing Investment in Africa.”
In a tightly contested race representing Nigeria, Abdul emerged victorious with 25 votes, surpassing his Ethiopian counterpart who had 11 votes. Similarly, Djamira Zorom from Burkina Faso secured the position of Deputy President, triumphing over her closest opponent from Zimbabwe by 20 votes to 15.
In his address to the conference, Abdul expressed his commitment to prioritize gender and linguistic inclusion within the organization. He emphasized the importance of English, Arabic, French, and Portuguese as the major working languages of the African Youth Network, aligning with the languages spoken by the different national societies.
Furthermore, Abdul outlined his vision for resource mobilization, capacity development, and various other initiatives. He stated, “My mission and vision include ensuring inclusion, promoting gender equality, linguistic diversity, and accommodating physical challenges.”
He emphasized the significance of creating an inclusive network where women are given equal opportunities to thrive and succeed. Additionally, Abdul reiterated the organization’s commitment to supporting physically challenged members, ensuring their active participation in all activities. The new President also highlighted the imperative of proper resource mobilization mechanisms to enable effective engagement in relief efforts.
Abdul further pledged to focus on capacity building for young people across Africa. Through various platforms, young individuals will receive mentorship, guidance, and the necessary support to become catalysts of behavioral and developmental change in their respective communities.
The PAN African Summit brought together delegates from 53 African countries, along with esteemed guests such as President of Kenya, William Ruto; Deputy President of the Republic of Kenya, Geoffrey Rigathi Gachagua; Prime Cabinet Secretary, Musalia Mudavadi; Minister of Youth and Sports, Republic of Kenya, Ababu Namwamba; and Minister of Defence, Aden Bare Duale. Notable attendees also included Francesco Rocca, President of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies; Elder Bolaji Anani, Vice President of Africa of the IFRC; Mohammed Omer Mukhier-Abuzein, IFRC Regional Director; and Bas Van Rossum, Global Youth Chair of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, among others.
