CCJS - Mbaye Kébé warns: "September 29th must not be just a ceremony"

The Senegalese Youth Advisory Council (CCJS), created to replace the National Youth Council, was officially installed this Tuesday, September 29. In an interview with L'Observateur, its president, Mbaye Kébé, presents this new body as a "space for dialogue, representation, proposals and responsibility" between young people and institutions.

The CCJS's mission is to formulate opinions and recommendations on public policies for young people, to strengthen their representation in decision-making bodies, and to bring their concerns from local communities to the forefront. Mbaye Kébé emphasizes the need to move beyond "a culture of complaining" towards "a culture of proposing solutions."

When questioned about youth employment, he emphasized the structural nature of the problem and suggested several solutions: better alignment between training programs and the needs of the economy, the creation of productive jobs in the private sector, support for entrepreneurship, and increased awareness of existing programs. He also advocated for greater transparency and equal opportunities in access to employment, arguing that a young person's future should not depend on their "network of contacts."

For the interviewee of the Groupe Futurs Médias newspaper, the stakes go far beyond protocol. He thus sends a clear message to the authorities: "September 29th must not be just an installation ceremony. It must be the starting point for a new dynamic of civic participation for young people," in order to make this body a true framework for proposals serving the Vision Senegal 2050.