A coalition of youth organizations is demanding the peace parties to allocate 75 seats for youth at the national parliament when the unity government is formed.
The parties to the revitalized peace agreement are expected to form the Revitalized Transitional Government of National Unity this Saturday.
In an open letter addressed to the peace parties, the youth representatives in various peace mechanisms say, they want to see more youth in the parliament.
The parties are now discussing the cabinet portfolio sharing and submission of the list of nominees in line with Chapter One of the 2018 peace accord.
Executive Director of Christian Agency for Peace and Development and a member of the youth coalition organization, Peter Malir Biar, said:
“In the transitional government of national unity, we expect 45 youth MPs out of 332 members. In the SPLM-IO, we expect 25 youth MPs out of 128. In SSOA, five youth MPs out of 50. SPLM Former Detainees, we expect one youth MP out of 10. In Other Political parties, two youth MPs out of 30. We expect that the next parliament shall have at least 75 youth MPs drawn from the three greater regions of Equatoria, Upper Nile and Bahr el Ghazal.”
Malir argued that their proposal to have 75 youth MPs is to ensure the needs of young people are adequately addressed in the government.
Meanwhile youth activist Wani Michael says young people should also be appointed as ministers and state governors.
“As we form the government the R-TGoNU, it is important to appreciate the participation of youth in the parliament, the participation of youth in the council of ministers even the participation of youth in the 10 governorships,” Michael asserted.
According to the 2008 Sudan Housing and Population Census, the youth make up 70 percent of the population.