Kabul, 16 August 2016—President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani has challenged the young people of his country to be in the forefront in tackling the scourge of corruption.

“Today’s activists are indeed tomorrow’s leaders. The new generation is the nation’s voice and must step up the fight against the biggest enemy which is corruption” the head of state said.

The president also praised youth inventors, instructing the Ministry of Finance to extend financial supports to those who bring new innovations in the technological field.

This yeas event, organized by the Ministry of Youth Affairs, focused on how the youth in leading positions can ensure poverty eradication and achieving sustainable development through sustainable consumption and production.

The ceremony was attended by a number of government officials, UN special representative for Afghanistan Mr. Tadamichi Yamamoto, ambassadors and youth as well as the head of civil society organization. Mr. Yamamoto emphasized that the youth plays a key role in development and that the United Nation would spare no effort to support them.

Youth representative happy with recruitment of the youth in government

Youth representatives spoke and expressed their appreciation of the president’s efforts in recruitment of new and young representatives in government affairs and giving them a role to take decisions on important issues.

The Deputy Minister of Youths Affairs, Mr. Kamal Sadat, briefed the participants on the strategic plan to focus on higher education, health, sport, employment and good governance.

He added that in coordination with the educational institutions a number of the country’s youth have been introduced to higher and semi higher institutions of education on free of charge basis. This in accordance with a nation-wide campaign on youth recruitment in government institutions has paved the way for the young generation’s employment opportunities.

At the end, a number of youth who have brought achievements on different fields were praised by the president.

UN- Habitat was one of the supporters and organizer of the celebration of the International Youth Day. Beside these 25 beneficiaries of the Community Led Urban Infrastructure Program (CLUIP), female projects showcased their products, straw baskets and bakery products.

The UN secretary general’s special envoy to Afghanistan Mr. Yamamoto congratulated the international day of youth, adding that youth plays key role in development and United Nation would spare no effort to support them.