The first meeting of the Commonwealth Youth Ministers in the Africa Region was held in Yaounde on Monday in the presence of Prime Minister Philemon Yang, representing the head of State.

21 countries of the Commonwealth including Britain, Cyprus and Malta area, participated in this meeting that occurs as a prelude to the celebration of the 49th national youth day in Cameroon on Monday, February 9, 2015.

At the opening of the work, the Prime Minister Philemon Yang, representing the head of State invited young people to make productive choices and reject terrorism.

He placed emphasis on the position that young people must occupy in each country to embark resolutely on the voice of development. However, experts have set the scene where the 1.2 billion people that live in the francophone space, include 62% of youth.

Most of these youth who are less than 30 years are subjected to the horrors of the marginalization. They face the proliferation of hotbeds of tension and thus face the temptation to join armed gangs such as Boko Haram and Al-Shabaab.

Thus, the work in Yaoundé is intended to promote the empowerment of youth through the young employment and inclusion in decision making as tracks to reduce their vulnerability to the temptation to strengthen the hotbeds of tension by Boko Haram and Al-Shabaab among others.

Participants at the first meeting of its kind will take part in the solemn parade of the 49th national youth day slated for February 11, in Yaoundé.