The risk of a resumption of violence in Africa’s post conflict countries will be significantly greater if states do not set in place inclusive, youth-focused policies and frameworks during the transition from conflict to peace. This policy brief, for which desktop research methods were used, argues that the African Union (AU) Post Conflict Reconstruction and Development (PCRD) framework is a critical anchor for any youth-focused response as it maintains that the African vision of regeneration and growth must be underpinned by the pursuit and achievement of long-term sustainable peace and development. It shows that the successful implementation of the PCRD framework is contingent on prioritising socioeconomic and political opportunities for the youth, who comprise the majority of Africa’s population. It explores the concept of youth-oriented policies and related programming and how they assist the emancipation of African youth in post-conflict states. The analysis focuses on the prospects and challenges of using national youth policies to spearhead youth inclusion in peace building, while analysing the AU’s attempts to put youth at the core of peace efforts. It
then recommends ways in which youth inclusion can be strengthened to ensure sustainable peace on the continent.
