The agreements also aim to improve response mechanisms and reinforce regional cooperation in child protection.
The first memorandum was concluded with the National Coordination of the Disarmament, Demobilization, Community Recovery and Stabilization Program (P-DDRCS) of the Democratic Republic of Congo, with the objective of supporting ongoing efforts for the rehabilitation and reintegration of children associated with armed groups.
The second agreement was signed with the Reception, Rehabilitation and Reintegration Center for Children of Koundoul (CNARREV) in Chad, a specialized institution dedicated to assisting vulnerable minors and children in conflict with the law.
A third memorandum now links CIRPES with the “Kenya Quakers Peace Initiative”, an organization committed to preventing child recruitment, combating juvenile delinquency and promoting community resilience in Kenya.
The fourth agreement establishes a partnership with “Local Youth Corner Cameroon” (LOYOC), an organization recognized for its rehabilitation and reintegration programs for young people affected by violence and extremism in the Lake Chad Basin.
Speaking to the press, CIRPES President Abdelkader Filali stated that the signing of these agreements marks a pivotal milestone for the Center, four years after its creation. He added that the “Rabat Declaration”, adopted at the conclusion of the African Ministerial Conference on Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration (DDR) of child soldiers held in the Moroccan capital, strengthens the achievements of the Paris Principles and the Vancouver Principles of 2017.
This new framework, he continued, represents major progress by reinforcing the coherence of international commitments and paving the way for renewed efforts toward effective and sustainable reintegration of children affected by armed conflict.
For his part, the National Coordinator of the PDD-RCS of the DRC, Ntanga Ntita Jean de Dieu Désire, stated that these partnerships will strengthen national capacities, improve the production of reliable field data and support decision-making regarding prevention of child recruitment and their long-term reintegration into communities.
The signing ceremony was attended by the Director of CNAREEV of the Republic of Chad, Fatime Ousmane Ali, the Director of Peace and Security Programs at the Quakers Peace Initiative of Kenya, Odera Christine Achieng of the Republic of Kenya, and the Director of Local Youth Corner Cameroon, Achaleke Christian Leke, along with several African consuls general based in Dakhla.
Editorial team/le7tv