Preparations have intensified ahead of the pre-validation phase of projects of the three-year Special Youth Plan put in place by the Head of State.

The Minister of Youth and Civic Education, Mounouna Foutsou chaired a meeting on Tuesday, special pre-validation session for the selection of projects for young beneficiaries of the “Special Youth” Triennial Plan (PTS) ) by videoconference on the instructions of the Head of State Paul Biya.

The Special Youth Plan, Mounouna Foutsou said, is a gift from the Head of State worth FCFA 102 billion FCFA and is intended to accelerate and facilitate the socio-economic integration of youth in the country.

The Minister used the opportunity to thank the Head of State prioritising the project in the recent bedget adjustment as a result of the COVID-19.

Statistics presented during the conference shows nearly one million young people have registered with the National Youth Observatory (ONJ) ​​and around 32,000 consolidated business plans.

On her part, the President of the National Youth Council, Fadimatou Iyawa, heaved a sigh of relief regarding the Head of State’s decision, indicating it is hope that is reborn among the youth who at one time believed in a reduction of the project’s budget with the outbreak of the Covid-19.

She thus urged the youth to massively register at the National Youth Observatory while those who have already registered to get to the appropriate quarters to follow up their files.

She also noted that the East Region has submitted a total number of 2620 projects with 75 percent of those in the agro-pastoral sector, 20 percent in service delivery, 4 percent in the digital economy and 1 percent in renewable energy. To that effect, 224 youth came together in 12 pioneer villages and 4 clusters as 60 of those projects have already been financed.