New York / Yaoundé – The conference “Children in Armed Conflict in Central Africa – Together for Prevention” recently concluded in Yaoundé, Cameroon, with the technical endorsement of a regional prevention strategy. This marks the world’s first regional prevention framework of its kind since the establishment of the United Nations mandate on Children and Armed Conflict nearly thirty years ago.
The conference in Yaoundé was organized by the Office of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict in partnership with the Government of Cameroon, the United Nations Regional Office for Central Africa (UNOCA), and United Nations partner organizations in Cameroon. Representatives from eleven Central African countries—Angola, Burundi, Cameroon, the Central African Republic, Chad, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, the Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, and São Tomé and Príncipe—participated in the event. Also in attendance were representatives of the African Union Commission, the Office of the African Union Special Envoy on Children Affected by Armed Conflict, the African Committee of Experts on the Rights and Welfare of the Child, the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS), and the African Union Youth Ambassador for Peace for Central Africa. Representatives of various United Nations entities, civil society organizations, and other stakeholders also took part in the conference.
“Central Africa is leading the way in preventing children and armed conflict,” said Vanessa Frazier, United Nations Assistant Secretary-General and Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict. She commended the eleven countries of the region for this “encouraging achievement” and welcomed Cameroon’s commitment to hosting the conference.
The conference focused in depth on the challenges related to children and armed conflict, as well as on best practices from across the region. Participants also explored opportunities to strengthen partnerships and coordinated approaches to ending and preventing grave violations against children. Central to the discussions was the development and technical endorsement of a regional prevention strategy—a policy framework through which participating States commit themselves to preventing grave violations against children and strengthening child protection at both the regional and national levels.
The conference concluded with the technical endorsement of the prevention strategy by the eleven participating States. The strategy is now expected to be adopted at ministerial level during the next meeting of the United Nations Standing Advisory Committee on Security Questions in Central Africa (UNSAC), which will take place in Libreville in November 2026. At its meetings in Kigali (2023) and Malabo (2025), the Committee had called for the development of such a strategy and for the organization of the regional conference. The strategy will subsequently be submitted to the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS) for formal endorsement.
Participants also had the opportunity to learn more about the “Prove It Matters” campaign, launched by the Office of the Special Representative, and to engage directly with its representatives. During the conference, Cameroon officially announced its intention to join the campaign.
Alongside the conference, the Office of the Special Representative also held bilateral meetings with representatives of the Government of Cameroon and with United Nations partner organizations.
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