Landing in Namibia for the 1st Commonwealth Youth Ecosystem Stakeholders Consultative Dialogue, amongst delegates from across the region, I felt empowered by the unique opportunity to be part of this new consultation.
The conference centred on drafting the Windhoek Declaration, submitted by the Commonwealth Youth Council (CYC) Executive Committee to the larger Commonwealth Secretariat.
”This declaration restructures the Commonwealth Youth Council and introduces new clauses in the domains of climate, education, and digitalisation. It holds great power in furthering the space of youth governance and will directly feed into discussions at the upcoming CHOGM (Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting) 2026 in Antigua and Barbuda.
Jasmine BrittanUK Young Ambassador and member of the Youth Advisory Group for Youth Council UK
As a UK delegation, we focused on the target areas of our mandate while also working to build stronger relationships with delegates from across the region. Specific focus areas included advocating for marginalised communities and championing climate change resilience.
After three flights to Hosea Kutako International Airport, we arrived on the first day and took a ministry car to central Windhoek, and the beautiful Windhoek Country Club where the consultation was taking place.
That evening’s cultural activity was an exclusive showing of Skeleton Coast—a new film entirely produced in Namibia with a pan-African cast, at the Ster-Kinekor cinema at The Grove Mall. We even had the chance to participate in a Q&A with the actors and producers, who spoke about the challenges of filming in the middle of the desert.
The next day the real work began as we delved into the thematic areas proposed by the CYC Executive Committee. With one pillar of my election manifesto focusing on increasing public transport services for young people across all member states, I was especially interested in the climate leadership sessions, where my co-delegates and I debated the intricacies of climate finance. That evening we further enjoyed incredible Namibian hospitality, as two friends took us to a local restaurant, Petpata, where we tried a multitude of new food from mopane worms, to kapana (beef) and Zambezi bream.
Bright and early the following morning, we stopped at Slowtown for coffee to fuel up before heading to the General Assembly. This was the most critical day of the conference, as the decisions made informed the final declaration and determined which of the seven motions would proceed to the revisionary stage. Straight after the 8 hour session of voting, we had some welcome respite with a visit to CcHub—an entrepreneurship hub empowering young people in the innovation ecosystem.
On the final day, we wrapped everything up with a tree-planting community event at Westmont High School, followed by a quick tour of Windhoek’s tourist attractions and the last report amendment session. After a short break, we explored local street food at Oshetu Community Market before the closing ceremony that evening. This final event was a highlight. It gave us a chance to reflect on how far we had come in just a few days and to connect more personally, learning from the diversity of backgrounds represented at the consultation. We even had the privilege of listening to speeches from the Prime Minister of Namibia, Elijah T. Ngurare, and Minister of Education, Innovation, Youth, Sport, Arts and Culture, Sanet Steenkamp.
Collaborating with such passionate young leaders was an absolute privilege, and the warmth of hospitality we received throughout our stay was incredible. I’m already looking forward to returning one day to explore more of the desert and the country’s beautiful coastline!
