Central African Republic: Youth and maternal health – Minister Héritier Doneng and UNFPA explore new avenues for collaboration in Bangui
BANGUI, Central African Republic — As part of strengthening cooperation between the Central African Republic and the United Nations system, a high-level meeting was held in Bangui between Héritier Doneng, Minister in charge of Youth Promotion, Sports, and Civic Education, and the Regional Director for Africa of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), based in Dakar, Senegal, who is currently on a working mission in the Central African capital.
The main objective of the working session was to examine the feasibility and implementation modalities of several strategic programs targeting young people and women. Discussions focused on three priority areas.
The first concerns youth volunteering; a key lever for fostering civic engagement, socio-professional integration, and peace consolidation in a country that views its youth as an engine of development.
The second topic addressed initiatives related to sexual and reproductive health. Faced with persistent challenges regarding access to care and family planning information, the ministry and UNFPA aim to intensify awareness-raising actions and tailored support services for the specific needs of adolescent girls and young women.
Finally, the reduction of infant mortality among young women was a central point of the discussions.
The Central African Republic, grappling with troubling health indicators, intends to benefit from the technical expertise and financial support of UNFPA to strengthen maternal and neonatal health systems, improve healthcare worker training, and ensure better follow-up for high-risk pregnancies.
Both parties welcomed the quality of the discussions and agreed to continue consultations in the coming weeks to finalize operational roadmaps.
The UNFPA Regional Director reaffirmed his institution’s commitment to working alongside Central African authorities to make youth and women’s health pillars of sustainable development.
This meeting illustrates the shared determination to transform demographic and health challenges into opportunities for future generations.
Gilbert FOTSO
