Okumu David Kadoketch

I JUST MET THE COP 31 PRESIDENT, THE HONORABLE MURAT KURUM AND HE IS ADDING HIS VOICE TO AMPLIFY THE AFRICAN YOUTH POSITION PAPER ON CLIMATE CHANGE AND HEALTH! It started as a quiet dream in 2024. I wanted young people across the continent to have one clear, united voice on the nexus between climate change and health not as an afterthought, but as a force capable of shaping the conversation. That year, I had the privilege of leading the drafting of the first youth position paper on climate change and health, which was later launched by @AfricaCDC. It was a beginning. A foundation. Proof that our voices could move from the margins into formal spaces. That paper gave me the courage to go further. Together with @AfricaCDC, @WHOAFRO, @Amref_Worldwide, @YACT_Africa and @RegenerateAfri, we have begun building a more targeted youth position paper; one that truly reflects the lived realities, ideas, and urgency of young people across Africa. We have held two consultations so far, with more on the way. Every conversation has made the document stronger and the vision clearer. Today, that journey took a powerful new turn. Meeting the Honorable Murat Kurum and seeing him open the door for us to bring these youth voices directly onto the road towards COP 32 felt like an invitation to help redefine that road so health is no longer treated as a side issue, but woven into every climate discussion. This is an opportunity for amplification. A chance to show that young people are not waiting to be included; we are already building the path. I am so grateful to everyone who has stood with us from the beginning. The dream is still growing, and the momentum is real.