FAILURE to harness young people as a positive resource as well as failing to invest in their development is something Solomon Islands cannot afford.

Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Women, Youth, Children and Family Affairs (MWYCFA), Ms. Ethel Sigimanu strongly made the statement during the official opening of the national youth dialogue yesterday at the Heritage Park Hotel.

Yesterday was the first day of a three day national dialogue with women and provincial youth leaders representing all nine provinces.

The PS told the participants and stakeholders yesterday that establishing an effective policy framework for youth development in Solomon Islands is a key priority of the national Government.

“Young people must be involved in shaping policy designs as they are a positive force for nation building.

“This is why this national dialogue continually seeks to enable young people to play key roles in the development of the 3-tier policy framework,” said Ms. Sigimanu.

The 3-tier policy framework is the new National Youth Policy (NYP), Strategic Framework for Youth Development in Solomon Islands (SFYDSI) and the proposed National Youth Employment Strategy (NYES).

“With your energy, enthusiasm, maturity and willingness to engage constructively in the policy development process, there is hope that the national youth policy framework will be rightly pitched and appropriately focused on the needs of Solomon Islands youth,” PS Sigimanu added.

Today day two of the three day national dialogue continues at the Heritage Park Hotel.