Former Child Soldier Nzita Seeks Andorra's Backing for Global Youth Protection Summit

Nzita, a former child soldier from the Democratic Republic of Congo, visited Andorra this week to meet with government leaders and advance preparations for the World Summit on Youth and Child Protection in Armed Conflict.

Accompanied by Mounira Van Buel, president of the international NGO Paix pour l'Enfance, Nzita presented the initiative to Head of Government Xavier Espot and Foreign Affairs Minister Imma Tor. He described the meetings as highly productive, noting the officials' strong commitment to addressing children affected by armed conflicts. The activists sought Andorra's support for a global awareness campaign aimed at ending child soldier recruitment.

Nzita was forcibly recruited at age 12 while studying at a boarding school in Kyondo. Soldiers stormed the school, shot the teachers, and loaded the students into trucks for military training. "We were in the right place—at school—at the wrong time, just as the war began," he recounted. He served for a decade, until his demobilization at 22, which he called the happiest day of his life.

Escape was impossible, Nzita explained. Armed captors forced other child soldiers to shoot attempted runaways as a deterrent. Today, he serves as an ambassador for the UN's "Prove it matters" initiative and campaigns worldwide with the message: "Children deserve notebooks and pens, not rifles."

The situation in Congo remains dire, he said, with dozens of children captured daily in ongoing violence. Over 300,000 child soldiers exist globally, about 60% in Congo, though exact figures are uncertain due to unreported cases. Armed groups, including the M23 backed by Rwandan troops, target children because they are cheap—no wages or rights—and easily manipulated amid war's high costs.

Nzita, now married with children and living in Ottawa, Canada, credits Swiss-funded therapy in Bern for helping him heal. He urged Andorran youth to appreciate their protective government and commit to peace, while calling on the world to support efforts for zero child soldiers. Political leaders and civilians must demand the release of captives and pursue justice, he stressed, without impunity for perpetrators. "Defend your cause through the ballot box, not arms," he advised groups seeking power.