Thank you, Mr. President. I would like to thank Malta for organizing this meeting, and I’m grateful to our briefers for their enlightening presentations. I’d also like to welcome the Ambassador of China to his first Council meeting – it’s mine as well.
During the Summit for Democracy last month, President Biden shared his view that, through the full and equal participation of all our citizens, we can unleash human potential and put ourselves in the best position to take on our shared challenges.
These overlapping challenges, which include conflict, food insecurity, displacement, shrinking civic space, and climate-related issues, are not just problems young persons will inherit tomorrow but also struggles they – and we – encounter today.
Young persons, in all their diversity, are grappling with these issues now. This is why an intersectional, interdisciplinary, and intergenerational approach is being taken at the UN Security Council. It is clear that young persons are both profoundly impacted by these shared challenges and also play a vital role in solving them.
Progress has been made in implementing the YPS agenda. There has been collective advocacy for adding language within peacekeeping missions' mandates calling for meaningful youth participation in peace and security processes. Support will continue for operationalizing YPS within challenging contexts.
It is known that women and girls are disproportionately affected by climate-related instability and conflict-related sexual violence. Strategies have been diligently worked on to ensure this is reflected through full implementation of both WPS and YPS agendas.
When conflict erupts, young people lose months or years of education and face unspeakable violence while experiencing rapid narrowing of opportunities vital to a livelihood: reliable access to food, health services, education, and employment.
Young persons in the Mediterranean are currently experiencing great trauma with long-lasting effects. Their healing and meaningful participation in peace dialogues will be essential components of durable peace.
Young people need to be part of building the future they will inhabit; their contributions are invaluable. Young people in Israel and Gaza are profoundly affected by conflict; their meaningful participation in dialogues is essential for sustainable peace.
In Libya, U.S. support focuses on building Libyan civilian institutions' capacity through disarmament programs that can be scaled up as opportunities arise. These programs support opportunities for young persons; there is a commitment to advocating for youth perspectives inclusion in design and implementation.
A Congolese saying states: “When the youth play the drums, the elders can also dance.” Across challenging contexts globally support exists for peacekeeping missions incorporating young people into community dialogue using a youth lens.
Through mandates protecting civilians promoting respect for human rights supporting inclusive peace processes UN peacekeeping missions work towards ensuring young persons meaningfully participate in security processes worldwide including Mediterranean projects addressing multiple facets of insecurity such as UNFICYP’s “Youth Champions for Environment & Peace.”
There remains much work ahead requiring collaboration providing missions sufficient empowerment integrating YPS fully into operations promoting intergenerational dialogue reflecting outcomes responsive across affected groups concluding with empowering youth addressing serious concerns from climate economic opportunity conflict continuing cooperation promoting positive societal contributions overall security goals broadly speaking.
Thank you.