NEW YORK: The Gulf Cooperation Council’s (GCC) Group at the UN stressed late Monday the importance of involving youth in the processes of implementing peace and resolving conflicts, stressing that such actions were crucial. Delivering a speech on behalf of the group at the meeting discussing the UN worldwide report on youth, Kuwait Permanent Representative at the UN headquarters in New York, Ambassador Tareq Al-Banai said that youth’s involvement in resolving disputes was key to generational justice and future development.
Youth partaking in UN functions should be protected from vengeful acts and threats, which would provide a safe environment for proactive participation, he asserted. He pointed out that the presence of youth in international government operations was becoming increasingly prominent, citing the UN Future Summit and other UN meetings as prime examples of youth involvement in decision-making.
He commended the UN Youth Office for its relentless efforts to highlight the voice of youth, saying it was an integral aspect in dialogue and UN policies. The Kuwaiti diplomat lauded, on behalf of the GCC Group, the UN report on youth, which reiterated the intention to invest in upcoming generations. The UN Youth Office, since its inception, has become one of the cornerstones of peace, security, sustainable development, and human rights, said the Ambassador.
The office, through its actions, had worked with 60 UN organs and 132 teams despite only having 16 employees, a matter reflecting strong partnership and commitment to group work towards issues of youth importance, he asserted.Ambassador Al-Banai called for providing sustainable resources to the UN Youth Office to enable it to continue its important mission.
The Ambassador also praised the office for its active communication with permanent missions in the UN, furthering efforts related to youth at the international organization’s meetings.He added that it was important to include the youth in training and work force development programs within the UN context, which would act as a guarantee to build a brighter future for the UN and the world.
He welcomed the implementation of the second stage of the UN youth strategy for 2025-30, which is centered on youth empowerment as part of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).On the upcoming celebrations of the UN’s 80th anniversary, Kuwait Permanent Representative said that enabling the youth and protecting their voices would help bolster international organizations for years to come, affirming that such actions would ensure peace, justice, and sustainability. — KUNA
