UN official urges African youth engagement in reform initiatives for better future
The Assistant Secretary-General of Youth Affairs, Felipe Paullier, has called for the active involvement of young Africans in the reform of the United Nations system, emphasizing the need to deepen global cooperation and protect their interests.
Paullier made these remarks during his keynote address at the African Youth Consultative Forum on the UN Summit of the Future 2024, held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
The forum served as a preparatory event aimed at mobilizing African youth to shape the outcomes of the upcoming UN Summit of the Future.
Highlighting the significance of the Summit of the Future, slated for September 2024, Paullier underscored it as a once-in-a-generation opportunity to bolster cooperation on critical challenges and address gaps in global governance.
He stressed the imperative for youth participation in the lead-up to the summit, asserting that multilateralism holds promise for youth inclusion in securing a better future.
Paullier emphasized the transformative potential of the summit, stating the urgent need for a revamped multilateral system suited to the contemporary world. He urged young people to actively engage in the process, urging them to advocate for their voices to be heard at both national and international levels.
Addressing the African youth specifically, Paullier urged the creation of mechanisms for meaningful engagement, particularly in tackling pressing issues such as unemployment, mental health challenges, and the climate crisis. He emphasized the importance of unpacking what constitutes meaningful engagement to address these issues effectively.
The Summit of the Future aims to reaffirm commitments to the Sustainable Development Goals and the United Nations Charter while advancing towards a revitalized multilateral system capable of positively impacting people’s lives.
