DAR ES SALAAM: THE United Nations (UN) Tanzania has engaged youths in the Summit of the Future which aims at heightening their participation on implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and global governance.
SDGs under the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development Goals are an urgent call for action adopted in 2015 by all countries in a global partnership recognizing that ending poverty and other deprivations must go hand-in-hand with strategies that encompass improving health and education and spur economic growth while tackling climate change effects.
Speaking at a youth consultation event which was held at the UN Tanzania’s headquarter office on Tuesday in Dar es Salaam, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation’s Director of the Department of Multilateral Cooperation, Ambassador Noel Kaganda said the event underscored the significance of youths’ involvement on addressing global pressing challenges including climate change effects and persisting political instability.
The consultation event also entailed youths’ conversations on the country’s upcoming National Development Vision 2050 by exploring key areas such as digital innovation and inclusion.
Amb Kaganda commended the UN Tanzania for timely organizing the event saying it is a clear testimony that the country’s youth voices matter as the world body prepares for hosting the Summit of the Future on September 22 and 23 this year in New York, US.
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He said youths are the main workforce who upon fully engaged in global decision making and planning can bring desired results including political stability and creation of more jobs.
“Youths are a great natural asset for our nation, it is therefore imperative that we continue to harness and nurture their talents while also empowering them,” Amb Kaganda said while gracing the event.
Adding, “Youth voices matter, matter a great deal, we must ensure you are at the table when the world deliberates important matters concerning the present and future youths,”
Highlighting, the summit that will bring government leaders from the across the world and youth representatives, Amb Kaganda said it intend on restoring global trust and cooperation, promote inclusive engagement, renew commitment on achieving the SDGs and inspire future oriented governance.
The Summit is a high-level event, bringing world leaders together to forge a new international consensus on how they deliver a better present and safeguard the future.
In that regard he urged the energetic people who forms over 70 per cent of the country’s population to utilize the Summit of the Future’s consultation event to gain inspiration for making positive change in country.
Amb Kaganda called upon youths to refrain from being used by people with ill intent to fuel political violence or any social vices that undermine beating of the SDGs.
United Nations Population Fund for Population Activities’s (UNFPA) Country Representative, Mr Mark Schreiner on behalf of the the Resident Coordinator of the UN System, Mr Zlatan Milisic noted the discussions on the Summit of the Future enable youths to align global strategies with national development goals.
“Ensuring that you are not just observer but active contributor to global progress,” Mr Schreiner said.
Furthermore, he reaffirmed the UN Tanzania’s commitment on continuing to support youth led initiatives toward achieving the SDGs and prosperity of the human capital in the East African Country.
World leaders at the forthcoming Summit of the Future are expected to adopt the Pact of the Future which will be composed of five chapters pertaining to promotion of peace, fostering inclusivity in global governance and establishment of the Global Digital Compact which is a binding framework for enhancing appropriate use of emerging technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Internet of Things (IoT) across the world.
