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3 June 2022<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n My dear young friends,<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Thank you so much to the Stockholm+50 Youth Taskforce for inviting me to this important event, to listen to your views and policy recommendations.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n As the President of the General Assembly, I represent the 193 member states and their wishes. I am guided by them.<\/span> \u00a0<\/span>At the same time, there are issues that I champion \u2013 that are close to my<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>heart too. Youth is one of them.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n I fully acknowledge the role of youth and civil society as important<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>stakeholders in any country to advance the SDGs.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n As you may know, throughout my Presidency, I have emphasized the theme of ‘Hope’. I chose ‘Hope’ as the theme of my Presidency because at this critical time when the world is battling multiple crises, Hope is what will bring people together, motivate communities to work together, and start to build back a more resilient world.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n I see young people as our greatest hope. The future belongs to you, the<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>young people, and therefore you can rightly and must demand a role in<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>shaping the future.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n But the present is also your present. You are also living through this time; you are also affected by this time. And you have a right to be consulted. And you should demand your right to be heard. I wholeheartedly endorse your call to the Governments to include you, in decision making processes at all levels.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n There cannot be discussions on your future, on the planet you will inherit, on issues that will affect you in the future, but also now, without you.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Reflecting on your policy recommendations, I appreciate the wide range of proposals you have presented for the consideration of Governments.<\/span><\/p>\n Protecting and Restoring ecosystems will be the overall objective of<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>stakeholders when they meet to adopt the Post 2020 Global Biodiversity <\/span>Framework later this year. The new biodiversity framework will set out<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>targets and milestones, that address pollution, protection of land and ocean, reducing pesticide use, eliminating plastic waste, and increasing financial resources.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Earlier this year, at Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵEA 5.2, Governments agreed to start working on an internationally legal binding instrument by 2024 to end plastic pollution.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n I was in Abidjan in May, where a host of decisions were adopted to address land degradation and drought, and addresses more robust monitoring and data to track progress, new political and financial impetus to help nations deal with drought and build resilience. The 2.5-billion-dollar Abidjan Legacy Programme will help future proof supply chains while tackling deforestation and climate change.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n At the end of this month, we will meet again in Lisbon to review our<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>commitments on protecting our ocean.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n On my part, on 19 July, I will be holding at the General Assembly, a<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>\u201cMoment for Nature\u201d. This will be an opportunity to reflect on how to<\/span> achieve greater synergies between the key conferences on the<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>environment and sustainable consumption and production during the<\/span> 76th session, including the 3 COPs on Climate, Desertification and<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>Biodiversity.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Achieving the Paris Agreement\u2019s 1.5 degrees target and safeguarding<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>humanity\u2019s future will require greater coordination than ever before on<\/span> reducing Green House Gas emissions, protecting biodiversity on land and sea, restoring life to degraded land and soils, tackling pollution and<\/span> achieving circular economies.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The High Level Thematic Debate aims to contribute to this integrated<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>approach, to support urgently achieving the level of cohesion needed among the global environmental work streams to the levels needed.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Promoting solutions to common bottlenecks affecting the entire<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>environmental agenda will be central to rapidly accelerate implementing the SDGs for sustainable and resilient COVID-19 recoveries.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n So, my dear friends, there is some momentum. There is recognition of the challenges. But I agree with you \u2013 we are not moving nearly fast enough. We need to accelerate our actions. We need to meet our words with action.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span>This is where you can come in. The world needs young people to keep<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>speaking out against these challenges, raise their voice and keep up the<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>pressure.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Youth must assume leadership role in climate action advocacy, demanding scaled up ambitions to reduce carbon emissions, as part of transformation to address the triple planetary crisis of climate change, nature and biodiversity loss, and pollution.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The burdens of these challenges will one day fall on you, the young. We<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>owe it to you to not only work to quickly and effectively to resolve the<\/span> challenges I have spoken about, but to also equip you with the knowledge and skills you will need to one day take on our responsibilities.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span>I agree with you here again, we need to invest in you. Help you build your capacities. Support your programmes. This is the reason why I have launched a PGA Fellowship Programme for HOPE, in which 8 promising young diplomats from some of the world’s most under-represented countries can work at my Office and gain valuable multilateral experience.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Now, to the question of how I could support you. I make a promise to you, I will continue to meet with you, as I have done since I assumed the Presidency 8 months ago. I will continue to hear you out. Hear your ideas and your views.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n I promise that I will always ensure youth participation in the events I<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>hold. Whether it is on the environment, or peace, or migration or human<\/span> rights \u2013 whatever the theme, youth voices will be heard in the General<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>Assembly.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n I will continue to advocate for your ideas, for your issues. Please<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>continue to share them with me. I will use every opportunity I can to support you.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span>This is my promise to you all. Thank you once again for the opportunity to hear you today.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Stockholm, Sweden<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":361,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":" Excellencies, colleagues,<\/p> I welcome you all to our second meeting and our first interaction following the resumed part of the session.<\/p> Before I begin, I would like to recognize the loss of our dear friend and esteemed colleague, Ms. Gail Farngalo.<\/p> A Liberian national, Gail was my Team Leader for Human Rights and was active on gender during both the 75th<\/sup> and 76th<\/sup> sessions. She leaves behind a legacy of achievements and a groundswell of respect and affection from across the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ and diplomatic communities. Her presence is certainly felt here today.<\/p> Colleagues,<\/p> When I took on this Presidency of Hope, I pledged to make gender equality a priority area for the 76th<\/sup> session. I continue to look to the board for its wisdom and expertise, as I endeavour to fulfil that pledge.<\/p> In this regard, I have already benefited from the board\u2019s advice, from when we met on October 28th<\/sup> last year.<\/p> Acting on that advice, I committed to ensuring that all my five rays of hope, and all my major initiatives, are approached with a gender lens.<\/p> I made sure that the composition of my office is gender-balanced.<\/p> I have committed to participating only in panels that have equal gender representation.<\/p> Throughout my official interactions and travels, I have endeavoured to meet with women, including heads of states and governments, scientists, civil society representatives, and youth.<\/p> And I am proud to inform you that five young women have been recruited into the Fellowship for HOPE<\/em> that my office recently launched. The Fellowship as you are well aware is targeted at benefiting young diplomats from underrepresented countries, pursuing careers in diplomacy or public service.<\/p> Colleagues,<\/p> While recognizing that we have a long way to go in the battle for gender-equality, I am proud of what my team has been able to accomplish within the past few months.<\/p> Our work continues.<\/p> We will continue to raise our voices on issues disproportionately impacting women, such as domestic violence and work place harassment. We will continue to push the importance of gender-equal work spaces.<\/p> And we will continue to find new paths to empower young women with ambitious professional aspirations.<\/p> Now is not the time to rest on our laurels.<\/p> With the board\u2019s guidance and support, we must use the many opportunities over the coming months to further empower women and girls, and dismantle discriminatory practices against them.<\/p> There are several upcoming events that will provide us such opportunities. I look forward to the board\u2019s suggestions on how we can best utilize them.<\/p> As an example, the International Day of Women and Girls in science is fast approaching. We must recognize that women\u2019s contributions in science and technology have helped us cure diseases; discover new horizons in space; and develop technologies that have vastly improved our quality of life.<\/p> As we celebrate their achievements, we must also open pathways for young girls who aspire to follow in the footsteps of pioneers in science and technology.<\/p> Colleagues,<\/p> Let us also reflect that the theme chosen by the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women for this year is on \u201cachieving gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls in the context of climate change, environmental and disaster risk reduction policies and programmes\u201d.<\/p> As we strive to meet our obligations to the planet, let us recognize the important work done by women and girls at the forefront of the climate crisis, and whose humanitarian work in disaster-stricken areas has helped save lives and rebuild communities. We owe it to them to not only celebrate their work but to support them.<\/p> Colleagues,<\/p> Our programme of work for the months ahead has been circulated to members prior to the meeting, for consideration and feedback. Please note that the events we have planned are not exhaustive. I welcome further suggestions from the board on the content and format of future events and activities.<\/p> Colleagues,<\/p> We have made much progress within a short while. And with the board\u2019s support and guidance, I am sure that we can keep up this strong momentum.<\/p> I look forward to working alongside all of you to achieve our vision of a gender-equal world.<\/p> Thank you.<\/p>","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[111],"tags":[550,556,553],"committee-meeting":[],"class_list":["post-266939","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-speeches","tag-ga","tag-pga","tag-shahid","et-doesnt-have-format-content","et_post_format-et-post-format-standard"],"yoast_head":"\n