Remarks by the President of the General Assembly,
Mr. Dennis Francis,
At the Youth4Water & Climate Connect: Networking Night,
Sunday 9 June 2024,
Dushanbe, Tajikistan
[As Delivered]
Ladies and?Gentlemen,?
Esteemed?Colleagues,?
Dear?Youth,
I?sincerely?thank the organizers for inviting me to?join you this evening?¨C?and it?is?indeed?my privilege.?
You?¨C the?young?people ¨C?represent?the voices of both the present and future generations.?
As critical agents of change,?you?are the torchbearers of our world?¨C?and?your active and sustained engagement?such as this?is?very much needed?to ensure access to?clean?water and sanitation for all, and to strengthen and deliver sustainable development and the SDGs.
Dear Friends,
Water and sanitation are at the core of sustainable development?¨C?underpinning?our efforts to address?poverty and hunger,?and?to?advance?economic growth and environmental sustainability.?
Access?to?clean?water and sanitation is now universally recognized as a fundamental human right?¨C?essential for health, education, gender equality, and development.?
Increasing?young people¡¯s?access to?clean?water can enormously?impact personal lives and futures?¨C particularly in?reducing?inequality.?
But ¨C in?many parts of the world?¨C?girls?are more likely to drop out of school?and lose their right to education simply?because?they are needed to collect water, among other?challenges.?
Recognizing the indispensable role water plays across all facets of society, it is imperative that we empower young people to actively engage in shaping policies and decisions related to water resources.?
This involvement is crucial for advancing our global agenda,especially the SDGs, and bolstering multilateralism?¨C?the cornerstone of?the United Nations, imperative for redirecting the current trajectory of tensions and conflicts.
My Dear Friends,?
We cannot take water availability and sustainability?for granted.
In this regard,?cooperation?in water-related matters?requires multi-stakeholder?commitment?¨C?including civil society, local communities, women, and especially,?you the?youth.?
Embracing a holistic approach to participation and decision-making across society is paramount for devising and implementing sustainable solutions for water management.?
Encouragingly, strides toward this goal?are?being made.?
As you may recall,?last?September?at the SDG Summit,?we?witnessed?a?significant leap?forward?¨C?as?Heads of?State and?Government recognized?the?pivotal?role of?you, the?young people,in?achieving?a more sustainable future.
The previous year,?in September 2022,?the General Assembly approved the establishment of the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ Youth Office?¨C?which?is critical in?spearheading?the advocacy?and integration?of youth issues across the United Nations?system and agenda.?
Efforts are also underway to negotiate a Declaration for Future Generations,?as part of the outcome of the upcoming Summit of the Future?in?September?¨C?setting?out a new vision for future generations and their?prosperity.?
These?initiatives?illustrate?that it is possible?and?necessary to?actively engage?youth in discussions and decision-making processes that affect their future.
As my contribution to these endeavors, in?April of this year, I?also?hosted?an event titled?#AskPGA: A Conversation with the Youth¨C?aimed?at involving young people in discussions about safeguarding the planet’s?ecosystems?and promoting sustainable production and consumption.?
Moreover, I?have been actively listening to the voices of youth worldwide?¨C?including?in our discussion today, to better grasp their interests and concerns.
I am also proud to share?that my office runs the PGA Fellowship Programme?¨C?offering a distinctive platform to amplify youth engagement and gather their insights on addressing the challenges they confront.
I urge?you, the?young?people, especially?those?from developing nations to seize this invaluable opportunity to deepen?your?understanding of?multilateralism,?the?work of the?General Assembly¨C which I am privileged?to lead?¨C?as well as the United Nations system at large.
I?must take a moment to commend?you all on the creation of the ‘Youth for Water and Climate Network¡¯ ¨C an?initiative?that?is especially timely given Tajikistan¡¯s?recent signing of?the Declaration on Children, Youth, and Climate Action.?
It is inspiring to see the youth of Tajikistan actively bridging their voices with the global community to influence climate mitigation and adaptation strategies?-and?¨C?I?encourage you to persist in these efforts and continue leading the way for a sustainable future.
Dear Friends,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
My office and I are always ready to engage with all stakeholders, including youth, at all levels to listen to their perspectives, ideas, and aspirations.?
Your?engagement?¨C the?youth?¨C?in?these processes will not only drive forward our global agenda but also ensure that we build a more sustainable, equitable, and prosperous world for future generations, while leaving no one behind.?
You ¨C the?youth?¨C?with?your?energy, innovation, and commitment, are at the?very?heart of this mission.?
Together,?I trust we can?fully?empower?you?to be the change-makers?of today?and?the confident and creative?leaders of tomorrow.
I thank you.
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