Addis Ababa Hosts Forum Urging Youth Participation in UN Multilateral Reform

Addis Ababa – At the African Youth Consultative Forum on the UN Summit of the Future 2024, Felipe Paullier, the Assistant Secretary-General of Youth Affairs, called for active participation from young Africans in the reform of the United Nations system.

According to Ethiopian News Agency, who spoke during his keynote address, young people need to engage in global cooperation efforts and protect their interests by being part of the discussions leading up to the Summit of the Future. The forum serves as a preparatory event, aiming to encourage African youth to influence the outcomes of this significant future UN Summit, scheduled for September 2024.

The Summit of the Future is described as a pivotal opportunity to tackle global challenges and bridge gaps in current governance systems. Paullier emphasized the importance of youth involvement, stating that the future multilateral system needs to reflect the aspirations and needs of younger generations rather than continuing with outdated frameworks established by past generations.

During his speech, Paullier also highlighted the necessity of redefining meaningful engagement for the youth, focusing on addressing employment, mental health, and climate change challenges directly affecting them. He urged the young attendees to advocate to their governments, ensuring that their views are represented at the Summit.

Additionally, Paullier endorsed an open letter from the Youth Affairs office to global leaders, advocating for transformative changes in how multilateralism is approached to better tackle 21st-century challenges with updated, effective institutional mechanisms.

The Summit of the Future is expected to renew commitments to the Sustainable Development Goals and the United Nations Charter, aiming to build a revitalized multilateral system that can more effectively impact global well-being. The event will gather various stakeholders, including UN member states, NGOs, civil society, academia, the private sector, and notably, youth, under the theme, ‘Multilateral Solutions for a Better Tomorrow.’