EU Statement – UN Security Council: Role of Young Persons in Addressing Security Challenges in the Mediterranean

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I have the honour of speaking on behalf of the European Union and its Member States.

The Candidate CountriesNorth Macedonia^*,Montenegro^*,Serbia^*,Albania^*,the Republic of Moldova, Bosnia and Herzegovina^*and Georgia,align themselves with this statement.

The European Union has long been a staunch supporter of youth empowerment and the full, effective and meaningful engagement of youth in decision-making processes.

We applaud and encourage the large numbers of young persons and youth-led and youth-focused organisations seeking to engage with democratic processes at the global, regional, national and local levels, and we want to make sure that their voices are taken into account.

Young persons are key agents of positive change in peace and security, and they play an important role in conflict prevention, peacekeeping, conflict resolution and peacebuilding. However, while many young human rights defenders and peacebuilders are seeking to participate in peace and security work, they all too often still end up being excluded from decision-making processes. Their specific agency, insights and needs are therefore insufficiently reflected in policymaking. For young women and young persons from marginalised groups, barriers such as discriminatory laws and institutions make participation even harder. This tendency is particularly concerning in geographic areas with large youth populations, which includes many conflict-affected areas.

Young persons are frequently among the most affected in conflict-situations globally. At the same time, the impact of climate change threatens humanity itself and jeopardises aspirations of intergenerational equity. We need to recognise the links between the Youth, Peace and Security agenda and climate security, and ensure the meaningful participation of young persons in the development and implementation of climate policies. It is important to ensure that the voices of youth are systematically integrated into climate discussions. Their views and perspectives can bring fresh solutions and new impetus for both climate and peace work.

We welcome the advancements by Member States and regional organisations in institutionalising the YPS agenda. Nevertheless, we are concerned that actual implementation remains slow. The UN system, the Security Council and Member States and regional organisations must do more to support young persons in fulfilling their full potential as a positive force for building peaceful and resilient societies.

The European Union therefore continues to be deeply committed to the full implementation of the YPS agenda, the first-ever policy framework for a strategic partnership with young people globally. We strive to strengthen this dimension in all of our conflict prevention, mediation, peacebuilding, stabilisation and crisis management efforts. In 2022, we launched our Youth Action Plan, which contributes to the implementation of Security Council Resolution 2250 by promoting youth leadership and participation, including in conflict situations around the world.

In addition to relevant aspects of our development cooperation with partner countries, we currently support over 30 youth-oriented conflict prevention and crisis response initiatives on four continents. In the Southern Mediterranean region, flagship initiatives of the EU and the Union for the Mediterranean include the Young Mediterranean Voices network, the Positive Agenda for Youth in the Mediterranean and the EU-Tunisia Partnership for Youth. These projects are conducted in partnership with international and local civil society organisations, including youth-led associations. We have built up cross-regional networks of young peacebuilders to create channels for young persons to influence decision-making and contribute to the democratic life of their countries.

The EU encourages all UN Member States to similarly contribute to the full implementation of the YPS agenda. In that regard, we welcome the recently published third report of the UN Secretary General on Youth, Peace and Security. We strongly encourage the Security Council to make the Secretary-General's report the subject of an open debate.

The upcoming Summit of the Future provides another occasion to make new commitments towards the full, effective and meaningful engagement of youth in decision-making processes at all levels. We call upon Member States to fully seize this opportunity to listen to the voices of young persons and empower them. We look forward to cooperating with our international partners and work together towards a world where the views and needs of are truly taken into account.

*North Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, Albania and Bosnia and Herzegovina continue to be part of the Stabilisation and Association Process.

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