Delivered By: HE Mohamed Abushahab, Ambassador and Permanent Representative
Thank you, Madam President.
I would like to begin by thanking His Excellency Mr. Philémon Yang for convening this High-level forum and I also wish to express my appreciation to all the panelists who spoke in the opening segment.
The United Arab Emirates considers the empowerment of youth as a critical factor in building a culture of peace, and this has been in fact evident in our national experience.
Located in a region where roughly two-thirds of the population is under the age of 35, the UAE sees this demographic reality not as a mere statistic, but as an asset.
Young people are drivers of innovation, agents of economic growth, and partners in building peaceful societies.
That is why the UAE has taken concrete steps to place youth at the center of its decision-making and governance.
Back in 2016, the UAE created the role of Minister of State for Youth Affairs, a cabinet position that not only addresses the needs of young people but actively engages them in policymaking.
At the age of 22, Shamma Al Mazrui was appointed to the role – making her the youngest cabinet minister in the world and demonstrating to young women and girls everywhere that they can have a voice at the highest levels of power.
We have also sought to institutionalize the insights of young people in multilateral processes.
During its COP28 Presidency, the UAE created the role of Youth Climate Champion to ensure that youth from around the globe are contributing to the highest platform of climate diplomacy.
Just as we prioritize the engagement of women, the UAE is equally focused on ensuring that youth are part and parcel of its participation at multilateral fora, whether here at the General Assembly through our Youth Delegates program, or at the upcoming 2026 UN Water Conference.
These steps reflect our conviction that youth must be partners in decision-making, rather than merely consulted in an ad hoc manner.
In this regard, the UAE strongly supports the United Nations Youth Office, which transforms youth engagement at the UN into a systematic, organization-wide priority.
Resolution 2686 on Tolerance, Peace, and Security – the first to highlight the link between extremism and conflict in a Security Council resolution – encourages young people to promote tolerance, openness, and inclusion to strengthen social cohesion. It recognizes that youth are central to our efforts to counter extremism and sustain peace.
The Culture of Peace agenda and the Tolerance, Peace, and Security agenda are closely aligned, as both place tolerance and openness at the very heart of building and sustaining peace.
The UAE remains committed to working in multilateral fora to advance these crucial agendas and to ensuring that youth are inclusively represented.
By fostering a culture of peace and tolerance, we are not just building a better future for young people, but for all of humanity.
Thank you, Madam President.