Delivered by Permanent Ambassador of Niger, H.E. Mr. Abdou Abarry
Mister President
I deliver this statement on behalf of Belgium, Estonia, Germany, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Tunisia, the United Kingdom, Viet Nam and my own country Niger.
We congratulate the penholders, the Dominican Republic and France, on today’s adoption of the resolution on “Youth, Peace and Security”.
Five years after the Security Council recognized, for the first time, the specific situation of youth in armed conflict, today, still one in four young people is affected by violence and conflict. Young people lack educational and economic opportunities; their human rights are violated and curtailed – even more so in times of the global Covid-19 pandemic.
It is crucial that this Council not only recognizes the specific situation of young people, but also leverages their role and potential for preventing conflicts, for building peaceful and inclusive societies and for effectively addressing humanitarian needs:
- by strengthening the role of young peacebuilders, especially women,
- by engaging youth in humanitarian response,
- by inviting youth organizations to brief the Council,
- and by taking into account the specific situation of youth in its deliberations and actions.
We welcome that the resolution sets the basis for a continued engagement of the Security Council with Youth, Peace and Security.
Only last week, Hindou Oumarou Ibrahim, Coordinator of the Association for Indigenous Women and Peoples of Chad, briefed the Security Council on the effects of climate change on the lives of people in the Sahel. She described how climate change is a matter of urgency that has become “a nightmare” for millions. 55 per cent of the population in the Sahel can be defined as youth. Ms. Ibrahim urged the Security Council to envision the region 10 years down the road if their opportunities are bleak.
Mister President,
The consequences of climate change entail serious security risks that are tangible all over the world. Notably, the adverse effects of climate change on the availability of resources and the preservation of livelihoods can exacerbate conflicts. Young people will have to deal with these issues for the biggest part of their lives. That is why it is young people who are most active in fighting against climate change, taking their grievances to the street and transforming them into concrete actions – including in situations of conflict.
We regret that the Security Council did not find consensus on recognizing a reality more explicitly: young people in conflict are affected by climate change. They will feel the consequences of climate change most acutely. In conflict situations and elsewhere, we need them to be part of the solution.
I thank you.