Resident Coordinator's remarks at the UNSDCF Youth Consultation Workshop

Ladies and gentlemen, 

Dear friends,

Good afternoon. My name is Khaled El Mekwad, and I am the United Nations Resident Coordinator in Bahrain. I am pleased to welcome you today at these Youth consultations, which are being held as part of developing the UN Cooperation Framework between the United Nations and the Government of Bahrain for 2025-2029.

The development of this new Cooperation Framework is taking place at a critical time for Agenda 2030 for sustainable development, which is in peril globally.

More than halfway to the deadline, the Sustainable Development Goals -the SDGs- are severely off-track worldwide.

But against this backdrop, there are signs of hope. 

World leaders gathered at the SDG Summit at the UN Headquarters in NY in September last year. They adopted a political declaration that provides a road map for resetting the world's trajectory toward achieving the SDGs by 2030. 

In September this year, the Summit of the Future in New York will unite world leaders to forge a new international consensus on delivering a better present and safeguarding the future. The Summit will be pivotal to turbocharge the SDGs and reinvigorate multilateralism.

Within this context, the United Nations Country Team in Bahrain is gearing up as part of its longstanding partnership with the Government of Bahrain to continue supporting the Kingdom in achieving the SDGs by the 2030 Agenda. 

Dear participants, 

Youth are at the core of the United Nations action, globally and in Bahrain, including our work to achieve the SDGs.

As the custodians of the planet, young people will have to live with the consequences of today's actions—or inaction. 

They- you- are demanding more meaningful opportunities to participate in shaping your future. The United Nations stands with you in your effort to make your voice heard and count. 

Just this week, the United Nations Secretary-General, Mr Antonio Guterres, highlighted his support for youth in his opening remarks to the ECOSOC Youth Forum in New York, stressing his commitment to involving young people in political decision-making. 

These youth consultations are a golden opportunity to make your voice heard and acted upon, and we are grateful for your participation and engagement in shaping a common vision for Bahrain's future and for Bahrain’s partnership with the United Nations. 

But your engagement with us should go beyond today's workshop.

We ask you to join forces with us to make the Summit of the Future count, including the Declaration on Future Generations that will be developed. 

Support our digital campaigns.

Take on the ActNow challenge—and share it with your networks—to show leaders worldwide that many of us demand a sustainable future for all. Download the dedicate app. 

Please also sign the open letter to world leaders on reviving multilateralism, launched this week by the United Nations Youth Office.

Thank you again for your presence and your engagement!

We look forward to learning from you.