World leaders at the sidelines of the 73rd United Nations General Assembly led by United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Gutierres affirmed the importance of prioritizing youth development as they launched a global partnership through which the UN seeks to provide quality education, training and employment for young people by 2030. The partnership between the United Nations Youth Strategy 2030 and Generation Unlimited was launched under the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and aims at catalysing pro-youth actions to address the dreams, ambitions and hopes of 1.8 billion young people globally.
During the launch, President Uhuru Kenyatta was endorsed as the global champion of the Young People’s Agenda. He said they aren’t championing the cause of the youth opportunity and hope as a favour, but as a necessary, undeniable, embrace of the collective future, “We must give young people education, and employment opportunities if our societies are to live up top their full promise,” he said. He added that the youth must embrace the challenge and take the responsibility, “You must stand up, offer yourselves, dedicate yourselves, shoulder responsibility, and carry the world into the future.” He outlined steps taken by Kenya to empower the youth, including setting aside 30% of government procurement for the youth, women and the disabled, technical and vocational skills training, government internships among others.
The leaders present were in agreement that urgent investment in education and skills training must be supported to ensure the burgeoning youth population globally isn’t unprepared for the future tasks. The partnership platform will focus on three key areas: secondary education; skills for learning, employability and decent work; and empowerment.
President Kenyatta has held talks with other leaders on the sidelines of the ongoing UNGA in New York, including Austria Chancellor Sebastian Kurz, Austria President A. Van Der Bellen, Portugal President Marcelo Rebelo De Sousa, EU Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker and Gates Foundation founders Bill Gates and Melinda Gates.
