"The impact should not be made neglected. The international community should fully implement relevant Security Council resolutions, stay attentive on the development views, helping them to tackle challenges arising from the pandemic and support them in playing a bigger role in advancing world peace and development," Zhang Jun, China's permanent representative to the United Nations, told the virtual Security Council meeting on the Maintenance of International Peace and Security: Youth, Peace and Security.

 

"China attaches great importance to the agenda of youth in peace and security. We are pleased to see that progress has been made in the implementation of relevant Security Council resolutions," said the envoy.

 

Meanwhile, it is worrisome that young people in a number of countries and regions are still suffering from other conflicts. As a result, they are facing with hardships of poverty, unemployment and marginalization, etc. The COVID-19 pandemic also poses great challenges, "putting the health, education and employment of young people at risk," according to the envoy.

 

Noting that young people account for 16 percent of world population, the envoy said they are playing important roles in promoting sustainable development, maintaining international peace and security, and strengthening global solidarity and partnership.

 

Zhang also urged the international community to step up the efforts to protect the youth by preventing conflicts and shielding them from the harm of terrorism and extremism. "To that end, the Security Council should uphold the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, promote political settlement of hot-spot issues, work toward conflict prevention and resolution through peaceful means," he said.

 

"Moreover, the international community should resolutely fight against all forms of terrorism," he said. "In particular, we need to combat the terrorism and extremism ideologies that corrode the mind of young people, take necessary de-radicalization measures, and crackdown the infiltration of terrorists and the radical groups among youth through internet."

 

Zhang called on the international community to acknowledge and support the important role played by youth in advancing peace and security and to further unleash their potentials.

 

"In this regard, it's important to take into full consideration youth-related factors in the political settlement of hot-spot issues and the constructive participation of young people in peace process of their home countries, and draw on young people's strength and listen to their views," said the ambassador.

 

"The UN should enhance exchange and coordination on youth-related agenda and achieve synergy with the African Union, the League of Arab States, the ASEAN countries and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and other regional and sub-regional organizations," the envoy noted.

 

Zhang also encouraged the international community to promote "inclusive development, create favorable environment for youth development and strive for lasting peace."

 

Investing in young people and transforming systems of exclusion to those of inclusion represents a central component of the 2030 Agenda. Countries also need to invest more in education, vocational training for young people, and create more employment opportunities, support entrepreneurship, and help them achieve all-round development, so as to lay solid foundation for peace, said the envoy.

 

Zhang said that China has been actively engaged in international youth programs.

 

"We are carrying out youth exchanges with many other countries and the international organizations, including establishing the China-Africa Innovation Competition Center to promote youth innovation and entrepreneurship, helping the Arab League with training young professionals, launching a Latin American young scientist exchange program, among other things," he said.

 

"We have been providing government scholarship to young students from all over the world to study in China. We have deployed excellent young peacekeepers, including women peacekeepers in various United Nations missions," Zhang added.