18 June 2021

Dear Mr. Askhat Oralov, Chair of the CICA Youth Council,

Distinguished participants of the CICA Youth Council meeting,

On behalf of the Secretariat of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia, I am pleased to welcome you all to the meeting of the Youth Council of our forum, which brings together leading youth organisations, associations and movements from the 27 CICA Member States.

As a consultative and advisory body, the CICA Youth Council has the primary mission of facilitating comprehensive interaction among CICA Member States to strengthen confidence, peace and security in Asia. Its main objective is to foster effective regional cooperation among the national youth organisations of the participating states.

Various youth cooperation activities are regularly held within the CICA framework. Earlier this year, the International Conference on “The Role of Youth in Countering Radicalism, Extremism and Terrorism”, organised by the Government of the Republic of Uzbekistan, was successfully held, providing an opportunity for a productive exchange of views on protecting young people from the influence of destructive forces.

Today, we will continue our constructive dialogue on effective cooperation among the national youth organisations of CICA Member States, encouraging young people to participate in the implementation of youth policies, and developing recommendations and proposals to improve cooperation opportunities for young people across the CICA region.

Three years ago, in his message marking International Youth Day, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres rightly noted that “peace, economic growth, social justice and tolerance—and much more—depend, and will continue to depend, on realising the potential of young people.”

For decades, economists, political scientists and emerging-market experts have been highlighting the advent of the Asian Era. Asia is home to more than half of the world's population. According to the United Nations, 21 of the world's 30 largest cities are located in Asia.[1] It is precisely young people who are poised to become the driving force of the continent, as they are often more receptive to innovative technologies and apply their acquired skills and competencies to jointly seek answers to and solutions for global challenges.

At the same time, young people are among the most vulnerable population groups when it comes to various challenges, particularly those of an economic and environmental nature. The consequences of global climate change, chemical pollution of the planet, unplanned urbanisation, and the degradation of the social environment and opportunities for social mobility are far from an exhaustive list of problems that affect young people particularly acutely. As a result, young people are more likely to advocate decisive measures to prevent these problems in the future.

I am therefore particularly pleased with the agenda of today's meeting. It focuses on pressing issues related to the development of comprehensive cooperation among young people in CICA Member States, with particular emphasis on the experience and role of young people in addressing new environmental challenges and threats within the framework of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Environmental education should promote environmental awareness and foster a sense of responsibility among young people for the preservation of natural resources, thereby contributing to the achievement of the environmental SDGs.

Distinguished participants,

It is noteworthy that environmental issues are also reflected in the CICA Plan for the Implementation of Confidence-Building Measures for the current year. Recognising the importance of environmental security, an International CICA Conference on Renewable Energy Sources and Green Technologies is planned for the end of this year. I would like to take this opportunity to invite all young members of our Forum to participate in this upcoming event.

For its part, the Secretariat stands ready to provide the necessary support to the CICA Youth Council in its important work to strengthen dialogue among the young people of our countries.

I believe that today's CICA youth represent the future of Asia: ambitious and progressive young men and women who are ready to contribute, through dialogue and cooperation, to ensuring common and indivisible security in Asia.

I wish the Youth Council a productive meeting and its members every success in strengthening ties among the youth organisations, associations and movements they represent.

Thank you.