H.E Amb. Mohamed Fathi Edrees,  Permanent Observer of the African Union (AU) to the United Nations (UN), and representatives from the African Group of Permanent Representatives of African States to the UN, participated at the opening of the  Economic and Social Council Youth Forum (ECOSOC)  Youth Forum  on April 14 – 16 , 2026 under the theme  “Innovate, Unite and Transform: Youth Shaping the Road to 2030” , at the UN headquarters in New Yor, USA.

Keynote speakers at the event focused on the “Transformative, equitable, innovative, and coordinated actions for the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its Sustainable Development Goals for a sustainable future for all.” The Forum serves as a global platform for young people to engage with Member States, the UN system, and other partners by sharing ideas and showcasing innovations and solutions to accelerate progress on the SDGs.

For over a decade, the ECOSOC Youth Forum has been the UN’s largest annual gathering of young people, aimed at strengthening their role in policy- and decision-making. The 2026 ECOSOC Youth Forum further highlights the transformative power of youth collaboration and innovation, reaffirming that young people are essential partners in shaping a sustainable and inclusive future.

The ECOSOC Youth Forum brought together young people including youths from Africa, Member States, the UN system, and other partners to exchange ideas, showcase innovative solutions, and strengthen youth engagement in accelerating progress on the SDGs.

Convened by the president of ECOSOC and organized by the Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) in close collaboration with the UN Youth Office, the United Nations Inter Agency Network on Youth Development (IANYD) among other stakeholders, the objective of the Forum includes:

• Provide a global platform for young people to engage in dialogue with Member States and UN entities on transformative and innovative actions to realize sustainable development.
• Create spaces for youth to share knowledge, skills, and experiences that contribute to the implementation of the 2030 Agenda and the SDGs.
• Highlight youth-led innovations that demonstrate coordinated and inclusive action for sustainable progress.
• Facilitate preliminary discussions to inform preparations for the 2027 SDG Summit and the 2027 United Nations Habitat Assembly.

The three-day event features plenary sessions as well as interactive thematic and regional breakout sessions to facilitate deeper discussions on advancing the 2030 Agenda, implementing the Pact for the Future and contributing to different intergovernmental processes such as the UN Water Conference 2026, the World Urban Forum 2026 (WUF13), the SDG Summit 2027 and the HABITAT Assembly 2027.

Media Contact:

Ms Esther Azaa Tankou, Head of Media and Information Division, Information and Communication Directorate, AUC and Communication Advisor to the African Union (AU) Permanent Observer Mission to the United Nations (UN). Tel: +1 347 812 71 95, Email: yamboue@africanunion.org

Information and Communication Directorate, African Union Commission I E-mail: DIC@africa-union.org
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