On 3 August 2016, the UN Secretary-General’s Envoy on Youth Ahmad Alhendawi began a two-day visit to Tunisia to assess young people’s engagement in peacebuilding and development efforts in both Libya and Tunisia.

As part of the Libya-focused leg of the visit, the Youth Envoy met with the leadership of the UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) and the local UN Youth Working Group to discuss youth priorities and programming.

In his meeting with Martin Kobler—the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Libya (SRSG) and Head of UNSMIL—Alhendawi spoke of ways to increase and strengthen youth participation in ongoing peacebuilding efforts in Libya.

In a later meeting with the UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator and Deputy SRSG Ali H. Al-Zatari, Alhendawi discussed how to turn Security Council Resolution 2250 into concrete UN youth programs on the ground in Libya.  

During a briefing about the UN’s work on youth issues, Alhendawi underscored the importance of delivering tangible programs as “one UN” by pooling together resources and programming so as to maximize the impact of United Nations activities. “We need to pull our resources and come together to design and implement programs that put Libya’s young people at the heart of our development and reconciliation initiatives in the country,” said the Youth Envoy.

Alhendawi also had the opportunity to interact directly with Libyan youth. In the afternoon, he held an interactive dialogue with 50 young Libyans from different parts of the country, hearing their concerns and thoughts about what needs to be done to increase their inclusion and participation in the socio-political life of their country.

Ahmad Alhendawi holds an open debate with young Libyans

Ahmad Alhendawi holds an open debate with young Libyans

Gathered in Tunis thanks to the support of UNFPA’s Office in Libya, the young Libyans also shared their views on the challenges facing Libyan youth, in particular in terms of their engagement in the peace and security agenda as envisioned by Resolution 2250.  

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Alhendawi also visited the premises of the BBC Media Action, an innovative NGO initiative that offers Libya’s young people a platform where they can engage and participate in the social and political process in the country through televised and social media debates.

A photo posted by UN Youth Envoy (@unyouthenvoy) on

 

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Youth Envoy with Libyan Youth