From the outset I would like to note that the magnitude of this programme to myself, my country Botswana, and the global community has a significant bearing on my overall experience thus far. As a young diplomat with keen interest in multilateral diplomacy, being nominated to learn and serve under one of the principal organs of the United Nations has been a dream come true. As a patriot, it avails an opportunity of being an extension of my country’s policy of an inclusive and overarching contribution to multilateralism and global solidarity particularly with respect to realizing the tenets of the 2030 Agenda. Furthermore, as a proponent of meaningful youth engagement in policy formulation, it brings me great delight to be part of one of the UN’s transformative reform initiatives of empowering the youth to be active and informed actors of the UN mandate.

On that background, I can confidently confirm that the programme has been to an exceptional start. The President of the General Assembly has personally welcomed us and outlined his vision on Youth Engagement as well as his priorities for this session of the General Assembly. The United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) meticulously crafted a two weeks training programme that brought myself and the rest of the fellows up to speed with work of the OPGA as well as the rest of the UN system. I further laud the Office of the President of the General Assembly (OPGA) for their mentorship initiative that has expeditiously allowed me to adapt and settle in well.

I have been assigned to the Legal, Budget and Reform team in the OPGA for the first phase of rotation across all other units. As it stands, with all the tasks/assignments from my unit there is a clear indication that I will return to capital a well-rounded diplomat. Daily interactions with fellow colleagues of the fellowship coupled with the element of cultural diversity in the OPGA provides a platform of cultural exchange which is also a vital component of diplomacy.