During a two-day visit to the United Kingdom aimed at strengthening the cooperation on youth development between the UN and the UK Based Development Community, the UN Secretary-General’s Envoy on Youth, Ahmad Alhendawi, held a series of meetings with government officials and a number of London-based international organizations and addressed the London International Model United Nations.  

At a meeting with H.E. Ms. Justine Greening, the Secretary of State for International Development (DFID). Alhendawi discussed  the progress of UN work on youth and in particular the cooperation for youth engagement in the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals.

Alhendawi welcomed DFID’s work to promote youth development as one of the new priorities outlined by DFID. In regards to the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals, the Envoy on Youth and Secretary of State discussed the plans for consolidating  a Global Youth Partnership for the Sustainable Development Goals and the Youth Gateway.

Delivering a speech at the 2016 London International Model UN at the historic Central Hall Westminster where the first UN General Assembly was held in 1946, the Envoy on Youth called upon the more than 1,500 young people gathered in the hall to become global citizens and to join the UN’s  work in the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals.

The Envoy on Youth held a series of meetings with international NGOs based in London.The meetings included Ms. Anne-Birgitte, the CEO of Plan International where the discuss focused on the efforts for empowering young people, especially young women and girls. Alhendawi also visited the United Nations Association- UK and met with its Executive Director Ms. Natalie Samarasignhe. The Envoy applauded their work on youth engagement in the UK and beyond and discussed the UNA-UK campaign,1 for 7 billion. 

During his first visit to Restless Development Headquarters, the Envoy on Youth was briefed about Restless’ youth empowerment programmes and signed the #StandWithEva campaign. Alhendawi acknowledged the important contributions of Restless Development to the youth Sector and encouraged their active engagement in facilitating youth participation in the implementing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. 

Before concluding his visit, Alhendawi visited War Child UK and met with the CEO and the senior management team. The Envoy listened to a brief about the work of War Child UK and discussed the youth participation in the upcoming World Humanitarian Summit.