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.
Productive meeting today w/@KoblerSRSG. Turning Youth, Peace & Security agenda into reality #Libya_Youth #شباب_ليبيا pic.twitter.com/wTnCCn1vZx
— UN Youth Envoy (@UNYouthEnvoy) August 3, 2016
دعمي الكامل للمضي قدماً في تفعيل قرار مجلس الأمن حول الشباب والأمن والسلام في ليبيا.الشباب فرصة ليبيا في الإزدهار pic.twitter.com/cfQmCOj2ze — Martin Kobler (@KoblerSRSG) August 3, 2016
لقاء جمع @AhmadAlhendawi برئيس بعثة الامم المتحدة الى ليبيا حول سبل تفعيل قرارمجلس الأمن حول الشباب والأمن والسلام. pic.twitter.com/00dqWKfVio
— UNFPA libya (@UnfpaL) August 3, 2016
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.
Youth Envoy with UN Youth WG in #Libya. We need to deliver joint programs on youth issues as one UN #Libya_Youth pic.twitter.com/K0d9RVDWvK — UN Youth Envoy (@UNYouthEnvoy) August 3, 2016
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.
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.
@UNYouthEnvoy addressing the debate session w/ Libyan youth grps reps.:I wish we were able to hold this mtg in Libya pic.twitter.com/nz7P0668Px
— UNSMIL (@UNSMILibya) August 3, 2016
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.