UAE Hosts Global Youth Dialogue To Shape Future Of Sustainable Development Beyond 2030

The UAE delegation took part in the United Nations Sustainable Development Forum 2025, organised by the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs. A youth session titled "Voices for 2045: Youth Shaping the Future" was hosted by the General Secretariat of the National Committee for Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This event, held at the UAE's Permanent Mission to the UN, gathered young leaders and global influencers.

Participants in this session were encouraged to imagine a world beyond 2030 and contribute to shaping sustainable development's future. The dialogue focused on youth aspirations and ideas for the Extended Sustainable Development Goals (XDGs 2045), a vision for inclusive growth introduced at the 2023 World Governments Summit by the Secretariat of the National Committee on SDGs.

The platform allowed young change-makers to share experiences, connect with peers, and exchange ideas for a more inclusive future. Abdullah Nasser Lootah, Assistant Minister of Cabinet Affairs for Competitiveness and Experience Exchange and Chair of the National Committee for Sustainable Development Goals, stated, "The UAE firmly believes that youth are not merely beneficiaries of development pathways but essential partners in shaping and leading them towards the future."

Lootah highlighted that this session embodies this belief by providing youth with a transparent platform to express their visions. He added, "Shaping the vision of the post-2030 sustainable development agenda requires open dialogue, collective participation, and bold ideas that keep pace with global changes. It is not enough to listen to youth as inspirational voices; their visions must be treated as essential inputs in policy-making and prioritisation."

Forty participants from the UN Major Group for Children and Youth shared diverse perspectives on XDGs 2045. Discussions centred around empathy, passion, and action, highlighting youth's role in building a better future. Participants answered three key questions through an online survey about their motivations, desired changes, challenges faced, and solutions proposed to enhance youth contributions to sustainable development.

Their responses emphasised priorities like empowering youth in policy development, strengthening international cooperation, promoting innovation, ensuring universal access to quality education and healthcare, and protecting natural resources for future generations. This session underscores the UAE’s dedication to supporting global efforts toward achieving SDGs by enhancing youth roles as key partners in creating a more inclusive world by 2045.

Commitment to Global Efforts

The United Nations High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF) serves as the primary platform for sustainable development discussions within the UN. Established in 2012, it plays a crucial role in monitoring countries' progress toward implementing the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda.

During this forum, delegations assess achievements made toward SDGs with detailed reviews of five key goals: SDG 3 focuses on ensuring healthy lives; SDG 5 aims at achieving gender equality; SDG 8 promotes sustained economic growth; SDG 14 conserves marine resources; while SDG 17 strengthens global partnerships for sustainable development.

This initiative reflects how committed nations are towards achieving these goals while involving younger generations actively. By fostering dialogue among young leaders globally through platforms like these sessions at forums such as HLPF or other similar events worldwide ensures continued progress towards sustainability objectives set forth under various international agreements aimed at creating better futures collectively across borders without exception or exclusion whatsoever regardless of any differences existing between participating entities involved therein directly or indirectly alike.

With inputs from WAM