RC's Speech - International Youth Day 2025

It’s a privilege and honour to be here today at the International Youth Day (IYD) 2025, a day dedicated to celebrating the potential and contributions of young people around the world. Youth aged between 15 to 35 years make up over 35% of Sierra Leone’s population, this demographic has the potential to significantly contribute to the country’s development. Their critical role cannot be overlooked. 

This year, we are gathered here for the IYD under the global theme 'Local Youth Actions for the SDGs and Beyond,' with the national theme 'Empowering Sierra Leone Youth to Localize SDGs.'  

This emphasizes the transformative role of young people in translating the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) into realities in Sierra Leone.  This is a special day when we recognize young people not merely as beneficiaries of development, but as active agents of change, innovation, and leadership. It is crucial to include youth in local governance processes, as their creativity, energy, and community knowledge are essential for addressing the complex and interconnected challenges of our time. That is why over the years, the United Nations in Sierra Leone has worked alongside youth to create sustainable solutions to our development challenges. Whether it is through creating digital opportunities, Vocational Education Training (TVET) and Business Skills Training programs, or improving the health and wellbeing of adolescents and youth in the country. 

Honorable Ministers, Ladies and Gentlemen,  

IYD 2025 connects with new global commitments such as the Pact for the Future and the Declaration on Future Generations adopted by World leaders in September 2024, emphasizing the importance of youth in shaping a fairer, more equitable and sustainable world. The UN Pact calls for “meaningful youth engagement, recognizing young people as agents of change and essential partners in achieving sustainable development”.   This timing of the Pact for the future coincides with the midpoint of the UN Youth 2030 Strategy as it enters the second phase 2025 – 2030 which builds upon the first phase and focusing on accelerating the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by placing youth at the center of global transformation. Sierra Leone is one of the fast-track countries in implementing the UN Youth 2030 Strategy, we therefore join the Government of Sierra Leone as UN in supporting the country’s aspiration of youth development. We believe that young people are the foundation for human capital development and attainment of the SDGs in Sierra Leone.  This year also marks a renewed commitment to the World Programme of Action for Youth at its 30th anniversary, this is a recognition that when young people lead, societies thrive. The World Programme of Action is a policy framework and practical guidelines for national action and international support to improve the situation of young people. 

 
I would like to commend the Government for prioritizing young people in the new Medium-Term National Development Plan.   

Also, this year we have been privileged as a country to develop the first ever Status of Youth Report with support from partners and the UN which was presented to H.E the president of Sierra Leone in July 2025. These efforts are testimonies pf how the government is taking the lead in harnessing the potential of the youth. As I conclude, I would like to share with you a message from the UN Secretary-General, Mr. António Guterres on International Youth Day 2025. He says, “In every corner of the world, young people are leading the way. They are driving sustainable development, building more inclusive communities, forging peace, and demanding a fairer, greener and more just future. Young people are bold innovators, resilient organizers, and essential partners in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.” 

I reaffirm the commitment of the UN in Sierra Leone to continue supporting government efforts in empowering young people of Sierra Leone who are the champions and agents of change in accelerating development.  

Thank you very much.