Vienna Ministerial Council side event explores mainstreaming Youth, Peace and Security Agenda into policy development

VIENNA, 7 December 2017 – Mainstreaming the Youth, Peace and Security agenda into policy development in the OSCE area and beyond was the focus of a side event organized today on the margins of the 24^th OSCE Ministerial Council in Vienna by the Special Representatives of the Austrian Chairmanship-in-Office on Youth and Security.

The event brought together the OSCE Youth Focal Points, experts, youth participants and high-level diplomats who in an innovative exercise of ‘speed d(eb)ating’, engaged with each other in interactive and one-on-one discussions on how to better implement and mainstream the United Nations Security Council Resolution 2250 (2015) on Youth, Peace and Security.

“We want to empower youth and to give them more prominent platforms to express their views,” said the Special Representative of the Austrian OSCE Chairmanship, Ambassador Christian Strohal. He stressed how Austria’s 2017 OSCE Chairmanship has emphasized the importance of youth and the inclusion of young voices both into the work of the OSCE and in international politics as well as on a national level.”

For example, the Chairmanship over the course of this year has provided the opportunity for young leaders to participate in a series of regional workshops on how to counter violent extremism that leads to radicalization and terrorism (VERLT). Their final recommendations were presented to participating States and Partners for Co-operation at the 2017 OSCE-wide Counter Terrorism Conference in Vienna in May.

OSCE Secretary General Thomas Greminger commended the efforts of the Chairmanship-in-Office Special Representatives on Youth and Security. “Although many steps in the right direction have been taken during the year, increased political support among participating States is essential to ensure progress in this area of work,” he said.

The OSCE Chairmanship-in-Office Special Representative on Youth and Security Anna-Katharina Deininger said: “By bringing young women and men from across the OSCE region face-to-face with the decision-makers, NGOs and media representatives, we will generate innovative approaches on how to best advance, promote and implement the Youth, Peace and Security agenda along the key pillars of the UN Security Council Resolution 2250.”

In his closing remarks, the Spanish Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs and Co-operation, Ildefonso Castro, stressed the importance of the recommendations of the ‘Working with youth and for youth’ conference, which was organized jointly by Spain and the OSCE Secretariat in Mollina-Málaga in May.

“The opinion and participation of youth in world affairs is crucial. Young people are a key element of global security. Not supporting youth involvement is no longer an option,” he said.