By: Mama A. Touray
At the Summit of the Future, which aims to foster sustainable multilateral solutions to advance the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and beyond, the Gambian Minister of Youth and Sports, Bakary Y. Badjie, stated that The Gambia is deeply concerned about the negative socioeconomic dimensions of COVID-19.
Badjie made this statement while speaking on behalf of the Government of The Gambia at the Summit of the Future held in the United States, anchored on the theme “Multilateral Solutions for a Better Tomorrow.”
He told the gathering that as a developing country, “The Gambia is deeply concerned about the disproportionate impact of global challenges, especially the negative socioeconomic dimensions of COVID-19 and the recovery efforts, increasing climate vulnerabilities, food insecurity, poverty, and emerging health threats, which continue to exacerbate existing inequalities, pushing millions further into poverty.”
He added that the majority within this poverty bracket are women, who continue to face considerable barriers to education, economic resources, and deeply entrenched gender norms hindering their participation in the workforce and decision-making processes.
Badjie was quick to say that these challenges have stalled progress on the Sustainable Development Goals and the 2030 Agenda, with the deadline looming and many targets unmet.
“We urgently need bold actions, comprehensive solutions, and significant resources to tackle these pressing global issues,” he said.
Hon. Badjie further stated at the summit that, regarding these challenges, the Government of The Gambia, with support from the United Nations, organized a two-day National Youth Consultation to prepare a position paper and select young delegates to attend this summit.
“During this consultation, young people from all over the country demanded that our government champion the restructuring of the international financial system to better address their needs. They advocate for increased access to climate funding, the development of technical skills for climate innovation, and robust measures,” he stated.
He went on to say that young people also asked the Gambian Government to allow them to participate in decision-making at both political and international levels.
“The Gambia fully welcomes the adoption of the Pack of the Future, recognizing it as a commitment to actionable solutions that place future generations at the core of our concern. We reaffirm our commitment to strengthening international cooperation to ensure that the goals of this summit are realized and built upon for a better future,” he said.
