The Secretary-General’s video message to 11th Summit of D-8 Organization for Economic Cooperation

Excellencies, 

Ladies and gentlemen, 

My thanks to President Sisi for hosting this 11th Summit of D-8 Organization for Economic Cooperation and for recently bringing the international community together to focus on dire humanitarian needs in Gaza. 

I also want to recognize all of you for your unwavering solidarity with the Palestinian People. 

We must not relent to stop the nightmare and forge lasting peace. 

We are seeing some glimpses of hope in the region. In Syria, the United Nations is committed to supporting a smooth transition of power with an inclusive and credible political process reflecting the country’s diversity. 

And in Lebanon, it’s crucial for all parties to fully respect and swiftly implement the ceasefire agreement. 

Peace. Hope. And a better future for the people of the region and our world are fundamental. That’s what brings you together. 

As your summit theme rightly puts it, focusing on the future means investing in youth, in their ideas, energy and meaningful participation. And as you stress, this includes micro, small and medium enterprises. Around the world, these enterprises drive job creation, economic empowerment and poverty eradication. And they provide an entry point for young entrepreneurs to contribute to their community and local economy. 

That’s why the Pact for the Future includes a commitment to support youth entrepreneurs by increasing digital startups and micro, small and medium size enterprise. 

Fully unlocking all these potentials means actually two key areas. First, by massively investing in education skills and training for young people. That requires curricula adapted to the emerging green and digital economies, expanded support for teachers and trainers, and greater professional development in best ways as young people transition from the school to the workplace. 

Second, micro, small and medium enterprises the supportive environment in which to grow. They need access to finance, technology, markets and supply chains. And they need good governance, from licenses to taxation to help them thrive. 

Across all your countries, and all around the world, young people and small business can be a dynamic duo propelling growth and sustainable development. 

The United Nations looks forward to continuing work with the D-8 on all these critical issues. 

Together, let’s build our peaceful, sustainable and resilient world for today and tomorrow and, I thank you.