5th UNCTAD Youth Forum (Final session)

Your Excellency, Mr. Kamel  Rezig, Minister of Commerce and Export Promotion of Algeria,

Your Excellency, Mr. Carlson Manuel, Minister Plenipotentiary, Government of Curaçao,

Your Excellency, Mr. Matthew Wilson, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Barbados to the  United Nations, the World Trade Organisation and Other International Organisations in Geneva

Distinguished panellists,

Dear young leaders and innovators,

Dear guests,

It is a great pleasure to speak with you today.

Youth is the most dynamic force in our societies. Your creativity, energy, and commitment to justice and sustainability are exactly what the world needs.

We are living through a period of profound change. Global trade is evolving, economies are transforming, and the twin forces of green and digital change are redefining how we live, work, and connect. These shifts bring challenges but also extraordinary opportunities. And you are at the heart of it all.

The theme of this conference - Shaping the future: Driving economic transformation for equitable, inclusive and sustainable development - is not a slogan. It is a call to action.

You are not passive observers of change. You are active participants – living the realities of climate change, digital disruptions or social inequalities. You understand that digital transformation is not only about efficiency, but about access and empowerment, and that sustainability is not a distant goal, but the foundation of prosperity today.

Because you live at this intersection of change, you are uniquely positioned to respond - with creativity, courage, and conviction. The choices you make, the ideas you test, and the values you uphold will define what transformation means in this century.

You — the youth — represent more than 1.5 billion people worldwide, out of a global population of about 8 billion. That is not just a number — it is 1.5 billion voices with the power to shape both the present and the future and build the world you want to live in starting now.

Let me now focus on trade and development, which are at the core of UNCTAD and this Conference.

Trade has long been a driver of development, lifting millions out of poverty and connecting markets across continents. But ensuring that trade is inclusive, sustainable, and fair remains a big challenge.

For this to happen, we need, for example, to support small businesses and empower women and youth entrepreneurs. With young people being 1.6 times more likely than adults to aspire to starting a business, there is a vast potential to fully unlock.

We also need to ensure that developing countries have a seat at the negotiation table.

Technology and especially artificial intelligence, are impacting trade maybe more than any other force. We have been examining how artificial intelligence is transforming businesses – from changing operations, competition and innovation, across sectors and regions.

Many of you master AI and the digital world. Through digital platforms, creative industries, or cross-border collaborations, you are already building bridges where barriers once stood.

To thrive in this new landscape, young people need the right skills. Those who combine creativity with digital and entrepreneurial know-how will not just adapt to the future but also define it.

UNCTAD stands with you. We are committed to working alongside youth to build a world that is just, green, and digital - a world that works for everyone. It is my hope that your discussions at this fifth edition of the UN Trade and Development’s Youth Forum will contribute to this goal.

I thank you.