Advocates for sustainable development including the youth are in panic following the ongoing restructuring process at the United Nations (UN) that has left many UN funded activities across the globe significantly re aligned.
The said process which has seen the international body experience 20% budget cuts for the year 2026, followed a sharp budget slash to the UN agencies by its member states including among others, the United States (US).
This current development is simply indicative of the tougher times to come as far as far as financing the UN global activities including development agendas is concerned.
Alvin Mutebi one of the youth advocates tells Blazer News Times that the UN budget cuts pose a significant effect to various national agendas and initiatives by the civil society organizations aimed at fostering sustainable development, including to Uganda where they operate from.
Mutebi cited some of the youth initiatives by the UN Women support in Uganda whose sustainability hangs in balance following the suspension of the financial support.
He however explained strategic engagements with key stake holders including the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) advocates, government and the UN was the way to go in ensuring that lasting solutions are explored.
“it is necessary for us to put our heads together considering the new reforms by the UN. We have to have a youthful conversation on how we are aligned to the restructuring at the UN.” Mutebi said.
Linda Asaba, the programs manager for United Nations Association of Uganda (UNAU) underscored the importance of youth engagements in advancing SDGS, saying it is the reason why a youth engagement was held in December 5th in Kampala, bringing the young people from the three East African countries; Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania together, to take stock of the developments with reforms along.
“This engagement of youth from the civil society organizations, universities and government institutions, was under the auspice of the United Nations Association of Uganda and United Nations Associations of Tanzania,” Asaba explained.
It came at the backdrop of the UN making eight years in October since introduction of set of its reforms, and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in September.
Citing the two main UN reforms; youth -future generation, data and AI, Asaba described the UNAU youth held engagements as best tools to advance the 2030 SDG agenda in Uganda.
“We should not have the young people as beneficiaries but as decision makers to make meaningful contributions to agenda 2030 and other agendas that we have”. The UNAU programs manager emphasized.
According to Asaba, only five years are left to evaluate if the country has attained the SDGS, noting that globally Uganda was at 15% on track.
“Now that the UN is moving closer to us with many offices in Nairobi, are we able to use it?” She asked.
