USP Vice Chancellor: Professor Pal Ahluwalia

Permanent Secretary for Youth and Sport:  Mr. Jone Maritino Nemani

Chief Economist for Industry, Trade and Tourism: Mr. William Hamilton  

Act It Youth Network Founder: Ms. Elisha Bano

Social Entrepreneurs and judges

Ladies and Gentlemen

Good evening to you all

It is my privilege and honor to be at this event that is aimed at developing the skills and talents of our youth on entrepreneurship and innovation.  

The main goal is to harness the talent and the skills of our young entrepreneurs and leaders to deliver on the development outcomes mainly the 17 Sustainable Development Goals commonly known as the SDGs.

Although the previous global agenda – the MDGs, saw much progress in halving global extreme poverty, improving access to clean water and sanitation facilities, achieving major improvements in reproductive and child health - still much work is required to achieve a sustainable, inclusive and equality-based society and the aspirations of the Global Agenda.

Unemployment and growing inequalities in the Pacific particularly among women and young people, is still a major concern, with youth unemployment averaging 23 percent in the region compared with the global average of 13 percent.

Globally, in the next decade, one billion young people will enter the Labour market, and large numbers of young people face a future of irregular and informal employment. Almost 90% of all young people live in developing countries.

To achieve sustainable economic growth, social development and climate action we need to heavily invest in sustainable industrial development, social entrepreneurship that is carbon neutral and inclusive of the most vulnerable and marginalize of our community – leave no one behind.

Over the last 2 years, UNDP Pacific Office has been providing ideation and enterprise acceleration support to over five hundred enterprises located in the Solomon Islands, Samoa, Vanuatu and Fiji.  This involves the provision of customized social, financial and business support services to young entrepreneurs and social innovators to develop and harness the innovation and entrepreneurial talent in the Pacific.  We do this in partnership with the relevant ecosystem actors.  Moreover, what UNDP is trying to do is create pathways for aspiring youth, women, people with disabilities and people living in outer islands to emerge as social innovators or for-profit SDG aligned enterprises to accelerate progress on the SDGs. 

If empowered and nurtured, youth - especially here in the Pacific, can transform our world, as:

• Critical thinkers - to identify and challenge barriers to positive change and to expose contradictions and biases
• Change-makers - to act and mobilize others through broader connectivity and access to social media.
• Innovators - to bring fresh perspectives and insights into issues that are not accessible to adults.
• Communicators - in communicating the development agenda to their peers and communities, as well as across countries and regions.
• Leaders - equipped with leadership skills, you can drive change in your communities and countries.

For a safe and sustainable future, we need to unlock the potential of our youth as leaders and as innovators, especially in social entrepreneurship.

As we commemorate International Youth Day today the 12^th of August, I   take this opportunity to call on all partners to support youth entrepreneurship, self-employment and youth-led businesses. UNDP will continue to upscale our efforts in mobilizing and supporting young entrepreneurs in advancing a more sustainable future.

To the youth entrepreneurs, that are pitching this evening, I wish you all the very best and look forward to listening to your social impact proposals towards our shared vision of a prosperous, safer and more sustainable world.

Lastly, I would like to take this opportunity to recognize and thank the University of the South Pacific, the very active: Act it – Pacific Youth Network, the Ministry of Youth and Sports, the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Tourism and look forward to collaborating further with you to deepen these valuable networks and partnerships for  integrated and resilient solutions to accelerate progress on the SDGs in the Pacific.

Thank you.