The Youth, Peace and Security (YPS) agenda has gained significant momentum in 2025 as it marks the 10-year anniversary of the UN Security Council (UNSC) resolution 2250. Additionally, the UNSC unanimously adopted resolution 2807 this year, urging greater youth participation and leadership in peace processes and conflict prevention 1. In the Arab States, the momentum is arguably more compelling against the backdrop of recent regional commitments, exacerbated conflicts, and increasingly visible youth contributions in crisis settings. 

The launch of the League of Arab States’ (LAS) Arab Strategy on YPS in August 2024, and subsequently the adoption of its Action Plan in early 2025, marked a welcoming shift by LAS member states in their political commitment to advance the YPS agenda. At the same time, the contributions of young people in efforts pertaining to youth and security have become more visible. In Gaza, youth have not only supported their communities through emergency relief efforts amid limited access of humanitarian aid, but they have also documented and reported repeated violations of international humanitarian law on social media, as international media have been denied entry to the Strip. In Sudan, we witness many examples of young people contributing to alleviating the suffering of the world’s biggest humanitarian crisis. One such examples is young insider mediators who mediate local disputes in the absence of local authorities to handle those issues. With or without international and regional commitments, young people are continuing to work in harsh conditions to support their communities. We must not only celebrate their achievements but also truly acknowledge and support their roles as agents of change in promoting peace and security.  

Just in the last months (November-December 2025), UNDP’s Regional Bureau for Arab States (RBAS) participated in five different events on YPS in the Arab States region. All these events, while interesting, appreciated and important, mirror scattered and siloed efforts by different actors in advancing the very same agenda. While the focus and framing of each event may differ, what remains largely absent is a deliberate mechanism for weaving these efforts together into a coherent, sustained regional process. Without that thread of connectivity and continuity, even well-intentioned efforts risk becoming isolated, repeating familiar narratives, engaging the same individuals, and producing parallel outputs that do not build toward shared regional outcomes. Across the YPS ecosystem in the Arab States region, actors oftentimes approach the agenda through their own mandates, institutional cultures, perspectives and interests. This pattern of siloed engagement carries a cost. It leads to duplication of efforts, dilutes a strategic and unified narrative of the YPS agenda, and most importantly, risks undermining trust among youth in institutional processes that may appear more performative than impactful. The cycle becomes familiar: events are held, statements are made, photos are shared, but youth are asking, “What happens next?” A coordinated and collaborative approach will always generate greater and more sustainable impact than siloed efforts. 

When working with stakeholders and partners, meaningful consultation is essential to jointly shape the right direction and identify the most effective steps for moving forward. Partnership does not imply working on everything together but rather identifying strategic areas where collaboration can amplify positive impact. It should not be limited to like-minded allies, but rather to key stakeholders – even when views may differ. If we cannot, then peace and security might not be the right field for us. We do not make peace with our friends, but with those who we do not agree with. If we cannot even coordinate and partner with those working on the same agenda, then how can we promote youth, peace and security in a region that is in many parts becoming increasingly volatile and polarized? Partnership does after all constitute one of the five pillars of UNSCR 2250. 

UNDP RBAS has a particular responsibility to support, maybe even lead, this mechanism to foster partnerships among key stakeholders advancing a shared agenda in the Arab States. UNDP is uniquely positioned to do so due to its established role in convening multiple UN agencies, organizations, and networks at local, national, and regional levels, combined with its ability to leverage long-standing, trusted relationships with public authorities, civil society organizations, and youth-serving entities.  

To this end, we propose the following recommendations for partners working in the field of YPS: 

1. Anchor partnerships in shared objectives, even when approaches or methodologies for achieving those objectives may differ. 
2. Prioritize shared interests and complementary strengths to enable progress despite differences in perspectives of institutional positions. 
3. Collaborate strategically where alignment and added value exist, while acknowledging and respecting areas where collaboration may not be feasible. 
4. Strengthen information-sharing and transparency to enhance overall coherence, reduce duplication and maximize collective impact.  
5. Ground partnerships in openness to dialogue, listening, and mutual learning, including where views differ. 

The current momentum to advance the YPS agenda in the Arab States will not last forever. We must capitalize on this time to build strong partnerships, promote a culture of unity, and act out of necessity – not out of interest. We need to build the sustainable foundations on which forthcoming peacebuilders can stand on to truly advance peace and security from a stronger and unified position. The Arab States holds strong potential to advance the YPS agenda by engaging young peacebuilders in innovation and active ways, and by working through partnerships that translate political commitments into sustained impact. Now we must do it together.  

We cannot wait another ten years for a momentum to capitalize on.