Opening ceremony of Regional Conference of Youth  at Oman Convention and Exhibition Centre on 16th Sept 2026  From 4 – 6 pm 

Your Excellency Dr. Abdullah bin Ali Al Amri – Chairman of the Environment  Authority, Sultanate of Oman 

Excellencies – The Ambassadors 

Esteemed Members of organizers,  

Young leaders of the MENA region.  

Distinguished Guests 

Wish you all a very Good Afternoon ,  

It is a profound honor to stand before you today at the Regional Conference of Youth (RCOY) MENA here in Muscat. We gather here to address a monumental triad of challenges: the escalating climate crisis, the urgent demand for food security, and the growing demographic pressures on our natural resources. These are not separate issues; they are deeply interconnected forces that define the stability and survival of our generation, requiring a unified, global response. 

On behalf of the Government and the people of India, I wish to extend our deepest gratitude to His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik, the Government, and the hospitable people of the Sultanate of

Oman. His Majesty’s visionary leadership and unwavering commitment to environmental sustainability, green energy, and youth empowerment have made Oman a beacon of progressive climate action in the region. 

Oman is not just hosting this conference; it is leading by example. Under the far-sighted blueprint of Oman Vision 2040, the Sultanate has placed the transition to a sustainable, low-carbon economy at the very core of its national agenda. By pioneering massive investments in green hydrogen, advancing renewable energy, and pursuing its robust National Strategy for Net-Zero emissions by 2050 and drastically shrinking our economy’s oil dependency to less than 9% by 2040, Oman is proving how an economy can successfully diversify while vigorously protecting its ecosystems. The vision’s emphasis on building a green and circular economy—and utilizing advanced technologies to ensure food and water security—serves as an inspiring masterclass for the entire Global South. We see powerful seeds of this transition in Oman today. Through the Environment Authority and UNICEF's Climate Landscape Analysis, youth data is directly shaping national risk assessments. Programs like the Youth Ambassadors initiative are training young leaders in the technicalities of international climate diplomacy.

As the Regional Conference of Youth, we stand at a critical crossroads where youth action must urgently counter the rapid escalation of deforestation and desertification in Oman. While our region faces severe climate vulnerabilities, Oman's unique ecosystems—from the lush, mist-fed cloud forests of Dhofar to our vital coastal mangroves—are facing unprecedented degradation 

But as youth, we refuse to accept a future of expanding deserts. Our generation must drive the bold objectives of Oman Vision 2040. We must be the primary advocates, volunteers, and innovators behind national initiatives like the 10 Million Trees Initiative and the newly launched National Strategy to Combat Desertification 2040, which targets the immediate restoration of over 100 square kilometers of degraded land. 

When we talk about climate change, we cannot speak of it in  isolation. It is a crisis multiplier. Today, the MENA region and the  wider Global South are grappling with the heavy, intersecting  pressures of rapid population growth and severe food insecurity. 

As our populations expand, the demand for resources skyrockets. Yet, the changing climate is simultaneously shrinking our capacity to meet these needs. Arable land is disappearing to desertification, water sources are drying up, and unpredictable

weather patterns are devastating crop yields. Feeding a growing population under the constraints of a warming planet is one of the most defining existential tests of our era. 

For generations, young people have too often been treated as mere spectators—or passive victims—of environmental degradation. But climate change is no longer a distant or abstract threat. It is your reality. It affects the air you breathe, the water you drink, your health, your livelihoods, and ultimately, your future. Young people are not passive victims of climate change—they are agents of change. Climate action is not an abstract debate; it is about protecting your health, your homes, your dignity, and your future. Your voices must go beyond consultation. You deserve a seat at the table where policies are shaped and decisions are made. By investing in youth-led ideas and innovations, we can turn climate anxiety into action and ideas into lasting impact. The future is yours—and you must have the opportunity, the resources, and the trust to help shape it. 

India brings a unique perspective to this global conversation. As home to one of the largest youth demographics on earth, our developmental approach emphasizes that human capital must drive ecological survival. At the COP30 summit in Belém, Brazil, India

stood firm in advocating for intergenerational equity, demanding that the Global South receive the climate finance and technology required to protect our collective future. As we advance through the critical preparatory meetings leading up to COP31 in Istanbul, India continues to champion deep structural support for sustainable agriculture, water security, and green jobs. We are explicitly fighting to ensure that your Regional Youth Statements are not merely read, but actively integrated into the final negotiated texts of global leaders 

My young friends, your voices are the conscience of the climate movement. India stands proudly shoulder-to-shoulder with the youth of the MENA region and the Sultanate of Oman. 

Let the text generated here in Muscat echo all the way to the negotiating tables of Turkey. Keep innovating, keep demanding accountability, and continue building the sustainable world you deserve. 

 Thank you, Shukaran Jazeelan