Speeches and Interviews of the Permanent Representative

STATEMENT BY MR. ALEXANDER LUKASHEVICH,

PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE OF THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION,

AT THE 1296th MEETING OF THE OSCE PERMANENT COUNCIL

VIA VIDEO TELECONFERENCE

17 December 2020

On the report by the Special Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office on Youth and Security

 Mr. Chairperson,

We thank Ms. Keisi Seferi for her report.

Youth policy issues are of particular significance at the moment. Young people are not only the most active and mobile part of society, adapting to changes more quickly and assimilating new knowledge more easily, but they are also the most important innovative resource for the development of the State, without which it is impossible to ensure the country’s necessary competitiveness and security.

Russia continues to work systematically to improve the regulatory framework for State youth policy. Significant efforts are being made to create the conditions to enable young people to achieve self-fulfilment and to unlock their potential. All this ensures the full, constructive participation of boys and girls in the life of the country, including its social, economic, cultural, and civic and political components.

There is a need to build partnerships with the State, with business and with civil society institutions and to overcome difficulties together to reduce young people’s motivation to engage in aggressive protest activities encouraged by those with an interest in destabilization. Supporting youth associations in countering the various negative phenomena among young people and creating role models for them to follow play a major role in the socialization of the younger generation. It also “vaccinates” them against the virus of racism, nationalism and neo-Nazism and acts as an insurance policy against terrorist and extremist ideas. Such work is very important and should be carried out primarily at the national level.

The aim of youth policy is to create the conditions for the formation of young managerial personnel capable of finding appropriate responses to the global challenges of our time and of effectively addressing the tasks facing the State and society. However, we are not in favour of quotas. The focus should be on professional skills and qualifications and on specialized education. Talented, enterprising and concerned young people striving to attain new knowledge and skills do not need to be led by the hand into adulthood.

This is perfectly illustrated by certain political youth organizations in Russia, notably the Russian Union of Youth. It is developing dynamically, engaging with the authorities and the business community, and taking part in discussions and drafting legislation on youth policy. In addition, the Union supports creative endeavours, expands international ties and organizes educational, sporting and cultural projects and volunteer initiatives that make schoolchildren and students feel socially important and needed.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation has a Council of Young Diplomats, established almost two decades ago. Its area of interest is the professional development of young staff members, maintaining the traditions of the diplomatic service and supporting the effective self-fulfilment of young people. For example, it is at the instigation of young members of the Russian Foreign Ministry that the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa) Young Diplomats Forum has been taking place since 2015. The fifth such event took place in October. The format of interaction between the young diplomats of the “quintet” is a good example of building horizontal ties between the foreign ministries of the five countries.

To sum up, the State’s task is to ensure that young people have a choice in their life’s journey and to prevent them from being influenced by political speculators, terrorists and radicals. International organizations should facilitate this within their mandates in co-operation with the States themselves. The OSCE can also make a significant contribution by focusing on preventive measures to combat the radicalization of youth, the influence of extremist ideology and the spread of racist, neo-Nazi and religious extremist views. This is what we believe the Special Representative of the Chairperson-in-Office on Youth and Security should focus on.

Thank you for your attention.