The Youth Development Delegates in the Arab Region initiative aims to promote youth inclusion in development. Since 2020, the joint initiative between UNDP and the Arab Youth Center (AYC) has enabled youth from Algeria, Bahrain, Djibouti, Egypt, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Morocco, Palestine, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Syria, and Tunisia to gain hands-on work experience at UNDP country offices and the UNDP Regional Hub and contribute to the Sustainable Development Agenda in the Arab region. 

The delegates are placed in UNDP country offices to contribute to youth empowerment and engagement in their countries and the region at large and develop their personal and professional skills. They work closely with national and regional youth focal points to develop and deliver youth programming in their countries, including the Youth Leadership Programme. In addition, the delegates are working together across the region through regional projects and campaigns. 

The initiative is part of a broader framework of UNDP SHABABEEK – Youth Empowerment, Engagement and Knowledge Project, which provides holistic support to youth by building partnerships and creating an enabling environment for youth to thrive and take an active role in their societies. 

The goals of the initiative are to: 

• Offer youth a chance to familiarize themselves with the UN framework 
• Build capacities of young people to contribute to sustainable development and achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in their countries and the Arab states region 
• Enable youth to develop their innovative solutions to development challenges in the region