Arab Youth Climate Movement Qatar secures UN recognition with Special Consultative Status

Doha, Qatar: The Arab Youth Climate Movement Qatar (AYCMQ) has achieved a historic milestone, being officially granted a Special Consultative Status w...

Doha, Qatar: The Arab Youth Climate Movement Qatar (AYCMQ) has achieved a historic milestone, being officially granted a Special Consultative Status within the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC).

This marks the first time in 10 years that a climate-focused organization in the Gulf has received this recognition, placing the youth-led movement at the forefront of global climate governance and policymaking.

This status, which few organizations worldwide hold, provides the AYCMQ with direct access to the UN in New York and Geneva, including high-level policy forums and negotiations.

It allows the group to attend, observe, and even submit statements at UN conferences, bringing youth and community voices from Qatar and the Arab region to the global stage.

Speaking to The Peninsula, Neeshad Shafi, the organisation’s co-founder and executive director said: “It’s quite significant—for years, we’ve participated in climate discussions through other organisations or government delegations. But now, for the first time, we have our own identity. That’s a major accomplishment for a volunteer-driven organisation like ours.”