NEW YORK: Sheikh Shakhboot bin Nahyan Al Nahyan, Minister of State, delivered the UAE statement at General Debate of 79th Session of UN General Assembly.
Following is the full text of the statement:
“Mr. President,
At the outset, I would like to thank His Excellency Dennis Francis for his outstanding leadership of the previous session.
I also congratulate His Excellency Philemon Yang on assuming the presidency of the 79th session of the General Assembly, and I wish him success.
From the podium of this General Assembly, a place that has always embraced our ambitions and agonies, we call upon all of you to join hands and work together to create a better world for our sons and daughters, and for future generations. A better world in which they can enjoy a decent, prosperous, and stable life.
A world in which all political, diplomatic, and economic capabilities, and the latest technological and scientific advancements, are harnessed to preserve life in all its forms.
In the United Arab Emirates, we have fo
cused on this vision. We have unleashed the wheel of progress in every field, from development, economy, and education to technology, and industry.
Since its inception, the UAE has adopted a transparent foreign policy, based on credibility and building balanced relations with all countries. This includes supporting regional and international efforts aimed at achieving stability and reducing escalations, encouraging dialogue and building bridges, as well as resolving crises instead of merely managing them.
As our world stands at a dangerous crossroads, we must redirect the compass of our international action to focus on a set of fundamental and non-negotiable principles.
Most importantly, we must stand united in the face of contentious issues, support all peoples without applying double standards, ensure the protection of civilians, uphold the rule of law, as well as commit to human rights and respect the principles of good neighbourliness.
Returning to these basic principles has become more urgent than ev
er, particularly with the serious violations committed in conflicts raging in our region and around the world. These violations have deepened human suffering, erased decades of progress, and caused widespread displacement, creating massive refugee crises. This has also increased the burdens on concerned and neighbouring countries, particularly with the ongoing bloody war on the Gaza Strip, the wars in Sudan and Ukraine, and the crises taking place in Yemen, Syria, Libya, Sahel, Afghanistan, Myanmar, Haiti and other countries.
It must be recalled here that even wars have rules. Parties must respect international law, including international humanitarian law.
In Gaza, an immediate and lasting ceasefire must be reached, rapid, full and unimpeded access of humanitarian aid at large-scale must be allowed, and the hostages and detainees must be released. The relevant Security Council resolutions must also be implemented.
We must act wisely in response to the rapid developments threatening our region.
It is evid
ent that what we have warned about is now unfolding beyond our control. We regret to see the war spread to Lebanon, at a time when we were hoping for an announcement about reaching a deal to end the war on Gaza.
It is unacceptable to ignore the decisions and advisory opinions issued by the highest judicial body of the United Nations – the International Court of Justice. This includes the provisional measures issued by the Court regarding the war on Gaza.
In this context, we call for maintaining the security and safety of people. We must safeguard regional and international stability, including the security of international navigation, trade routes, and energy supplies. This is especially crucial in light of continued attempts by terrorist and extremist groups to exploit people’s suffering for their own political goals.
In Sudan, the warring parties must stop the fighting immediately and permanently, and allow unhindered and sustainable access to humanitarian assistance across borders and conflict lines.
W
e express our complete rejection for the warring parties continued targeting of civilians and obstruction of the delivery of humanitarian aid.
My country condemns, in the strongest terms, the blatant attack launched by the Sudanese Armed Forces on the residence of the Ambassador of the United Arab Emirates in Khartoum, on 29th September 2024, in flagrant violation of the fundamental principle of the inviolability of diplomatic premises, and of international conventions and norms, particularly the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations.
We call on the warring parties to engage seriously in peace talks.
In this regard, we emphasize the importance of building on the positive outcomes achieved in the meetings of the working group of the Aligned for Advancing Lifesaving and Peace in Sudan Group (ALPS).
We commend all initiatives aimed at finding a comprehensive solution to this crisis.
We all must continue working with regional and international partners to alleviate the suffering of the Sudanese people fo
r a safer and more prosperous life for them.
In Ukraine, the impacts of the ongoing war have transcended seas and continents. Therefore, it is imperative to find a peaceful solution to end this conflict, which has escalated global polarization, created refugee and prisoners’ crises, and impacted global food security.
Through our continuous engagement with all parties, my country contributed to the release of nearly two thousand prisoners of war, through mediation efforts between the Russian Federation and Ukraine.
We continue to push for dialogue and de-escalation, and support recovery and reconstruction.
Speaking of resolving long-standing crises, we must reiterate here our full support for Moroccan sovereignty over the Moroccan Sahara region, as well as for the Autonomy Initiative, to maintain the territorial integrity of the Kingdom of Morocco.
Mr. President,
In numerous crises, my country refused to allow the international response to be obstructed by growing global polarization, or obstacles impose
d by warring parties.
To this end, my country has sought to overcome these challenges and has utilized all available means to enable humanitarian work to continue. To help all those in need around the world, in line with our commitment to the legacy of Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the founder of the UAE.
Today, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the United Arab Emirates, may God protect him, directed $100 million in urgent relief aid to the brotherly people of Lebanon, to support them in facing the current challenges.
When the war intensified in Sudan, pushing millions of people towards a multidimensional humanitarian disaster, the UAE has devoted its efforts to supporting the Sudanese people. We recently contributed $100 million to support UN efforts addressing the humanitarian repercussions of this war in Sudan and neighboring countries.
In addition, we established two field hospitals in Chad to provide medical services to all those in need, including Sudanese refugees.
Similarly, we spare no effort in supporting the innocent people besieged in Gaza. To this end, we have sent urgent aid by land, air, and sea, and provided treatment to sick and injured Palestinians through the field hospital we established in Rafah and the floating hospital in Al-Arish. The UAE also continues to help in evacuating the wounded and sick and their families from Gaza, most of whom are children and cancer patients, to receive the necessary treatment in the UAE hospitals.
We also maintained our support to UNRWA, which plays a vital role in Gaza. We welcome its recent launch of preparatory programs to resume its educational services in the Strip. We applaud the humanitarian workers for all their efforts, who provide a ray of hope in the dark shadow of war.
If we want to bring an end to the seven-decades long vicious cycle of the Palestinian issue, then we must take concrete steps towards the establishment of an independent Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital, based on the two-stat
e solution.
We must also consider the establishment of a temporary international mission in the Gaza Strip – upon an official request from the Palestinian government – to address the humanitarian crisis, re-establish security and law, and reunite Gaza and the West Bank under a reformed Palestinian Authority. This would enable the Palestinian Authority – after it is reformed – to take firm steps towards reaching a comprehensive and just political solution for the Palestinian issue.
My country believes that the State of Palestine, which just a couple of weeks ago took its new seat in this hall like every other nation, has fulfilled the requirements for full membership in this organization. It deserves to be recognized by all states as a fully-fledged state under occupation.
Mr President,
In parallel with our efforts in these files, my country renews its demand to Iran to end its occupation of the three UAE islands: Greater Tunb, Lesser Tunb, and Abu Musa. These islands are an integral part of the UAE.
We w
ill continue to urge Iran to respond to our repeated calls to resolve this issue either through direct negotiations, or resort to the International Court of Justice.
In all other issues, the UAE believes that the best way to resolve crises is through diplomacy. We cannot fight fire with fire. When traditional approaches are no longer effective, it is our duty to renew these approaches to be able to move forward during the darkest moments of our history.
Mr. President,
Building a secure and prosperous future requires renovating the mechanisms of multilateral action to better address the serious challenges surrounding us. Therefore, we must undertake important roles in finding solutions for conflicts and crises, particularly as the current international system has proven ineffective in preventing the most serious crimes or holding its perpetrators accountable.
This requires in the first place to reform the Security Council through a comprehensive effort that includes all Member States of the United Nations.
This would enable the Council to restore its credibility, fulfil its mandate of maintaining international peace and security, and combat impunity, even in situations where polarization and political considerations prevent the Council from taking action.
Developing and poor countries must also be at the centre of any international effort. We also must ensure that women and youth are empowered to play their critical and meaningful roles in all aspects of collective action.
While we are pre-occupied with addressing the current reality, we must not lose sight of the importance of crises prevention efforts.
The deadliest wars in history did not break out overnight. They were the result of extremism, hate speech, and intolerance accumulating over years, if not decades.
This requires taking concrete steps to uphold the principles of tolerance and peaceful coexistence, and coordinate regional and international efforts, to extinguish the sparks of conflict before they start.
Furthermore, collective action is the
only way to address the challenges posing threats to the future of humanity and our planet, including climate change.
The outcomes of the 28th session of the United Nations Climate Change Conference hosted by the UAE demonstrated what we can achieve when we work together. The historic ‘UAE Consensus’ adopted by 198 countries, embodies a global consensus on developing measures to prevent global warming above 1.5 degrees Celsius, and operationalize the ‘Loss and Damage’ Fund to compensate the countries most affected by climate change.
We will continue to cooperate with everyone to support climate action and clean and renewable energy solutions, including through the ‘Troika of the Presidencies of the Conference of the Parties’ initiative with Azerbaijan and Brazil, to provide a concrete response that contributes to the achievement of the objectives of international climate agreements.
We will also continue our efforts to address the issues of water scarcity and provision of sustainable clean water for all, i
ncluding through the ‘UN Water Conference’, which we intend to host in the United Arab Emirates in 2026 in partnership with Senegal. Our other initiatives in this field, most notably, is the ‘Mohamed bin Zayed Water Initiative’, which was launched this year.
With this forward-looking spirit, my country seeks to explore and harness the potential opportunities provided by advanced technologies, as well as transform emerging technologies, such as Artificial Intelligence, to find innovative solutions for our businesses, life, and government services.
We believe that international attention and investments should be directed towards these technologies to accelerate sustainable development and achieve transformative shifts in addressing the challenges we face in different fields. This will enable bridging development gaps and support progress for all.
Mr. President, let us seize this opportunity to reform international collective action, our refuge in difficult times, and work together hand in hand to create a b
right future that future generations would be proud of.
Thank you, Mr. President.”
Source: Emirates News Agency