Ahmed Shaaban (Cairo)
His Excellency Khalifa Shaheen Al Marar, Minister of State, headed the UAE delegation to the 159th regular session of the Ministerial Council of the League of Arab States, which was held yesterday at the headquarters of the Arab League.
His Excellency Khalifa Shaheen Al-Marar, in the UAE’s speech before the Council of the League of Arab States, expressed solidarity with the Syrian Arab Republic and the Republic of Turkey, and offered sincere condolences and sympathy to the victims of the two countries as a result of the recent devastating earthquakes, asking God Almighty for mercy for the victims, and a speedy recovery for the injured, He affirmed the position of the UAE to stand by the two countries in light of these difficult circumstances and the great human tragedy they are facing.
His Excellency clarified that the UAE is fulfilling its duty in this regard, as it responded immediately to the call of humanitarian duty after the disaster occurred, and continues to do so, as it launched Operation “The Gallant Knight 2”, and operated an air bridge carrying search and rescue teams, relief and shelter materials, medicines, treatment and field hospitals, indicating that The number of flights within this operation reached 210 until March 5, in addition to 12 aircraft from the Humanitarian City in Dubai, including 145 aircraft to Syria.
His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the State, may God protect him, provided 150 million US dollars to support those affected, of which 100 million went to Syria. His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, may God protect him, gave 50 million dirhams.
Bridges of goodness
The UAE also launched the “Bridges of Good” campaign to provide in-kind and cash donations. The campaign has so far collected (180 million dirhams), including 50 million from Her Highness Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak, President of the General Women’s Union, President of the Supreme Council for Motherhood and Childhood, Supreme Chair of the Development Foundation. Family (Mother of the Emirates).
“This operation is still continuing to deliver aid to Syria by air and sea, at a rate of four planes per day,” he added.
His Excellency said: “Here, we must praise the solidarity shown by the Arab countries with the brotherly Syrian people, which confirms that there is no alternative for Syria from its Arab surroundings, and there is no alternative for the Arabs to embrace Syria and heal its wounds, and we stress the importance of maintaining this momentum of Arab solidarity and interest in the file.” In order to achieve the aspirations of the brotherly Syrian people, leading to the return of Syria to its Arab surroundings.
And he stressed: “The importance of building on Arab solidarity with Syria in facing the catastrophe of earthquakes, and seizing this opportunity to agree on an effective and decisive Arab role to seriously contribute to the political solution to the Syrian crisis, and to reject regional interference in Syria.”
The peace process
With regard to the Palestinian issue, His Excellency Al-Marar said: “Since the beginning of the 158th session of our esteemed council until now, the Palestinian territories are witnessing a disturbing escalation that threatens to undermine the two-state solution and block the path of the peace process to resolve the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. Held on February 26, 2023, the situation was pushed once again to the furnace of escalation and violence that threatens to get out of control, which prompted us to go once again to the United Nations Security Council in a closed session with the aim of pushing things back to the path of calm and non-escalation and putting everyone before their responsibilities To stop the hand of extremists from controlling the course of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, after we succeeded in issuing a unanimous presidential statement by the Security Council on February 21, 2023 condemning the construction and expansion of Israeli settlements, and opposing unilateral measures that would impede the prospects for a two-state solution in the Palestinian territories. occupied, and stresses the importance of creating a political horizon that brings the parties back to the negotiating table, and this statement is the first in the Security Council in favor of the Palestinian right in six years. His Excellency stressed that “the United Arab Emirates supports all regional and international efforts exerted to advance the peace process in the Middle East on the basis of the two-state solution, leading to the establishment of an independent Palestinian state on the borders of June 4, 1967, with East Jerusalem as its capital, in accordance with the resolutions of international legitimacy and the Arab Peace Initiative.” And creating an appropriate environment that allows for a return to serious negotiations that lead to achieving a just, comprehensive and lasting peace.
The UAE appreciated the role played by the Arab Republic of Egypt and the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan in this regard. He added, “The geopolitical scene has not changed much in the international arena since the beginning of the 158th session in March 2022. Rather, the state of polarization and division in the international system has intensified, so it must be reaffirmed that the UAE is expressing concern about the repercussions of this situation on peace and security.” and stability at the regional and international levels, and we find it necessary to reaffirm what we believe in the importance of adhering to the principles and rules of international law, the Charter of the United Nations and international legitimacy, multilateral action, respect for the principle of settling international disputes by peaceful means, respect for the sovereignty and independence of states and non-interference in their affairs And the firm belief that diplomacy is still the only and most effective way to resolve crises, and support the use of dialogue and negotiations as an indispensable tool to address existing conflicts regionally and internationally.
challenges
Regarding the existing challenges in our Arab region and confronting them, His Excellency Khalifa Shaheen Al-Marar stressed that “it is necessary to make progress in strengthening the Arab role in resolving Arab political crises and engaging in a path that leads to strengthening inter-Arab relations, strengthening bridges of communication and joint action to overcome the complexities of the status quo, And the restoration of the rules of common Arab security, and solidarity in the face of regional crises and the state of uncertainty in the outcome of the geopolitical situation in the international arena.
The UAE expressed “hope to overcome the conditions the region is going through so that our Arab peoples can enjoy security, stability and a decent life.”
His Excellency Al-Marar continued: “We in the United Arab Emirates, as we focus on the approach of strengthening bridges of communication and adopting political and diplomatic solutions in disputes between countries, we renew the call for Iran to respond positively to our repeated calls for a peaceful solution to the issue of the three occupied Emirati islands, Greater Tunb, Lesser Tunb and Abu Moses, through direct negotiations or resorting to the International Court of Justice ».
Regarding the Yemeni situation, His Excellency said: “We affirm our support for the Yemeni Presidential Leadership Council, and the pivotal role of the brotherly Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in leading the Coalition to Support Legitimacy, and its efforts to reach a Yemeni political process to resolve the crisis in the interest of the brotherly Yemeni people.” He also reaffirmed the support of Efforts made by the United Nations and its Special Envoy to Yemen and other efforts aimed at finding a mechanism for a permanent ceasefire, and starting a serious dialogue to reach a sustainable political settlement to the Yemeni crisis.
Houthi intransigence
He added, “We express our concern about the intransigence of the Houthi group and its continuation in attacking civilian and oil installations and threatening international shipping lines, and we stress the importance of putting pressure on the Houthis and holding them responsible for the exacerbation of the humanitarian and economic crisis in Yemen, and pushing them to submit to the requirements of peace and end the suffering of the brotherly Yemeni people.”
With regard to the Libyan issue, the UAE stressed “the need for all Libyan parties to adhere to restraint, dialogue, and give priority to the national interest, to restore security and stability. We also renew our position calling for resolving the conflict in Libya through a political process led and owned by the Libyans, and supporting the efforts of the UN envoy to Libya, And international efforts aimed at achieving security and stability in Libya, in order to achieve the aspirations of the brotherly Libyan people for development, stability and prosperity.
On the situation in Iraq, the UAE affirmed its stand and solidarity with Iraq in facing the challenges it is going through, looks forward to a stable and prosperous Iraq, and supports everything that achieves security, stability, territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence for Iraq.
On Sudan, His Excellency said, “The UAE supports various efforts and initiatives that are in the interest of the Sudanese people in terms of unity, construction, development, and the establishment of a new phase during which Sudan will enjoy stability and prosperity, and expresses confidence in Sudan’s ability to make the transitional phase a success and reach a sustainable political agreement.”
On Somalia, Al Marar said: “The UAE stands by brotherly Somalia to overcome the various challenges it faces, and supports the efforts of the Somali government to combat the terrorist Al-Shabaab movement and other terrorist organizations, so that the brotherly Somali people may enjoy prosperity and prosperity.”
Climate change
With regard to facing the challenges of climate change, the UAE’s speech praised the success achieved at the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP27), which was hosted by the Arab Republic of Egypt last November.
His Excellency Al Marar said in this context: We are looking forward to the next Conference of the Parties (COP28) that the UAE will host in Dubai Expo City in November 2023, and for which the country has begun preparations and preparations for it with great activity and momentum, with the announcement of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the State. God, the year 2023 is a year of sustainability, based on our belief in the importance of international cooperation and inclusion of all in climate action, and we count on success in reaching consensus in order to transform words and pledges into actions and procedures, and we are working to make (COP28) an inclusive conference for all stakeholders from governments And the private sector, youth and civil society organizations to achieve the international agenda for climate action and energy transition, and to achieve real progress in various tracks.
His Excellency added: “The UAE is determined to achieve climate neutrality by 2050 through an ambitious national strategy, building regional and international partnerships, and building bridges of international cooperation, based on the vision of the UAE leadership, which considers climate action an opportunity to develop and diversify the economy across various sectors. Hence, we look forward to the participation and contributions of our brothers in the Arab countries to the success of the (COP28) conference, in a way that serves the future stability and prosperity of the region, and overcoming the existing climatic and environmental challenges.
Teamwork
The UAE’s speech stressed that: “The state of uncertainty and increasing tension in the international scene multiplies the unprecedented challenges facing our Arab countries, which requires intensifying teamwork, increasing the pace of Arab coordination, cooperation and joint action, and accelerating the solution to the crises in the region, in order to restore Optimism and hope for the Arab peoples for a better future, based on the focus of efforts to advance the agenda of peace, stability, development and prosperity.
His Excellency Al-Marar indicated in the speech: “This is what the consultative summit between leaders that Abu Dhabi hosted on January 18, 2023 aimed at, which sought to discuss the best ways to confront the challenges that the region is experiencing. The food crisis facing the world and its painful repercussions on the Arab countries, to the challenges of climate change and water scarcity, to the challenges of security and stability and the fight against extremism and terrorism, all require serious joint Arab action and wise, rational and innovative solutions.
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