Delivered by: Fatema Yousef, Counselor

Mr. President,

At the outset, the United Arab Emirates reiterates the statement of the Kingdom of Bahrain, on behalf of the Gulf Cooperation Council countries.

In this context, my country expresses its regret regarding the use of the veto power against the draft resolution submitted by the United States on the mandate of the (MINURSO), which would have built on the momentum generated by the adoption of the Security Council’s historic Resolution 2797 for finding a solution to the issue of the Moroccan Sahara, by affirming Morocco’s autonomy initiative as the sole basis for negotiations, and that autonomy under Moroccan sovereignty represents the only viable solution to this issue.

While the UAE acknowledges that the right of veto is guaranteed to the Permanent Members under the Charter, its use in this case prevented the implementation of the will of the majority of the Security Council members, eleven of whom supported the draft resolution.

At this stage, my country stresses the importance of ensuring a responsible, smooth and orderly withdrawal of the mission, while welcoming the commitment of the Kingdom of Morocco to ensure a safe and dignified exit for the mission’s staff, and to maintain the ceasefire. In this regard, we emphasize the responsibility of all parties to respect their commitments and to refrain from any escalation that would undermine security and stability in the region.

At the same time, the UAE affirms its support for efforts to resume negotiations in order to reach a peaceful solution to this issue, through dialogue, pragmatism, and a spirit of compromise, in a way that supports the sovereignty of the Kingdom of Morocco over the Moroccan Sahara, preserves its territorial integrity, and reinforces the centrality of the autonomy initiative as a basis for turning the page on this long-standing conflict, and contributes to maintaining regional and international security and stability.

Mr. President, the convening of this session today reaffirms the importance of the role and competencies of the General Assembly in matters related to the maintenance of international peace and security. With increasing calls to limit the use of the veto power in cases where it hinders progress towards finding peaceful solutions to conflicts, and threatens to undermine security and stability, there is a need to continue efforts to develop and reform the Security Council and enhance its ability to fulfill its responsibilities, including establishing the principle of restraint in the use of the veto within the Council’s working methods and procedures.

In this context, we stress the importance of building on the mechanism established by General Assembly Resolution 76/262 on the use of the veto, along with existing initiatives aimed at promoting restraint in its use. Those include the Code of Conduct developed by the Accountability, Coherence, and Transparency Group (ACT) , and the Franco-Mexican Initiative, as complementary efforts to promote transparency and accountability, and to prevent hindering the Security Council from carrying out its responsibilities.

In conclusion, Mr. President, the UAE affirms that, in light of the pivotal stage that the world and the international community are going through, the peoples of the world look forward to a Security Council that is capable of playing its designed role in maintaining international peace and security, and responding to crises, especially those witnessed in our region.

Thank you, Mr. President.