NEW YORK – 3 May 2023 – His Excellency Omar Sultan AlOlama, Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy, and Remote Work Applications, called for the use of digital technologies to build and sustain peace during a United Nations Security Council open debate on “peacebuilding and sustaining peace.”

“The emergence of new, powerful technological tools that can be used to connect or divide the world makes it imperative for all of us to pursue a common approach that addresses and guides the proper use and governance of these tools,” said HE Omar Sultan AlOlama, Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy, and Remote Work Applications. “These technologies, which are progressing at exponential speeds, have the ability to magnify peacekeeping efforts or affect them negatively.”

Minister AlOlama emphasized the need to include women and youth, communities across the municipal, local, national, and international spheres, and civil society in peacebuilding efforts. He noted the need to strengthen the peacebuilding architecture to help address long-term challenges such as climate change, extremism, and global public health emergencies. Minister AlOlama also said it is crucial to address hate speech, racism, intolerance, and other manifestations of extremism.

Minister AlOlama delivered the UAE’s statement at a signature event convened by Switzerland, which is serving as president of the Security Council for the month of May. The meeting was chaired by His Excellency Ignazio Cassis, Federal Councillor and Head of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs of Switzerland.