NEW YORK – 10 January 2020 – During the UN Security Council Open Debate on the upholding of the UN Charter to maintain international peace and security, the UAE supported the call made by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to stop escalation in the Middle East and renew international cooperation. 

“Our meeting comes at a time when the Middle East is going through a critical time and troubling tensions, underscoring the need to ease these tensions, and to use diplomatic means to spare the region further escalation,” Ms. Ghasaq Shaheen, Charge d’Affaires of the Permanent Mission of the UAE to the UN, said. “The provisions of the Charter were drafted amid World War Two and its first sentence emphasized the determination to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war. However, ratification of the Charter alone is not enough to achieve its purposes and principles; instead, this requires continuous commitment and efforts by all States to achieve its loafty goals.”

One of the fundamental pillars of the UN Charter is the peaceful settlement of disputes, to which end Ms. Shaheen highlightedthe UAE’s approach to addressing the dispute over the three Emirati islands: Greater Tunb, Lesser Tunb, and Abu Musa. In this regard, she expressed support to UN-led political processes for the peaceful settlement of disputes in the region. 

Ms. Shaheen reaffirmed the UAE’s commitment to seeking political solutions, playing a mediation role, and promoting the values of tolerance in the region and beyond. She added that the Security Council must consult and coordinate with the concerned Member States in order to effectively address the situations on its agenda. She underscored the vital role regional and sub-regional organizations can play in addressing tensions and achieving security and stability. 

Additionally, Ms. Shaheen emphasized that the international community must not lose sight of the human cost of conflict exacerbated by the inconsistent implementation of the Charter, underlining that the UAE will continue to lead in supporting humanitarian and development projects across the world. 

Furthermore, Ms. Shaheen highlighted how the upcoming Expo Dubai 2020 – which aims to build partnerships and present innovative solutions that will forge the world of tomorrow – will foster friendly relations between countries, a key principle of the UN Charter.