Delivered By: HE Mohamed Abushahab, Ambassador and Permanent Representative

Mr. President,

I would like to begin by thanking Greece for organizing this open debate, and by applauding Prime Minister Mitsotakis for his leadership on this crucial topic.

I also thank Secretary-General Guterres for his valuable insights, as well as Ms. Travlos and Mr. Bueger for their contributions to this meeting.

Mr. President,

Global trade serves as a lifeline for billions of people. It plays a vital role in advancing humanitarian operations, sustainable development, as well as food and energy security.

For the United Arab Emirates, located in a region that moves nearly a third of the world’s energy by sea, the importance of maritime security is paramount.

The targeting of vessels in the Red Sea serves as a live demonstration of how disruptions in key maritime arteries can ripple across the globe.

So today, the UAE would like to make the following recommendations to forge resilient maritime security:

First, the Council must remain seized of both physical and digital activities that may disrupt the secure, lawful, and unimpeded use of international waters.

This includes safeguarding freedom of navigation, an important principle of international law that is increasingly threatened by regional instability, terrorism, cyber-attacks on maritime infrastructure, and transnational organized crime.

In this regard, the Council can be informed by regional security frameworks such as the Yaoundé Architecture for Maritime Security in the Gulf of Guinea.

This initiative, through real-time information sharing and coordinated operations, contributed to a decline in regional piracy incidents.

Its success illustrates how structured multilateral cooperation can yield concrete security outcomes.

Second, we must deepen operational coordination and information sharing across regional and international waters.

This includes leveraging the International Maritime Organization’s expertise and frameworks to bolster regional maritime cooperation, build local capacity, and enhance real-time threat detection and response mechanisms.

The UAE remains a supporter and initiator of maritime security initiatives and was pleased to host the high-level meeting of the amended Djibouti Code of Conduct in 2022, bringing together 20 signatory States.

The meeting not only developed a unified strategy to address complex maritime threats, but also paved the way to activate the Information Sharing Network.

Third, as climate change exacerbates threats to maritime security, the Council should deepen its awareness of climate-related maritime risks.

Rising sea levels and intensified storms are some of the many escalating threats to coastal infrastructure, shipping lanes, and marine ecosystems.

COP28, which was hosted by the UAE, underscored how these environmental pressures act as risk multipliers, compounding vulnerabilities in already fragile maritime contexts.

Given the links between maritime security and environmental sustainability, the UAE advocates for increased reporting from the UN Secretary-General on climate-related maritime security risks and the implications for international peace and security.

Understanding these cascading effects will enable the Council to anticipate and preemptively act to mitigate potential threats, thereby enhancing international peace and security through global maritime stability.

Finally, building resilience also means taking an inclusive approach to maritime activities.

Maritime security will be safer with the full, equal, and meaningful participation of women, as recognized by the IMO’s Arab Women in Maritime Association.

Mr. President,

Maritime security is a collective responsibility.

We must therefore work together to translate commitments into action to forge a more secure and sustainable maritime future for all. 

Thank you, Mr. President.