Delivered by: His Excellency Mohamed Abushahab, Ambassador and Deputy Permanent Representative
Madam President,
I thank Under-Secretary-General Rosemary DiCarlo, His Excellency Ambassador Sérgio França Danese, and all briefers for their informative remarks delivered at the opening of this debate.
Madam President,
The Security Council has heard time and again of the suffering unleashed on conflict-affected societies. The war on Gaza is a stark illustration of the need for conflict prevention.
As stated in the New Agenda for Peace, there must be a greater focus on addressing prevention to build peaceful and resilient societies.
The United Arab Emirates believes there are three key features that prevention strategies should encompass.
First, the agendas for both women and youth in peace and security should be mainstreamed throughout this Council’s work.
It’s our collective responsibility that women’s participation does not remain the exception, but rather, becomes the norm. In particular, women’s economic participation, as well as ensuring their presence in leadership and decision-making roles.
We have an upcoming opportunity to do this by integrating the full, equal, and meaningful participation of women consistently into the Summit of the Future and its Pact. Its work can inform and inspire the forthcoming review of the conflict prevention architecture in 2025.
Youth are equally important for conflict prevention. National institutions should enable their participation by creating platforms for young people to get involved in peacebuilding activities. Similarly, it is key to invest in education and capacity building to give them opportunities to contribute to more sustainable, resilient societies.
Second, preventing and countering the corrosive nature of extremism and hate speech is key.
Extremism and hate speech are regrettably on the rise, posing a fundamental threat to peaceful co-existence.
Good governance, sustainable development, and the promotion of tolerance can reverse this dangerous trend.
The UN already plays a role in furthering coordination and cooperation across each of these areas.
Resolution 2686, unanimously adopted by this Council in June of last year, recognizes the Peacebuilding Commission’s role in convening the UN and all other relevant stakeholders in an effort to promote tolerance and address hate speech. The Resolution also encourages the Secretary-General’s report to include a compilation of peacebuilding best practices in addressing the root causes of conflict.
Third, regional and international cooperation is essential to build capacity and further empower national conflict prevention strategies.
We need an international peacebuilding architecture that is capable of fostering cooperation at scale. This includes mobilizing innovative tools and technologies, as well as the development of early warning mechanisms.
Ecuador and Colombia’s joint early warning system along their shared border illustrates how regional cooperation on initiatives of these kinds can protect communities from the dangers posed by armed groups.
In September last year, the UAE also announced the launch of a digital humanitarian platform to support the ability of governments to better harness international support in the wake of natural disasters. The aim is to create a central information exchange, and by integrating advances in artificial intelligence, including machine learning, disaster-hit countries can use this tool to specify the types of aid needed, where, and in what quantities. This would in turn facilitate more efficient assistance to affected countries, ultimately enhancing peacebuilding efforts.
These are just two examples, and it is our hope that such models can be replicated to strengthen conflict prevention.
Madam President,
There are myriad reasons that lead to armed conflict, and the formula for preventing it is just as complex. The UN and its organs should support national governments to promote an integrated, strategic, and coherent approach to prevention.
At the same time, sustainable peace can only be achieved through comprehensive and inclusive strategies vested in national ownership and supported by the international community.
I thank you, Madam President.