Delivered by: Ghasaq Shaheen, Political Coordinator

Madame President,

I thank the High Representative Nakamitsu for her informative briefing, and I welcome Ukraine’s participation in today’s meeting.

All member states of the United Nations have the right of self-defense and to manage their national security and defense systems in line with the UN Charter. It is also vital that risks associated with the transfer, storage, and deployment of weapons are carefully managed. As we have seen in other contexts, the threats of weapons ending up in the hands of terrorist groups and other malign actors, which may target civilians and negatively impact security and stability, is significant. Preventing the diversion of weapons to such groups is of particular consequence.

Given the interconnected nature of such challenges, it is critical that the competent national authorities protect against the risk of weapons diversion and that international actors cooperate, as appropriate, to bolster these efforts.

This Council has recognized the need to address such risks in different situations around the world, including in December with the adoption of Presidential Statement 2022/7 condemning the flow of weapons, military equipment, unmanned aerial systems, and improvised explosive device components to terrorist groups.

Last year, CTED, the Counter-Terrorism Centre of UNOCT, and UNIDIR released the “Technical guidelines to facilitate the implementation of Security Council resolution 2370 of 2017 and related international standards and good practices on preventing terrorists from acquiring weapons”. The Technical Guidelines provide practical tools that can support the development and implementation of national policies and facilitate international coordination. We encourage all member states to consult it, as appropriate.

Madame President,

The most effective way to mitigate the risks associated with weapons transfers during wartime is to end the war. We therefore repeat our call for de-escalation and dialogue. The diplomatic path towards peace remains fraught, but it is the only path that offers hope in bringing about a just and sustainable end to this devastating conflict, in line with the UN Charter. The UAE stands ready to support all genuine efforts to that end.

And I thank you, Madame President.