Day: May 23, 2021

The UAE stressed that it has been gravely concerned by the escalating violence in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territory. The UAE welcomed the news of a ceasefire agreement and expressed hope that it is durable, lasting, and might contribute to the resumption of a credible wider peace process while restoring calm and building confidence between the parties at the same time.

The UAE also thanked Antonio Guterres, UN Secretary-General, for his appeal for an immediate ceasefire and his call on all parties to initiate a political dialogue and to exercise maximum restraint.

Lana Nusseibeh, Assistant Minister for Political Affairs and Ambassador and Permanent Representative of the UAE to the UN, spoke before the UN General Assembly at its debate on the situation in the Middle East and the question of Palestine convened at the request of the Group of Arab Member States to the UN, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, and the Non-Aligned Movement. She expressed the UAE’s condolences to the families of all those killed and stated that the events of the past two weeks have been a somber reminder of the urgent need for a peaceful dialogue aimed at a long-term solution to end the conflict.

She said, “The ongoing violence of the past two weeks and the growing number of civilian casualties indicate that we must redouble international efforts to find a just, comprehensive, and lasting peaceful solution to the Palestinian issue consistent with relevant Security Council and General Assembly resolutions.”

Ambassador Nusseibeh expressed alarm at the actions against the Palestinian people since early May in violation of international law, including at the Al-Aqsa Mosque, and the forced displacement of Palestinian families from the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood, which has led to civilian casualties, including women and children. She stressed that Israel must comply with its obligations under international law, including international humanitarian law and human rights law, and with all relevant UN resolutions.

She emphasised that Israel must protect Palestinian civilians, immediately cease building settlements and demolishing Palestinian property in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, and halt the forcible displacement of Palestinians.

Furthermore, Ambassador Nusseibeh underscored the fundamental importance of upholding the status of Jerusalem in compliance with relevant UN resolutions.

She emphasised the right of the Palestinian people to freely practice their religions and the importance of respecting the role of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan as custodian of the holy sites in Jerusalem and in preserving their legal and historical status quo.

She also reaffirmed the UAE’s readiness to support all regional and international efforts aimed at advancing the Middle East peace process and at achieving the two-state solution through the creation of an independent Palestinian state based on the borders of June 4, 1967, with East Jerusalem as its capital, in accordance with the relevant UN resolutions, Madrid references, and the Arab Peace Initiative.

Ambassador Nusseibeh also stressed that the UAE remains deeply concerned by the backdrop of the wider deteriorating humanitarian and economic conditions in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, which has worsened with the COVID-19 pandemic and has underlined the urgent need to reach a lasting solution.

In this context, she highlighted the need for the international community to provide support to the Palestinian people, especially through the provision of vaccines and medical equipment.

“The UAE will continue to work with our regional and international partners to achieve a better future for Palestinian, Arab, and Israeli generations who deserve to live in safety and dignity in a stable and prosperous region,” Ambassador Nusseibeh concluded. “This cannot simply be the latest round of violence; it must be the last. This conflict and these cycles of violence have endured for too long and can only be stopped by achieving real and lasting peace. The youth of our region, on all sides, cannot and must not be condemned to unending hatred out of a failure to recognise that the far braver stance would be to chart a course to peace.”

Source: Ministry of Foreign Affairs & International Cooperation

The United Arab Emirates today announced an offer to host the 28th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP 28) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in Abu Dhabi in 2023, with a focus on the economic case for inclusive climate action.

Commenting on the UAE’s offer to host COP 28, H.H. Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, said, “The climate challenge is daunting, but it is also matched by enormous opportunity to drive economic growth and job creation. As a country that sits at the heart of the hydrocarbon industry and has made significant investments in energy diversification domestically and around the globe, we have seen first-hand that there is now an unprecedented business case for the highest level of climate ambition – especially when it advances gender equality and empowers youth.”

“COP 28 will represent a pivotal moment to capitalise on this opportunity, and our vision is to work with all countries to realise their net economic benefits from accelerated action.”

As the permanent host country for the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), the first country in the region to sign and ratify the Paris Agreement and the first in the region to commit to an economy-wide reduction in emissions as part of its Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC), the UAE has demonstrated a proven track record in progressive climate action and multilateral cooperation that makes it an ideal convener for COP 28.

The UAE has established itself as a natural host for high-level large format international events focused on climate action and sustainable development. Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week is the world’s largest annual sustainability event, with over 45,000 delegates from 170 countries, and the UAE has hosted both preparatory meetings for United Nations’ climate summits in 2014 and 2019.

Also, the upcoming Dubai Expo – focused on the Sustainable Development Goals and including 192 national pavilions – will welcome tens of millions of visitors starting in October.

The UAE’s investments in domestic renewable energy – including many of the world’s largest solar projects – over the last 15 years have yielded the world’s lowest solar costs. The UAE’s investments internationally have also contributed to renewable energy’s dramatic cost reductions over the last decade, reshaping global energy markets.

The UAE has invested around $17 billion in commercial renewable energy projects on six continents and provided over $1 billion of grants and soft loans for renewable energy power plants, including through the UAE-Pacific Partnership Fund and UAE-Caribbean Renewable Energy Fund.

In addition, the UAE has pioneered carbon capture and storage to decarbonise heavy industry, led initiatives in climate-smart agriculture and prioritised biodiversity conservation.

“As COP 28 host, the UAE would leverage its experience as a regional and global convener to mobilise all actors in achieving the Paris Agreement and reinforcing the compelling investment case for raising ambitions,” Sheikh Abdullah added. “Climate impacts are already being acutely felt, but our experience gives us optimism that we can meet global climate goals while creating social and economic opportunities – with contributions coming from all corners of the globe.”

Source: Ministry of Foreign Affairs & International Cooperation