Ambassador Lana Zaki Nusseibeh, UAE’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations in New York, has said that since 1971, when the UAE joined the United Nations, the country has been committed to upholding principles of multilateralism and international cooperation, particularly in the pursuit of global peace, security and sustainable development.
The statement was made during a lecture organised by the Emirates Centre for Strategic Studies and Research, ECSSR, on Monday, titled ‘The Global Role of the UAE at the United Nations’. The ECSSR broadcast the lecture on its YouTube channel and Twitter page.
To ensure stability and security in the Middle East, she pointed out that the UAE has made significant strides in addressing the emerging challenges of the twenty-first century; de-escalating conflicts, combating terrorism and extremism, and contributing to efforts toward ensuring the region is free of weapons of mass destruction. She added that the UAE is striving to promote tolerance, coexistence and interfaith dialogue, as demonstrated by the signing of the Human Fraternity Document.
The lecturer went on to discuss the UAE’s role in tackling the COVID-19 pandemic, noting that health diplomacy has become the core work of UAE foreign policy, as the country has provided significant medical assistance to confront the pandemic.
The UAE has partnered with the World Health Organisation and World Food Programme to deliver testing kits, Personal Protective Equipment, PPE, and other necessary supplies to those in need, through Dubai’s International Humanitarian City – a major hub for UN logistics.
Regarding the empowerment of Emirati women, following the recent Emirati Women’s Day celebrations, Nusseibeh highlighted the progress the UAE has made in this area. She added that Emirati women have become a model for gender equality regionally and globally, when many countries still exclude women from participating in politics, the economy and society.
Concluding her lecture, Lana Nusseibeh explained that the UAE has recently been endorsed by the Asia-Pacific Group and the Arab League for a seat on the UN Security Council, highlighting that this would give the UAE a strong voice on matters of peace and security, as well as other items on the Council’s agenda relevant to Middle East issues.