UNGA: UAE Foreign Minister hosts official reception in New York
Image Credit: Wam
New York: Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, hosted an official reception on the sidelines of the 77th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York.
The reception was attended by a number of heads of state and government, foreign ministers of friendly Gulf, Arab and other foreign countries, along with senior officials of international organisations and the US administration, and members of the UAE’s official delegation to the UNGA.
Sheikh Abdullah welcomed the attendees and conveyed the greetings of the UAE’s leadership and its aspiration to strengthen bilateral relations with their countries. He affirmed that constructive partnerships and fruitful international cooperation are the ways to confront the current challenges, most notably food and energy security. “We must work together to transform these challenges into opportunities for sustainable development, progress and prosperity.”
The Foreign Minister pointed out that the UAE’s message to the world is a message of peace, security and stability, as it is the approach the nation has taken since the establishment of the union, and on which it relies to achieve a prosperous and sustainable future. He affirmed that the values of tolerance, coexistence and human brotherhood secure opportunities for a decent life, development and progress for all peoples worldwide, reported WAM.
Image Credit: Wam
Meetings with Foreign Ministers
Sheikh Abdullah also separately met with a number of foreign ministers of countries participating in the 77th session of the UN General Assembly in New York. He met with José Manuel Albares, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Spain; Kandia Camara, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Cote d’Ivoire; Enrique Manalo, Secretary of Foreign Affairs of the Philippines; Julio César Ramrez, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Paraguay; Hadja Lahbib, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Belgium; Don Pramudwinai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Thailand; Mukhtar Tileuberdi, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan; Wobke Hoekstra, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands; Ranko Krivokapi?, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Montenegro; and Sirojiddin Muhriddin, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Tajikistan.
The meetings reviewed several issues on the agenda of the 77th session of the UN General Assembly, and exchanged views on regional and international developments, including climate change, food security challenges and energy supply chains, in addition to efforts to maintain international peace and security.
During the meetings, the parties reviewed the preparations of the UAE hosting the 28th Conference of the Parties (COP28) in 2023.
The meeting was attended by Reem bint Ibrahim Al Hashemy, Minister of State for International Cooperation; Sheikh Shakhboot bin Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of State; and Ahmed Ali Al Sayegh, Minister of State.
Meeting with Serbian President
Also, Sheikh Abdullah held meeting with President Aleksandar Vučić of Serbia in New York. Sheikh Abdullah conveyed the greetings of President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and his wishes for Serbia’s further growth and prosperity.
President Vučić, in turn, reciprocated his greetings to President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed, wishing the UAE further progress.
At the meeting, the two sides discussed prospects for enhancing the UAE-Serbia cooperation across all sectors, following the signing of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership agreement between the two countries this month. They also reviewed regional and international developments and exchanged views on them. The UAE Foreign Minister and the Serbian President reviewed several issues on the agenda of the 77th session of the UN General Assembly, including climate change and global efforts to confront it, especially with the UAE’s hosting of the 28th Conference of the Parties (COP28) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change next year.
Sheikh Abdullah reiterated the deep friendship between the UAE and Serbia and the keenness to strengthen them in all fields, especially with the signing of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership agreement that supports the aspirations of both countries and their peoples to achieve sustainable growth and economic prosperity.
The meeting was also attended by Ahmed Ali Al Sayegh, Minister of State.
UAE delegation meetings
Meanwhile, the UAE delegation attended the fourth day of high-level meetings on the sidelines of the 77th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).
Reem bint Ibrahim Al Hashemy, Minister of State for International Cooperation, delivered a speech in a United Nations Security Council high-level briefing on the maintenance of peace and security in Ukraine.
In addition, Al Hashemy met with Luca Beccari, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of San Marino, to sign a memorandum of understanding establishing a Joint Committee between the two countries. She also met David Beasley, Executive Director of the United Nations World Food Programme.
For his part, Khalifa Shaheen Al Marar, Minister of State, participated in a ministerial meeting of the Gulf Cooperation Council and the European Union. He also participated in a ministerial meeting of the Ad Hoc Liaison Committee for the Coordination of the International Assistance to Palestinians, which serves as the principal policy-level coordination mechanism for development assistance to the Palestinian people.
Al Marar said, “The UAE, from 2016 to 2022, contributed more than US$ 684 million as part of its efforts to support the Palestinian people. In this vein, UNRWA received over US$ 165 million, with US$ 143 million dedicated to education and US$ 11.7 million for in-kind aid and social services programmes in Gaza, the West Bank, Jordan, Syria, and Lebanon. The UAE has also recently pledged US$ 25 million to Al Makassed Hospital in East Jerusalem to enhance its services.”
He added: “The UAE supports the renewal of UNRWA’s mandate and emphasises its leading role in providing humanitarian assistance and protection programmes for millions of Palestinian refugees. I would like to underscore that UNRWA should continue to provide all the services under its mandate to Palestinian refugees.”
Realistic strategy
For his part, Dr. Sultan bin Ahmed Al Jaber, Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology and Special Envoy for Climate Change, joined world leaders, ministers, and experts at the Bloomberg “Emerging + Frontier Forum” to emphasise the need for an affordable and successful energy transition to drive economic growth and climate action. He highlighted the need for a realistic strategy to keep the increase in global temperatures within 1.5 degrees while expanding access to affordable energy. Dr. Al Jaber also met with Adel Al Jubeir, Minister of State, Member of the Council of Ministers, and Envoy for Climate of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Sheikh Shakhboot bin Nahyan Al Nahyan, Minister of State, met with Dr. William Samoei Ruto, President of Kenya. He also held productive discussions with Umaro Sissoco Embaló, President of Guinea-Bissau, and Olivia Rouamba, Burkina Faso’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Regional Cooperation, and Burkinabe Abroad.
Sheikh Shakhboot also participated in an event on Ethiopia’s Green Legacy Initiative and its role in fighting climate change and another high-level UN meeting on the situation in the Sahel. He also met with Ambassador Mike Hammer, US Special Envoy for the Horn of Africa.
Speaking at the high-level meeting on the Sahel, Sheikh Shakhboot bin Nahyan said, “The UAE underscores the need to eradicate extremist ideologies that hinder development, peace, and prosperity in Sahel countries. The UAE remains deeply concerned over the increased threat of cross-border activities by terrorist groups in the Sahel.”
Relief aid
Moreover, he underscored the UAE’s commitment to providing relief aid and extending a helping hand to those in need as part of its policy and humanitarian approach to alleviate suffering regardless of geographic location, religion, race, color, or culture.
“Climate change does not recognise borders,” Sheikh Shakhboot continued. “The Sahel is paying a disproportionately high price despite its low contribution to global greenhouse gas emissions.”
For his part, Sultan Al Shamsi, Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation for International Development Affairs, participated in the ministerial meeting of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency donors hosted by the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan and the Kingdom of Sweden.
In addition, Yacoub Yousef Al Hosani, Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation for International Organisations Affairs, participated in an Organisation of Islamic Cooperation annual coordination meeting of foreign ministers.
