The United Nations Security Council adopted four resolutions and issued two presidential statements and four press statements during the United Arab Emirates’ month-long presidency in March, which ends today.

“The UAE is convinced that diplomacy and dialogue are critical to solving the world’s complex challenges, and we worked to promote those principles throughout our Security Council presidency during the month of March,” said H.E. Lana Nusseibeh, Permanent Representative of the UAE to the UN. “We welcome the Council’s renewal of vital peacekeeping missions, and we are glad it spoke out on security challenges across the globe during our presidency.”

During the UAE’s presidency, the Council renewed the mandates of peacekeeping missions in Afghanistan and South Sudan and the panel of experts assisting the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea sanctions committee, known as the 1718 Sanctions Committee. It also adopted a resolution endorsing the African Union Peace and Security Council’s decision to reconfigure the AU Mission in Somalia to the AU Transition Mission in Somalia.

The Council issued press statements expressing deep concern about the Taliban’s reported decision to deny girls in the sixth grade and above access to education and condemning in the strongest terms the terrorist attacks in Somalia and Pakistan and the attack perpetrated against the UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA). Furthermore, the Council issued presidential statements on cooperation between the UN and the League of Arab States and on the International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals.

As president, the UAE convened three signature events in March on women’s economic inclusion, climate finance for sustaining international peace and security, and cooperation between the UN and the League of Arab States. These events fulfilled the UAE’s Security Council campaign pledges to promote a multilateral approach to international peace and security by fostering relationships among Council members to advance inclusion, spur innovation, build resilience, and secure peace. Building on its national commitment to multilingualism, the UAE prepared the Council's program of work – the schedule of formal meetings – in Arabic. This was the first time the program of work was prepared in Arabic in the UN's 76-year history.

Source: Ministry of Foreign Affairs & International Cooperation