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The UAE joins the world in celebrating the “International Day of Peace”, which falls on September 21 of each year, amidst a rich record and tireless efforts to support efforts to achieve global peace and stability, and a pivotal role in launching development initiatives that enhance the progress and prosperity of peoples.
This year, the occasion coincides with the UAE advancing 31 places on the Global Peace Index, which was issued last June by the Institute for Economics and Peace in Sydney.
In 2024, the UAE continued to pursue peace diplomacy, employing its capabilities to bring viewpoints closer together, reduce the intensity of conflicts witnessed by the world, and extend a helping hand to victims of crises in various regions.
The UAE affirmed its firm commitment to promoting peace and justice, preserving the rights of the brotherly Palestinian people, achieving the two-state solution and establishing an independent and sovereign Palestinian state, in accordance with international legitimacy resolutions and relevant agreements stipulating the end of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.
The UAE stressed that establishing stability and security in the Palestinian territories and the region as a whole begins with an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and the release of all prisoners and hostages, while welcoming the adoption by the United Nations General Assembly last Wednesday of a majority resolution calling for an end to the Israeli occupation of the Palestinian territories within a year.
Last May, the UAE submitted a draft resolution on the eligibility of the State of Palestine to obtain full membership in the United Nations during an emergency special session of the General Assembly. The resolution received a large majority vote in favor of accepting the resolution, in a historic step on the path to peace and achieving the two-state solution.
The UAE supported all efforts aimed at advancing peace initiatives in Sudan, and pledged on April 17 to provide 100 million US dollars to support humanitarian efforts in Sudan and neighboring countries, during its participation in the meetings of the International Humanitarian Conference on Sudan held in the French capital, Paris.
Last June, the UAE called, in a statement that included the country’s message to the UN Security Council, for urgent measures to be taken to avoid an imminent famine in Sudan, and affirmed its support for all initiatives aimed at achieving a ceasefire and returning to a legitimate government that represents all members of the Sudanese people.
In September, the UAE announced the launch of new humanitarian initiatives in Chad, and a contribution of $10.25 million to the United Nations to support Sudanese refugee women affected by the ongoing crisis in Sudan.
In a related context, on July 25, the UAE welcomed the statement of the Special Envoy of the Secretary-General of the United Nations to Yemen regarding reaching an agreement between the Yemeni parties on airlines and the banking sector, and considered the agreement a positive step on the path to a political solution that achieves the aspirations of its brotherly people for security, development and stability.
In addition, the mediation efforts undertaken by the UAE during the current year between the Russian Federation and Ukraine resulted in the completion of 8 prisoner exchange operations, as the total number of prisoners exchanged between the two countries in these mediations reached 1,994 prisoners.
The UAE stressed its position calling for diplomacy, dialogue and de-escalation, as the country seeks to support all initiatives that would mitigate the humanitarian repercussions resulting from the crisis, such as refugees and prisoners.
In another context, the General Women’s Union launched, last June, the fourth batch of the Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak Initiative to Empower Women in Peace and Security, in cooperation with the Ministry of Defense and in coordination with the UN Women Liaison Office in Abu Dhabi.
The initiative’s training programme focuses on building and developing women’s capacities in the field of peace and security, creating networks among women involved in military and peacekeeping work, increasing women’s representation in the military and peacekeeping sectors, and enhancing the operational effectiveness of peacekeeping forces.
