The United Arab Emirates has highlighted the critical importance of swift action to ensure the delivery of aid to the Syrian people through all available means.
This statement was made by Shahad Matar, the UAE’s permanent representative to the United Nations, during a discussion at the General Assembly regarding the use of the veto power in the Security Council.
Matar emphasized that the meeting was convened due to the Security Council’s inability to adopt a resolution extending the mechanism for delivering aid across the border to Syria.
The UAE has consistently advocated for extending this mechanism for a period of 12 months based on the humanitarian needs of the Syrian people.
The UAE’s official spokesperson at the United Nations also underscored the nation’s efforts to reinforce aid delivery through all available routes to ensure the fullest possible benefit.
She stated that these endeavors arise from the realization that as diplomats and representatives of an international body, it is their responsibility to find common ground when hope seems elusive.
Furthermore, the UAE welcomed the Syrian government’s decision to grant the UN permission to deliver humanitarian aid through the Bab al-Hawa border crossing for a duration of six months.
This comes at a time when the Security Council failed to extend the mechanism for aid delivery and in addition to the previous decision to extend the opening of two other border crossings. The UAE sees this decision as crucial and of utmost importance.
Matar stressed the need for swift action during this transitional period to ensure the delivery of aid to the Syrian people through all available means, while fully recognizing that the international community will need time to adapt to this new reality.
In conclusion, Matar reaffirmed that placing the interests of the Syrian people first means steering away from divisions that have arisen within the Security Council over purely humanitarian matters. Instead, she called for finding common ground and moving forward in this new reality with a spirit of cooperation, understanding, and mutual respect.
