The United Arab Emirates has reiterated its unwavering commitment to collaborate with international partners worldwide to achieve a just and sustainable path toward peace in Ukraine.
The UAE is urging all parties involved in the conflict to strictly adhere to international law and take every necessary measure to protect civilians and essential assets.
In a statement delivered by Amiera Alhefeiti, the Deputy Permanent Representative of the UAE Mission to the United Nations, during a session before the Security Council on threats to international peace and security, the UAE renewed its firm call to parties in Ukraine to exercise proactive efforts to prevent the diversion of weaponry, avoiding its acquisition by terrorists or criminal groups during storage, transportation, and distribution processes.
Furthermore, Alhefeiti expressed the UAE’s support for the United Nations’ collaborative efforts with member states to establish comprehensive standards that prevent illicit trade in small arms and light weapons in all aspects, combat it, and eliminate it.
This is underscored by the international tracking mechanism, an initiative aimed at tackling and mitigating such threats.
“Given that the ultimate responsibility to prevent the diversion of weaponry, especially during conflicts, rests with national authorities, we encourage them to take all necessary steps to avert unintended consequences.,” Alhefeiti stated.
She emphasized the importance of adhering to the principles of international law, including international humanitarian law, which applies to all member states, regardless of the arms’ source.
The UAE calls on the conflicting parties in Ukraine to fully respect international law, including international humanitarian law. It urges them to exert all efforts to safeguard civilians and vital assets while adhering to the fundamental principles of necessity, proportionality, and distinction.
Alhefeiti expressed the UAE’s deep concern over the conflict’s ramifications on civilians and the worsening humanitarian crisis in Ukraine. She noted that more than a thousand attacks targeted the healthcare sector—a daily average of two attacks.
