Thank you for listening to Depiction's media radio everything I think in relation to the
situation in Sudan, there are areas of responsibility of the Security Council and areas
of responsibility of the Secretary General. In my area of responsibility, I reaffirmed
to the Council my full confidence in Folker Parts as specially presentative of the Secretary
General. It's up for the Security Council to decide whether the Secret Council supports
the continuation of the mission for another period or whether the Security Council decides that
it's time to end it. Thank you very much, I hope. So
do you think it's time to change the mandate? I mean perhaps we have
first to stabilize and then to think about how we can how we can change
the mandate or whatever or the the end, how the UN presence in the
country can be effective. But we were not going up there. Look,
we support unit. Times are going to be a transition to a civilian government.
Still, I cannot tell you too early to say that. I cannot
tell you we are in the process of technical renewal of the mission mission now
and then then we'll see later. All right, good afternoon. You're gonna
have You're having a busy day today, so just to let you know.
As soon as I'm done here, we have the Commissioner General of Unwaffieley Blood
Serini, who will brief you. He's briefing you on the funding crisis at
the agency is facing and the upcoming pledging conference that takes place tomorrow. At
one pm, you will have the pleasure to hear from the Permanent Representative of
the United Arab Emirates, Ambassador Latina now Sebe, who is you know presides
will preside over the Security Council for the month of June. Thank you.
Two pm, David Hanneath, the Assistant Secretary General for Economic and Social Development,
as being joined by Stefan Shrinefest, director of the Statistics Division, and
Dessa and they will present the two most recent policy brief launched as part of
the Secretary Generals are Common Agenda Policy Brief Series, and that's about the international
financial architecture and also valuing what counts framework to progress beyond gross domestic product.
You should have received both of those briefing books. I'm sure you'll hear more.
I know you will hear more from Paulina today on the PGA this morning,
the Secretary General congratulated Dennis Francis of Trinidad and Tobago on being elected to
lead the next session of the General Assembly. He said the President, like
Francis, brings a wide range of skills, experience and knowledge, adding that
in addition to his years working closely with multilateral agencies, he also is a
respected negotiator and long serving diplomat. And we shared those remarks with you.
I have an update on the Black c initiative and I can just wanted to
We've been getting quite a few questions recently and I can tell you that we
are concerned about the continuous slowdown of the implementation of the Black Sea Initiative observed
particularly in the month of April and May. In May, thirty three vessels
departed Ukrainian ports, half of the number compared to the previous month of April.
Only three of those ships departed from the ports of us Pivsdeni, one
of the three Ukrainian ports covered under the agreement. Exports in May reached one
point three million metric tons of grains and other food stuff. That's less than
half of the previous months. The Russian Federation has informed the JCC of its
decision to limit registrations to the port of Usheni Pivsdeni as long as ammonia is
not exported and currently it's not. Since May twenty fourth, the number of
inspection teams at the JCC has been reduced from three to two. The limited
registrations and reduced inspection and teams contributed to the drop of the average daily inspection
rates down to three. This is a very serious situation. We need to
move forward. The initiative is bound for renewal on seventeen July. Global hunger
hotspots are increasing, as we've been notifying you on a regular basis, and
the specter of food inflation and market volatility lurks in all countries. The UN
Secretariat has put forward practical suggestions to all parties at the strategic and operational level,
keeping in mind the global benefits of the initiative, We will continue our
intense engagement with the parties towards the full resumption of operations in continuation of the
initiative. In particular, we are looking for commitments on unconditional access of vessels
to all three ports under the initiative. Increase the number of successful inspections completed
per day and predictable registrations to avoid undue delay of vessels, exports of utilizers
that includes ammonia and the resumption of the Toliati Odessa ammonia pipeline. We will
share all of that in writing for you, with you rather stay on the
situation in Ukraine. The Humanitarian Coordinator there, Denise Brown, condemned today new
attacks in Kiev which killed civilians, including one child. This sadly coincides with
the country marking Ukrainian Children's Day. According to UN Office for Human Rights,
more than fifteen hundred children have been killed or injured in Ukraine since February of
last year. The wars also had a devastating impact on the mental health and
well being of children, including millions who've had to flee the country for safety.
Fled whether they're internally or outside. We along with our partners, will
continue to work to ensure they can receive support they so urgently need. Yesterday
you saw that Secretary General made very brief for Marx to the Security Council in
close consultations on Sudan, in which he reaffirmed his full confidence in his special
representative or Kapurtas. In a brief statement after the consultations, the Secretary of
General said it is up to the Security Council to decide whether it's members support
the continuation of the mission for another period, whether they decide it is time
to end it. Regarding the situation on the ground, the World Food Program
strongly condemned the looting of the agency's food and assets obeyed south of the capital
Khartoumb. WFP says the warehouses have come under attack and food for four point
four million people is at stake. Elobaid hosts one of the WFP's largest logistics
base in Africa and is a vital lifeline to millions across Sudan and South Sudan.
Elobaid hosts one of WFP's largest logistics base in Africa, and there's a
vital lifeline for millions across Sudan and Sudan. Despite these challenges, we continue
to deliver humanitarian supplies to communities and need. The Office for the Coordination of
Humanitarian Affairs says more than two dozen trucks carrying assistance who are on the move
in the past two days to different locations in the country. At the same
time, unfortunately, we continue to face bureaucratic hurdles that limit our ability to
bring staff into Sudan and move within the country. We call for expedited visa
clearances and waving permits for internal movements to ensure we have adequate capacity to carry
out our critical humanitarian operations which and as you know, millions of people in
Sudan need help immediately. For its part, UNHCR continues to have a presence
and is working with partners to provide critical assistance where it is still safe to
do so, mainly particularly and Cassala Gadarif White Nile and Blue Nile States heading
south to South Sudan. The peacekeeping mission there UNMISS is increasing the number of
peacekeepers at the Malakal Protection of civilian sites in the Upper Nile State following violence
between communities at a waterpoint which took place on May twenty eighth, and that
violence resulted in one death and several injuries. This week, unmisrepresentatives met with
the governor of Upper Nile State, among others, to urgently discuss how to
mitigate and lower tensions between communities and encourage dialogue and the use of justice.
Institutions to resolve any grievances. The Mission is conducting overnight patrols and dispersing gatherings
near the site to help ensure safety and security of internally displaced communities as well
as returnees. Humanitarian organizations have been providing services to vulnerable communities and internally displaced
people along with basic services including vouchers to enable families to return to the areas
of origin. And just to illustrate the impact of the situation in Sudan on
South Sudan. As of May thirty first, which would be yesterday, over
eighty nine and men, women and children fled Sudan and entered South Sudan,
which, as you know, it's facing its own challenges. As we've been
saying for quite some time, the Peacekeeping Mission is supporting the government in South
Sudan to diffuse tensions following recent clashes in Rank near the border between the two
countries. Turning to Bangladesh, Maart Griffiths, the Emergency Relief Coordinator, has
allocated three million dollars from the Central Emergency Response Fund to support the response to
tropical store cyclone MACA. As you know, the cyclone righted havoc on the
Ruhinga refugee camps in Bangladesh and Mid May and community and of course the host
communities damaging or destroying facilities and the shelters for over forty thousand refugees. With
the emergency funding, humanitarian partners will focus on shelter support, infrastructure repair,
debris clearance and the replenishment of relief items and staying in the country. Again
another example of what happens when humanitarian agencies run out of money. World Food
Program has been forced to reduce the value of food vouchers for Huereingia refugees from
ten dollars a month to eight dollars a month. That's less than nine cents
per meal. This is the second time WFP has had to cut rations in
just three months in that particular area. In March, the food vouchers were
cut from twelve dollars to ten due to the funding crisis. This is yet
another example of what happens when there is no money. In this case,
nearly a million Rohingia refugees who remain completely depend on humanitarian assistance to meet their
basic needs, including food. WFP is urgently appealing for fifty million dollars to
restore the food assistance to the full amount of twelve dollars. Anything less that
below that value will have direct consequences not only on nutrition for women and children,
but also on education, protection, safety and security for everyone in the
camps, all of us, especially the Uan country team in Bangladesh. She's
very concerned about this particular crisis. The World Meroological Organization elected Celeste Saulo of
Argentina as the new Secretary General of the WMO, and we congratulate her.
As you know, she is the first woman to be appointed to this position.
Professor Salo has been the director of the National Meteorological Service of Argentina since
twenty fourteen and is currently the first Vice President WMO. She takes office on
January first, twenty twenty four and succeeds Professor peterry Talas, who completed his
two term mandate and who you know well want to flag that Today one thirty
pm in the Trusteeship Council, they'll be an annual meeting of the un Conscious
Foundation excuse me, Conscious Fashion and Lifestyle Network. I'm going this year's of
various industry leaders will be in attendance to discuss attraction solutions progress from the fashion
and lifestyle sectors to advance the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals. The meeting
is being co convened by the UN Office for Partnerships and the Fashion Impact Fund.
I have a message today for my children, Isabella, Henry and Julian
because today is the Global Day of Parents, And in a tweet, the
Secretary General expressed a gratitude to his parents worldwide, to parents worldwide committed to
raising children or peaceful and healthy world, and I hope my children do that.
And a little electrifying quiz for you. Today we have not one,
but three member states paid up their dues in full. We've discovered one commons
circuit between the three. Among others, one exports copper, another one exports
insulated wire. In the third cells electricity. Okay, I know we really,
Jane stretched the limits on that one. So we thank our friends and
allow People's Democratic Republic, which exports electricity. We thank our friends in Mongolia
who export copper, and two friends in Tunisia who export copper wires and electric
wires. We now have hunted fourteen members who have refilled and recharged our batteries.
Out I'm out. Of puns. Go ahead, D thank you,
Steph. I'm the Black Saint Grain Initiative UM what if It's are being made
by Martin Griffiths, Rebecca Greenspan, the Secretary General, try to UH speed
up the UM ships going in and out of a lot, I mean the
short answers. A lot of efforts are being made to advance UM UH,
the the working the improvement of the working methods, the Joint Coordination Center,
which means more ships going in, more inspections UH going in, as well
as reviving the Tola Toliota Odessa pipeline. Rebecca Greenspan continues her efforts to facilitate
the trade in Russian fertilizer and U and and grain. UM. But we
don't We're not the decision makers in this. We're the encouragers UH. And
we're we're pushing and we're pushing on doors, and we're pushing people and we're
pushing institutions. Our fear, as as as outlined in what I said,
is to see a spike in global food prices, to see volatility. I
mean, we saw the positive impact on the monthly food index once the initiative
was signed and working and now things are slowing down. Is there any progress
on the ammonia pipeline going to a black seaport. The progress will be when
that that pipeline is open. We will share that news with you when when
that happens sopefully and there has been in a lot of media reports blame put
on the Russian Federation for this slowdown of shipments. I would go back to
I will, I would go fight with you. I would go back to
the wording of what I just read, which I think makes things clear.
Thank you, Stif From another agency UM. Yesterday, the Turkish director of
Communications published on their Twitter account that UM Secretary General gotarists cold the Turkish president
Ard want to congratulate him on his victory. UM. They also mentioned that
regional issues were discussed. Can you elaborate on what was really discussed on the
phone call? Was the black secreting initiative? I would say that falls under
regional issues, but I don't have much more to share with you, uh
Miriam. Thanks steph UM the Taliban's Foreign mist the Taliban's Foreign Ministry published the
news UM reporting a meeting between rosaut On Baiova and UM Motari. Do you
have any UM information regarding we haven't gotten anything up here. You can check
with the mission. We will as well, thank you, okay, Margaret
Stephan the Black Sea. Did the Russians inform of this slowdown due to the
ammonia? Did they inform in writing or orally at the JCC or well,
I mean they it's it's I don't know if it was in writing or but
the point is that all the decisions are made by consensus around the JCC.
Everybody's in the same place. So either ships are authorized or they not authorized.
Inspections are authorized or not authorized, so the clarity of the decisions are
are there. And Myanmar, Um Bankie Moon went there in the last day
or so. Um is there any he you know, he was always very
active obviously on it when he was here as Secretary General and uh and now
as the elders. I'm just wondering, since there's a vacancy since Nolan Heiser's
leaving her post, would would there be any possibility that he might be new
I will as soon as we have clarity on who the new ENVO will be,
I will let you know. But sorry lost it, um on Sudan.
If I heard you correctly, Um, you said that looting had affected
UM food assets for some four point four million people. UM, if you
don't pay attention to what I say, how do you expect me to pay
attention to what I say? Let me go back to those Well, the
reason I ask is because we had some reporting from the region about it's twenty
tons from the north Cortefon, which I don't know my geography that well.
I don't know if south of the capital is the same as Cortefan, But
anyways, I are reporting from the region citing sources said, you know,
a lot of food, but it was done by the RS, the rapid
support forces. Is that something that you can confirm as well? And maybe
just that put it into perspective. I mean, that's twenty tons is what
we need. It's a huge it's a lot. And maybe WFP has more
information on who exactly did the looting, But at the end of the day,
the food is warehouses are being looted. You are when you do that,
it is not only a criminal act, it's an immoral act. You're
stealing food from people who urgently needed. You're destroying humanity, arran property when
millions of your country folk also needed. UM it's just unacceptable. Eveline.
And then Joe, just a point of information. Why are inspections being reduced?
As we said the Russians have been I mean, go back to the
words that I that I said. Uh, the Russian form in Russian federations
have formed us of its decision to limit registration of the port to the port
of Ushni p Denny as long as ammonia is not exported. Uh, Joe,
and then I'll go Stefanoe and then we'll go to We'll have to go
to our guests. Yeah, there have been UH reports in the last couple
of days, but the Hoothies have complained that they were given very short notice
of the arrival of the salvageship of the transfer of oil um number one.
Can you comment on whether there's truth to that? And secondly, to what
extent the Houthie is now cooperating with the operation. I no no specific information.
I can't speak to to the to the state of mind, the frame
of mind. Uh. We had a pretty extensive briefing by by mister Gresley
and mister Steiner on it. All the parties involved are are informed and so
far things are are moving, which means that we have the cooperation of all
those that we need cooperation from Murad, and we'll do murd Stephanie, Linda,
and then I have to go. Thank you. Stephen. The Stag
requested from the members of Security Council listday to support he's emboyed to Sudan,
but it seems there is no unity on that. I mean, at least
one member of the Council supports the mission, but not the emvoye. In
light of this situation, will the sug keep'mployed? I think the Secretary General
was very clear in his area of responsibility. He fully supports his special representative.
The Security Council has its own responsibilities. There are intense discussions going on.
I don't want to prejudge the outcomes, but I think the Secretary General
didn't use many word words yesterday, but I think he was very clear in
what he was trying to say. Stephano and then Linda. Yes. According
to the Norwegian Refugee Council, Burkina Faso is the world most neglected crisis.
They just published this, especially about the displacement people. Do you agree with
that Burkina Faso is one of the most neglected and forgotten crises. We have
been repeatedly bringing that issue up here at the briefings, and our humanitarian colleagues
have as well. Humanitarian appeals is like many of them critically underfunded. Miss
Fasulo. Thank you Stephs. This is going back to Sedan and I hope
you didn't provide this already. But the question is how do things stand in
terms of you know, looting, situation, stealing continued. I mean,
I just you know, look at what's going on with WFP. It remains
a place that is not safe for humanitarian workers, not safe for humanitarian resources
and stocks. Despite that, our colleagues on the ground and partners, Sudanese
partners are doing an amazing job and trying to figure out where they can actually
work. I mean, you know, WFP on one night is distributing food.
On the other hand, some of their warehouses are being are they are
being looted. It's an inactive conflict zone UM with most likely some pretty weak
commanding control on the on the on the ground, which means you have a
lot of men because at my assumption is they're mostly men running around with UM
with guns. Security outside no, I mean, there's no there's it's not
a peacekeeping mission. So it's not as if you know, we talk about
we you know, in certain areas where we have peacekeeping missions, we have
peacekeepers who can provide some security. But it is the responsibility of the parties
to protect humanitarian work. And it should go without saying that this is humanitarian
work to help Sudanese people. It is their responsibilities of those who have guns
to ensure that instead of using those guns on humanitarian staffers, on humanitarian property,
to actually turn those guns around and protect humanitarian workers and protect humanitarian resources.
Speaking of humanitarian resources, I'm gonna get Phillip Blazzerini and I will see
you later. I'm Stefan and our guest today is from Honah. All right,
let's start with the General Assembly today. Member States, as you know,
elected by acclamation mister Dennis Francis as the President of the seventy eighth Session
of the General Assembly. In his congratulatory remarks, President Chabba Kuroshi noted that
mister Francis brings almost forty years of experience in Trinidad and Tobago's diplomatic service.
His vision for the seventy eight session peace prosperity, progress and sustainability offers a
comprehensive view of the work of the General Assembly, the President said, given
its focus on climate change and sustainability. But the President also noticed the current
president also noted that there are still one hundred days left in his term and
he is going to spend those days acting on the game changers too that came
out of the UN Water Conference. He also wants to continue to promote the
use of science for a sustainability transformation, particularly as preparations continue for the SGG
summit during on GUD And then, of course, the sixteen negotiating processes are
still underway, including one UNG revitalization and the full remarks that the President gave
are with you. As is tradition, after the new President elect was selected,
the Secretary of General then Drew Lots to decide the seating arrangement in the
General Assembly Hall for the seventy eight session. Let's do a little pop quiz.
What is the first member state that is going to be seated? Yes,
Evelyn? When is the actual How long we still see you? All
right? So the switchover will happen on the fifth of September. You're stuck
with me until then and that in terms of the seating arrangement that it's North
Macedonia. Member states also today elected by acclamation the General Assembly vice presidents from
the African Group that is Congo, Gambia, Morocco, Senegal, Uganda and
Zambia from the Asia Pacific States, Islamic Republic of Iran, Malaysia, Singapore,
Sri Lanka and Uzbekistan from the Eastern European Group, Estonia from Latin America
and the Caribbean States that's Bolivia and Surinam Western Europe and other states Iceland and
Kingdom of the Netherlands. So those plus the p five of the Security Council
make up the Vice Presidents of the General Assembly for the seventy eighth session.
This hour, President Kuotoshi is probably listening in on a round table about Security
Council reform. This is a side event done in the Trasteeship. It's organized
by the Permanent Missions of Brazil, India, South Africa and Saint Vincent and
the Grenadines. This afternoon, the President will be meeting with Lean Sharkawi and
Ahmed Abu Dhaka. These are two Palestinian refugees who are studying at Auna and
you'll hear from them directly tomorrow at the um pledging event. And today's PGA
election is not the only one in the un community. President Kotoshi today congratulated
the new head of the World Meteorological Organization WMO, professor It's lest Solo,
the first ever woman elected to that role. And um, just I wanted
to clarify something I've been c seeing in the media that some of the journalists
are saying that the theme for Anga seventy eight is the SGGS. It's not.
As you know, the theme for for Unga is selected by the President
elect, so there has not been a theme announced yet, So just wanted
to clarify that in your reporting. Any questions for me, Pam I apologized
the first seat in the lottery North Macedonia, North Yea, Paulina. When
do they decide who the new members of the Credentials Committee will be for the
next session? Um? I think that's usually November, isn't it. It's
around that time after the new session starts that oh, I see, you
know for the seventeenth session. Isn't that when they first meet? Is that?
Okay? And the dying lying and I don't know. I shouldn't be
yuh, okay, I shouldn't be talking. Let yeah, let me find
out. Let me find out, all right, let me check if there's
anything in the chat. Nope, nothing in the chat. Thank you very
much. Okay, Good afternoon everyone, um, and thank you all for
for joining us here today. It's great to see all of you at the
UAES Presidency for the second time in our term. My name is Shahadatad and
I'm the spokesperson from the UA's mission. We are joined here today by our
Permanent Representative of the UN, Ambassador Lana Neseba, and our Deputy Permanent represent
our Deputy Representative, Ambassador hammadabush Hub and our political coordinator Rasap Shahin. Before
I begin, I'd like to go over a few housekeeping matters. One,
today's press conference will be conducted entirely in English, and two I'll be taking
questions in groups of three at a time. And three just remember that anything
share today relating to the program of work and scheduling will of course be said
in her capacity as President of the Security Council, and other issues will be
in her national capacity. For now, I'll turn it over to Ambassador Deceba,
who will brief you on the June program of work and the UAES priorities
for the month. Ambassador, you have the floor. Thank you, Shahad,
and hello and good afternoon all of you. I was hoping that the
lunch hour would take many of you away to eat, but obviously this is
going to be an interesting press conference. So thank you all for joining us
and for your interest in the work of the Security Council this month. As
Shahad has just said, the UAE is assuming its presidency for the second time
during our term. As the first time, it is still a time of
deep division and polarization. So the UAE will continue to aim to play a
constructive role to build bridges and find space for agreement and consensus on the numerous
important and critical files on the Security Council's agenda. So that is the philosophy
of our approach this month today. Of course, as Shahad has said,
anything that I relay related to the program of work and scheduling, I will
be saying in my capacity as President of the Council. Everything else that I
respond to or say as the UAE is in my national capacity, So please
bear that in mind so that I stay in good on good terms with Council
members. You have in front of you the program of work I think for
the month of June, that I'm happy to say was adopted earlier today.
If it's not in front of you, it is distributed here in the room
and also available online on our website at UAEUN dot org. And we will
be posting a lot of information during our presidency month on that website, so
please do save it on your phones. If you look at the program of
work, you can see it's going to be a very busy month, as
a month of June often is, and we hope, but it will also
be fruitful and results oriented. We will meet on a number of country specific
files on the Council's agenda for this month, so Afghanistan, Central Africa,
the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Gulf of
Guinea, Iraq, Libya, Mali, the Occupied Palestinian Territory, Somalia,
Sudan, South Sudan, Syria, and Yemen. There will also be briefings
on the UN Disengagement Observer Force or UNDOFF and the International Residual Mechanism for Criminal
tribunals, So we're going to have seventeen briefings in total, two TCC meetings,
one debate, one open debate, thirteen closed consultations and one informal interactive
dialogue on the program of work, as well as seven adoptions, six of
which concern Council mandates. Those are Libya, Unitam's ATMOS, DRC sanctions MINUSMA
and UNDOFF. In addition, the UK and the UAE as co pen holders
have been partnering with Council members of the Council to adopt a resolution this month
on tolerance and international peace and security as the UAE in here, I'll speak
to our priorities as Council President at this point, we really want to bring
a particular focus on key priorities during our presidency through the three signature events that
we will host. I'd really like to take a couple of minutes to walk
you through those events and explain why we've chosen to elevate those issues and bring
them to the Council's attention. And of course I will leave lots of time
today for questions and answers. So on the thirteenth of June we'll host a
signature event on climate change, peace and security. This ministerial level open debate
will be chaired by our Minister of Climate Change in the Environment, her Excellency
Miriam al Mohary, who's been to the Council many times before during our term.
And this is really because, as the Secretary General has said, climate
change is the defining challenge of our time. Its scale, its complexity and
the responses it demands are really unprecedented. And in terms of the Council's mandate,
we've seen clearly how climate change impacts its ability to maintain international peace and
security. So many of the discussions on the Council's agenda speak to this alarming
dynamic, and that will be the core focus of our meeting. We will
have a discussion that is informed by accounts from peacekeeping and special political missions.
We aim to underscore how climate change has been, is, and will continue
to directly impact the Council's ability to carry out its mandate. But we also
believe that the impacts of climate change on international peace and security require a carefully
calibrated role for the Security Council, and our ambition is that this event will
help to continue to build a common view on what this role could be in
the future, and of course there are many views on the Council as of
this topic, but we really feel there is wide support from the membership to
continue highlighting its critical importance to peace and security. And of course, as
many of you know, the UAE is also serving as the incoming president host
of COP twenty eight. That meeting will be held from the thirtieth of November
to twelfth December this year. It's a process and we're really honored to be
hosting COP twenty eight, not only because it's an existential issue for all countries,
including the countries of the Middle East, but because we hope to be
able to contribute with our longstanding experience in the field of climate change and renewable
energy to the deliberation. So we approach that role with humility, a great
sense of responsibility, but also the urgency that this topic requires. On the
fourteenth of June, we will host a ministerial level meeting on the values of
human fraternity in promoting and sustaining peace. It will be chaired by a senior
UAE minister and we will be briefed by the Secretary General of the UN by
Ahmedatayab the Grand AmAm of Alazad and a civil society representative. This event couldn't
be timelier in our view. It's a time where the world is experience the
highest number of armed conflicts since nineteen forty five, and across the globe we're
seeing rising, an increasingly worrying rise intolerance, hate speech, racism, and
extremism, all of which undoubtedly fuel violence and divide communities. And these are
threats to international peace and security, and they're not limited to a single country
or region. The Council has not always consistently addressed hate speech, racism,
and other forms of extremism as threat multipliers that drive the outbreak, escalation and
recurrence of conflicts. So we think this is an opportunity to elevate that issue.
It's already being discussed across the UN system in numerous forum and it's a
key priority for us during our term to push for that more consistent and effective
approach. We think the world urgently needs political leaders to renew their commitment to
peace, tolerance and human fraternity, and their actions should be reinforced by a
whole of society approach centered on these shared values. So the participation of different
leaders. In the meeting of influential religious leaders who've worked tirelessly to address hate
speech, racism and intolerance is an acknowledgement in our view of our common humanity.
We see extremism and the extremist narratives that can take roots easily through misinformation
and disinformation as a nefarious scourage of our time, and it's spreading rapidly via
the Internet and social media. So we think that education, interfaith dialogue,
community dialogue really has to step up and play a key role in countering it.
We hope in this meeting that the Security Council will unite around a powerful
recognition of the need to therefore step up our efforts on promoting tolerance and combating
extremism. On the eighth of June, we will host a briefing on enhancing
cooperation between the UN and the League of Arab States. It will be chaired
by His Excellency Halifa Shaheen, Minister of State in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
and the Secretary General of the UN, as well as His Excellency Ahmed Aburet,
Sectary General of the Arab League. Will brief and we've also invited a
youth civil society brief from the region because we think the perspective of youth in
our region is so critically important. During the UAE's last presidency in March twenty
twenty two, the Council adopted a presidential statement welcoming the strong cooperation between the
UN and the Arab League and expressed its intention to further strengthen this vital partnership.
The statement also reinfirmed the important role of women's full, equal and meaningful
participation in the prevention and resolutions of conflicts and in peace building, as well
as the positive contribution of youth. So this month, with this meeting,
we will continue to build on those commitments by exploring further opportunities for collaboration in
a number of critical areas for our region. These, of course, will
include promoting the role of women in youth, combating terrorism and extremism, and
fostering a culture of tolerance to strengthen and sustain regional peace and stability. And
we'd also like to emphasize the potential for cooperation in the region on humanitarian relief
efforts, as we've seen unfortunately that cooperation needs to step up and be more
coherent across the system. So by organizing this meeting, we aim to reiterate
the importance of Arab led solutions for regional challenges and for regional solutions to regional
challenges as a whole, and to advocate for institutionalizing the UN League of Our
States relationship, recognizing that the full potential of this partnership has not yet been
realized. You may also be aware that from nineteen to twentieth June, high
level representative from member states will be in New York for the third United Nations
High Level Conference on counter Terrorism organized by the UN Office of counter Terrorism the
UNOCT. We will be obviously linking up discussions in the Security Council in our
role as Chair of the CT Committee to that important high level week. We
will also maintain an updated unofficial interactive program of work of a Security Council on
our website, which I didn't give you earlier. It's UAEUN dot org and
it will contain all our activities, formal and informal. It will be available
in both English and Arabic, and we will also ensure that sign language interpretation
will be available for at least two Council meetings this month. It's a new
innovation in the Council, but we aim to be as inclusive as possible.
As a signatory to the statement of Shared Commitments on Women Peace and Security,
We're working hard to ensure the participation of diverse women's civil society briefers in the
Council during our presidency. This month will encourage all briefers to include relevant gender
analysis in their briefings, have a WPS Women Peace and Security focus on a
country specific meeting, and of course hold a joint WPS stakeout. We're also
very committed to sharing updated and timely information with the press, and we look
forward to interacting with you as much as possible this month through our spokesperson,
our PC team, or deputy ambassadors, myself and of course I will be
stopping regularly on the way into Council meetings to give you updated information where I
can, so with that, I will stop and take your questions. Thank
you, thank you, thank you so much. I see a lot of
hands there, but I would keep with the UN tradition and start with our
uncle President Valerie. You have the floor. Thank you so much, and
thank you, ambassador for this first conference on behalf of the United Nations.
Correspondent Association. We wish you the best of luck on the busy manta head.
So Mike from Answer Newswire, My question is on Sudan and in particular
on the UN mission in the country. So yesterday the Secretary General said that
it is up to the Council, the Security Council, to decide whether to
support the continuation of the mission for another period or decide it is time to
end it. So my question is do you expect any outcome on this at
anytime soon from the Council. Thank you so much, Thank you, I
believe will take Frank, I think you had your hand up and then Miriam,
yeah, sorry, thank you, ambassador. Congratulations Stefan Cala, New
York. On the fourteen where you just presented Maintenance of International Peace and Security
Values of Human Fraternity in promoting and sustaining peace, my question is does the
human fraternity for world peace and living together the document that you presented include protection
against the criminalization of the lgbt EQI A community. And in your national capacity,
what do you think about the new legislation approved Uganda that includes the death
penalty for being gay. Okay, thank you, Miriam, thank you so
much Shahad, and thank you for your time and this briefing today and good
luck with the busy month ahead. I have a question regarding the deteriorating women's
right situation in Afghanistan, and I know you have been very active in the
past months. The continued oppression of women by the Taliban has resulted restrictions like
um even their inability to work with the UN offices. Well, the Security
Council prioritized the issue during your presidency. This one additionally, considering the apparent
disregard of the Taliban towards come down a nation and resolutions, what a step
should be taken next? And also the Taliban have um delivered their interest again
at their meeting yesterday with Rose out And about the recognition in your role and
as the coopenholder and in your national capacity, do you believe that the eventual
recognition of the Taliban is a possibility in near future? And regarding your own
Russia continues using Uranian UAVC. And that's more than one question, friend,
nice tryther we'll stop at those three, okay, I'll start with the question
on Sudan. Thank you for asking it. I think it's critical, of
course that we all keep Council attention on Sudan and that we find a way
to halt the hostilities, encourage a return to dialogue in coordination with the Sudanese
people and their aspirations and with the Sudanese authorities. So regional and international leaders
have clearly been working around the clock to try and de escalate the crisis since
the outbreak of violence in April, and Council members have actually met on the
subject more than five times and continue to have both formal and informal meetings,
including of course yesterday's briefing at the request of the Secretary General, and I
think that was a very productive briefing. It's a format that in our presidency
we will continue to encourage, and we really see operationalizing the work of the
Council and having frank exchange with the UN system as a really useful way of
advancing the work of the Security Council in terms of the Unitam's mandate. I
think what came out of the meeting, and I know the Secretary General also
spoke to the press afterwards, what I can say is that what came out
of the meeting was a very strong commitment from Council members to the essential work
of the United Nations on the ground in this crisis. I think that was
incredibly clear. The situation is quite dire. One point four million people,
according to the IM have been internally displaced. The numbers of refugees going to
neighboring countries is high. The UAE has organized several evacuation flights in our national
capacity. We have over one thousand people we've evacuated from Sudan, twenty nine
planes, several shipments of humanitarian aid. We've announced fifty million US dollars in
humanitarian aid that will be dispensing through various means. So the situation is dar
and the international system do need to come together to help support peace and stability
in Sudan for the neighboring region as well. And now there have been some
outside efforts and they must be supported. And those are primarily primarily those of
the African Union EGA and the Trilateral Mechanism, and they had a positive meeting
this weekend. Of course, the Arab League has also expressed its position on
the situation in Sudan and is aiming to help de escalate and the work of
the UN system, which isn't only unitams, but several UN agencies on the
ground who are trying to operate in very challenging circumstances. So I think to
come back to what came out of the meeting and is an expression of support
for the ceasefire agreement despite recent reports that it is holding or not holding.
I think we're all committed to maintaining that it is extended, and we're appreciative
of Saudi Arabia and the United States efforts in facilitating that and an essential support
for the AU and its role, it's key role in helping de escalate the
situation in Sedan. In terms of the meeting, there was support for unitams
and support for the UN's presence on the ground in Sudan to help with the
neighboring country situation, but also to help on the ground in Sudan. To
answer the specifics of your question, it is expected that we will as a
council renew and extend the renewal of the mandate of unitams that is currently under
discussion. I don't want to preview the final outcome, but it is expected
and we are there's a lot of support in the Council for that. And
I think we will also see a Council position on the situation reinforcing all of
those efforts that I just mentioned. I'm going to go next to Afghanistan.
So, as you know, Afghanistan, thank you for your words. As
you know, Afghanistan is a file where the UAE is a copenholder with Japan
and where I think, as you've noted, will continue to keep us very
occupied as a Council on this very very important topic. We have this month
a regular meeting on the situation in Afghanistan's schedule for the twenty first of June,
which will be informed by the Secuy General's recent latest report on the situation
that's due on June sixteenth to the Council, so that will inform the deliberations
since our last regular meeting in March. As you've noted, there has been
a Council unity on the subject of Afghanistan, the Resolution two six eight one,
and then of course the commissioning of an independent assessment of the situation Afghanistan.
Ambassador Ferry Dune was impointant our former colleague from Turkey to lead that review,
and we'll be reporting back to the Council in November the Secretary General held
a retreat of envoys in Doha, which I attended and which was a very
productive meeting as well and vital for keeping the international community coalesced around the situation
of Afghanistan. So I think this does remain high on our agenda. The
assessment that was mandated in Resolution two six seven nine is running its course in
vaster. Faradun is actually in New York this week and next conducting bilateral meetings
with missions. He's been in several capitals and we're really getting behind his work
on that as well. So I think we are going to keep our focus
on Afghanistan. In particular. The position that the Council expressed on women's rights
in Afghanistan was unequivocal and by consensus it was unanimously adopted, and I think
that is a really strong sign that we need to keep the momentum going on
Afghanistan in the coming period because it is an essential file. So the UAU
will play its part, both as a Council member but also in terms of
the Presidency to ensure that we keep our cohesion on that file. To the
last question, which was Frank on the Human fraternity, of course, and
then there was a sub question on Uganda. So I think you know,
again, I don't want to preview a resolution that Council members are currently discussing.
The resolution emphasizes the importance of protecting and promoting international human rights. The
resolution affirms the importance of and upholding of full respect for human rights in the
rule of law as important elements in the fight against all forms of intolerance.
So I think, you know, bearing in mind, this is a Council
resolution that is under debate. That is as much as I can say.
But there is a lot of human rights land which in the draft resolution,
and we are continuing our discussions on that, and the UAE is very committed
to seeing that human rights language as part and parcel of a important document that
is overall really related to addressing issues that impact international peace and security in a
very key way. And I think that this is still, again, as
I said in my opening remarks, something the issue of tolerance, of understanding
of each other is really something that lies at the heart in many situations of
conflict, and the peace and sustainability of conflict prevention relies on how communities see
each other and see their differences. So you know, we've seen in the
past hate speech provoking atrocity crimes. It's not only a form of expression,
it can actually lead directly to a trusty crimes like in Rwanda, like in
the former Yugoslavia, where incitement to hatred of the UN affects peacekeepers on the
ground who are carrying out really important work. So it is a piece and
security issue. The protection of minority groups is essential, and we've had to
be of course careful in the drafting of the resolution with it to keep it
within the context of the Security Council's mandate. And I think that's what you'll
see emerging from what I hope will be a productive discussion and adoption. But
we're excited to bring this topic to the Council's attention. The UN itself is
releasing its own UN Action Plan on hate speech with the Special Advisor for the
Prevention of Genocide, and we've had numbers of meetings with her where I think
there's a lot of grounds while support from the UN system that hate speech is
becoming a root cause, recognized as a root cause of conflict and violence in
many settings. On the question on Uganda, the UAE neither as president or
as the UAE will comment on other countries domestic legislation. So I suggest you
refer your question to Uganda. Thank you, the guy in the blue,
and then Pamela, thank you, Joseph Klein, Canada Free Press. In
both your national capacity and your capacity this month as President of the Security Council,
do you think that the threats that have come from Iran and the actions
that have Iran has taken regarding maritime shipping in the Persian Gulf, the seizure
of two tankers, etc. Belongs on the Security Council agenda? And if
so, do you have any plans to try to introduce that issue within the
framework of any of the items that are currently on the agenda, or perhaps
adding it to the agenda. Do you repeat the first part relates to wrong.
Yeah, well the issue maritime security, Yeah, the issue. The
issue is in the UAE is expressed specifically some deep concerns about this, the
threats from Iran and the actions Iran has taken and the seizure of oil tankers
and interference with maritime shipping and international waters in the Persian Gulf. Okay,
Pamela, thank you, Scheha, thank you ambassador. It's Pamela Fock from
CBS News. We're looking forward to the month. My question is about the
meeting on the thirteenth on climate. You had in your concept papers said that
the Minister of Climate is coming. Is there any possibility that as the new
President designate of COP twenty eighth that Sultan al Jabber would be here and how
you mentioned things like that that it can be the problems with climate can be
exploited by terrorists. How urgent do you think the climate agenda is right now?
Because we're getting a report every day about how everything is disastrous. Thanks
so much, Thank you, Edith, Thank you, madam ambassador. Two
quick follow ups and a question, Um, the Unit times mandate expires on
Saturday. Are you expecting a vote tomorrow and possibly a very short rollover?
Uh? Secondly, Ukraine is not on this schedule. What are you expecting
on Ukraine? And my question, my question is artificial about artificially? I
think we're Edith so that we are allowed to reach the entire air press briefing.
Fair you got two in the Yeah, yeah, um, okay,
yeah, go ahead. You sorry about the delay, Thank you, Evlon
leopold Um. There's been an outcry speaking of COP twenty eight, there's been
an outcry from um NGOs about your country and and uh mister al Jabba heading
COP twenty eight, because he is also a head of the one of the
world's largest oil companies. Has this affected you were all in trying to have
a UN meeting on the subject. Thank you for all those easy questions.
So Edith, first of all, um on Sudan, I don't want to
preview what the Council is going to do, but as president, we are
prepared to schedule a meeting for an adoption of the rollover of unitam's mandate,
so that as a president we are prepared for that. We will be prepared
for many things for this month, and as the UAE, we're optimistic that
that might happen. On Ukraine, there are no mandated scheduled meetings in any
months on Ukraine, but of course, as president, any country that requests
in the meeting on any subject will be considered by the Presidency and scheduled accordingly.
So that's I imagine that Ukraine will be requested during this month as well.
So that's those are the two questions you asked. On artificial intelligence,
let's have a long lunch. I'll talk about that. I have many things
to say about it. I was I was just gonna ask that I'm sure
a lot of us would know like to know whether we could be back here
Saturday for a vote on UNITAM. The schedule just came out. The schedule
came out, and the voter schedule for tomorrow. So hopefully, as president,
I would like to say that I will do my best to preserve all
of our weekends. I've made that commitment to my children as well. On
what did Steph say, it was Parents' Day today or something exactly, So
I will do my best. So it's scheduled for tomorrow, and I think
you'll see also a Council product on that. In addition to the rollover on
the question regarding cop and climate. Let me let me start by saying that,
first of all, the UAE is a country that has a long standing
commitment to the issue of climate change. This is a region that experiences extreme
temperatures, scarce fresh food and water that is projected by several studies to potentially
be uninhabitable in fifty years. Climate change is as extential as existential for US
as it is for many countries in the global South who talk about this issue,
and so we've consistently and constantly led the region in climate action because we
know this, and that's why the urgency Doctor Sultan and Jabber, who I
have worked with for numerous years, actually firstly in my capacity as head of
the International Renewable Energy Agency Task Force, which is hosted in Abu Dhabi,
he led that campaign and I worked with him. There is really uniquely positioned
in our view to achieve a meaningful and ambitious agenda in this COP twenty eight.
He has a long standing record as a climate and renewables man well before
he took over his chairmanship of ADNOCK and his appointment at ADNOCK, and I
will speak to that question. You know, his mandate. He was asked
a future proof Adknock because in terms of the UAE's perspective, we would welcome,
as our president has said, the last barrel of oil being drawn out
of our country. We welcome the transition to clean energy. We think this
is a vital, importantly important issue to us. So I think you know,
the UAE is the first nation that's signed on the Paris Climate Accord.
We've built three of the world's largest solar projects. We've continued to finance sustainable
technologies through major bilateral initiatives, including most recently with the United States, and
we will continue to finance the transition to renewable energy. We're one of the
world's largest investors in renewable energy, more than fifty billion dollars in existing projects,
more than fifty billion dollars in future initiatives across seventy countries. And this
has really been the legacy in many ways of doctor Sultan Aljabra, but also
of the UAES leadership. This has been a longstanding policy. So we're looking
for a really inclusive COP. We welcome, we welcome the criticism and the
debate of what we need to do at COP twenty eight. This is something
that is not an easy set of negotiations to conduct. And I think that
you know, he's been on a listening tour. He's listened to a number
of countries about what can and can't be achieved this year. But our goal
is resolute. Let's be ambitious, let's try to get it done. Let's
focus on the outcome. So please please judge the UAE on what it can
deliver this year and let's focus our energy on that. At the same time,
it's going to be inclusive, and we have opened up the COP twenty
eight to the full participation of views from NGOs, from youth, from energy
activists. We welcome the full spectrum. We want everyone's opinion and this will
turbocharge. We believe the energy that is needed to deliver the ambitious COP that
we want to achieve. And that's you know why also we brought to the
attention of the Security Council and why we're hosting this debate. Some people will
say that the Security Council is not the right place for it, but I
I think the interlinkages we have been seeing over the years you heard this morning
with stuff about the cyclone in me and mar drought in Somalia, the exacerbation
of climate on peace and security situations is irrefutable. So let's look at the
linkages in a non ideological way, in a practical way. Let's operationalize our
approach to climate peace and security. I think that's what we're trying to do
with this discussion is bring it up to the Council's attention and we hope and
welcome high level participation at that meeting, someone asked if Sultan would be coming.
He has already come to New York a couple of times. He went
to Washington for the spring meetings because he also he and his team and the
COP team are looking very strongly at how reform of the i FIS can also
turbocharge the change and the transition to clean energy that we want to see.
And he's been on a listening tour of much of the world talking to world
leaders about what we're trying to achieve this year in COP. He will be
back in New York. He has committed to that, but he's also amitted
to playing the role of COP twenty eight president in as neutral way as possible
so that he can help steer the negotiations successfully. And I'll let you know
when he is back. I know he would be keen to engage with all
of you. No that will be chaired by our Minister of Climate Change and
doctor Sultan will be back now. On the security, maritime security, you
know, I think the UAE has had a long standing commitment to the safety
of navigation. One fifth of the world's oil passed through the Straits of Homus,
and at a time of increasing energy prices. That's a big responsibility.
We've had a long standing responsibility and commitment to safeguarding maritime security. With regards
to what is on the agenda, I think that there's nothing scheduled for the
month of June, but it is clear that this topic of international peace and
security in maritime waters remains essential. Ghana has asked us to organize a meeting
on that topic in the Gulf of Guinea Maritime security in the Gulf of Guinea,
and that will be discussed in in the Council's agenda in June, and
we will continue to maintain that the best way to ensure a de escalated,
peaceful region and our part of the world is dialogue and diplomacy. So those
are the channels we are looking at in terms of maintaining a security in our
region. Of course, these threats to maritime security concern all of us.
They're global threats, and of course we will keep a focus on them.
But I think dialogue and de escalation is going to be our approach. Why
wouldn't you want to You can to that specific you can't take the floor before.
That's all right, but don't all of you do it? Yeah,
And I'm happy to sit with you and have a longer discussion about security and
the Persian Gulf. It's a critical issue. As President of the Council.
As you've looked at the program of work, it is full and this is
not an issue that is scheduled to be discussed. But the issue of Iran,
the issue of the jcpo A discussions, the issue of maritime peace and
security. These are all ongoing issues that Gulf countries are working around and working
around with each other. I think you've seen from our foreign policy posture that
our approach is dialogue, de escalation and diplomacy, and we think that is
the way forward for our region. Thank you, thank you. I want
to be fair to the people in the back, so you go go ahead.
Yes, thank you so much, Thank you, madam ambassador. My
name is Susan Tehrani from we On News India. Recently, the National Security
Advisors of India, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates in the United States
met in Saudi Arabia and there is a lot of talk that perhaps a second
quad is in the making in the Middle East. Of course, you are
part of the it too. YouTube. I was wondering if you could comment
on that. There is a lot of excitement and regarding that in our region.
Okay, thank you you and then you okay, go ahead. I'm
a Batlier from AFP News Agency. Thank you, madame, Ambassador UM.
One of the issues and in the schedule in in in June is the renewal
of the MINUSMA. The Secretary the Secretary General review in January represented UM three
options which are really widely UM opposed. I mean from an extension of the
mission with more pace keepers to UM very narrow mission. So is there any
kind of discussion that already having taken place to show in which direction the Council
is going to go? Thank you? One more question, go ahead,
thank you. Oh my name is Toshina from Japanese news wire. I wish
you good luck on the presidency. M Court me if I were wrong,
but I heard some members State is calling for a meeting on the DPRK to
be held tomorrow. Is it? Can you confirm that or is it not
going to happen for the this time around? Thanks? Okay. Last,
so I'm hearing a lot of questions about whether our weekend will be preserved.
Yes, a request has been made for a discussion of the situation in the
DPRK in light of the recent attempted launch. So the Council is we will
consult with Council members in terms of the scheduling, but the request has been
made and will be duly considered by the Presidency. I'm sorry, Can you
confirm which country made their request? No, I won't be able to do
that unless it's public. But I think there will be a steak out on
the issue and I think it'll be clear there which countries are calling for the
request. So I think a number of countries will will call for the meeting
and they will be making a press statement, likely today. At some point
you posted I don't want to preview them. Do you want to speak to
minusma or yeah? Um? And then there was a question from India.
Okay on Minusma, Sorry who is asking me the question? On Minum?
Yeah? Hi, so on Minusma Um. You know, I think it's
it's a complex file. We have a meeting on the sixteenth of June that
is scheduled where we will hear from the srsg al Gasimuane. He'll brief the
Council um and I expect we will then renew the mandate of MINUSMA by the
end of the month. I think it's a it's a complex file. The
relationship between the host country and the organs of the UN is really our amount
and we need to really be working together in these circumstances to continue to counter
the human toll that the conflict is taking. Seventeen thousand peacekeepers have been deployed
to Mali under this mandate from the Council, and we need to also make
sure that their operating environment is secure. So it's a it's an important file.
We will consult, We are consulting, the penholder is consulting widely,
and we expect a renewal of the mandate at the at the end of the
month. I understand the show has been produced by Depictions Media. Please contact
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