NEW YORK: During the UN Security Council’s annual open debate on Women, Peace and Security, the UAE emphasized the urgent need for increased investment in women in peacekeeping and peacebuilding efforts, particularly as crises continue to intensify around the world (WPS).
Lana Nusseibeh, UAE Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the UN and Assistant Minister for Political Affairs, addressed the Security Council. Since the start of the COVID-19 outbreak, this is the first time the entire UN membership has attended a Security Council meeting in person. Ambassador Nusseibeh emphasized that all actors involved in the planning and execution of peace operations, including local women, must be forced to consider a variety of viewpoints. She also stressed the importance of early women’s participation and inclusion in peace efforts in order to improve the responsiveness of peace operations and processes to women’s needs.
The UN and its member states, according to Nusseibeh, must also play a role in boosting the number of women in leadership posts across field operations.
She stated that the UAE’s sponsorship of UN Women and the UN’s Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs will enable systemic communication and engagement with local women in conflict resolution from the start, noting that partnerships and money will enhance efforts to close the gender gap. Ambassador Nusseibeh further stressed that the WPS agenda necessitates a collaborative effort from actors from all sectors. As a contender for the leadership of the UN Climate Change Conference (COP28) in 2023, she claimed that policy alignment and shared metrics in the nexus between WPS, climate change, and humanitarian relief will be a top priority for the UAE.
She also mentioned the Generation Equality Forum’s five-year Compact on Women, Peace and Security, and Humanitarian Action, of which the UAE is both a board member and a signatory. She also praised Ireland, Kenya, and Mexico for emphasizing the importance of women’s leadership and involvement in achieving long-term peace and international security during their UN Security Council presidencies.
Source: WAM
