S/PV.9001 Security Council

In accordance with rule 37 of the Council’s provisional rules of procedure, I invite the representative of Yemen to participate in this meeting. In accordance with rule 39 of the Council’s provisional rules of procedure, I invite the following briefers to participate in this meeting: His Excellency Mr. Ahmed Aboul Gheit, Secretary-General of the League of Arab States; and Ms. Razan Farhan Alaqil, civil-society briefer. The Security Council will now begin its consideration of the item on its agenda. I wish to warmly welcome Secretary-General António Guterres, to whom I now give the floor.

I welcome this opportunity to address the Security Council on cooperation with the League of Arab States. Strengthening our cooperation with regional organizations is a sine qua non for strengthening multilateralism globally. We need partnership across all levels, from the local to the regional to the global. The League of Arab States is critical across the spectrum of our work. When the coronavirus disease upended societies and economies and threatened new vectors of instability, Secretary-General Aboul Gheit and I appealed to the Council to open space for multilateral efforts, humanitarian action and diplomatic solutions. Scanning the region today, it is clear that those appeals are even more critical. We remain united in our pursuit of multilateral answers to the cascading challenges facing the Arab world and beyond. Those efforts have an added urgency as we face the profound global ramifications of the war in Ukraine. For example, numerous countries import at least half of their wheat from Ukraine or Russia, including Egypt, Lebanon, Libya, Somalia, the Sudan and Yemen. Food, fuel and fertilizer prices are skyrocketing. Supply chains are being disrupted. And the costs and delays in the transportation of imported goods, when available, are at record levels. All of that is hitting the poorest the hardest and planting the seeds for political instability and unrest around the globe. In addition, we see clear evidence of the war draining resources and attention from other trouble spots in desperate need. Just last week, I was deeply disappointed that our appeal for Yemen received less than a third of the funds so urgently needed. I cannot overstate the severity of the suffering of the people of Yemen. Twenty million Yemenis need life-saving humanitarian assistance and protection, with women and children in the greatest need of support. I appeal to the generosity of members of the Arab League at this critical time. I reiterate my plea to all countries to find creative ways to finance the increased humanitarian and development recovery needs worldwide, give generously and immediately release pledged funds. In Libya, I welcome the League’s constructive engagement to help preserve the unity and hard-won stability achieved since the signing of the Libyan ceasefire agreement in October 2020. I count on the League and its membership to continue prioritizing the agreement on a comprehensive political process and advance the full implementation of resolution 2570 (2021). In the Sudan, the League of Arab States and the United Nations have been working closely together, both bilaterally and in the context of the Friends of Sudan Group, to encourage meaningful dialogue towards an inclusive and peaceful transition. In Syria, our two organizations are firmly united in support of the Syrian people, who feel abandoned by the world as they enter the eleventh year of a war that has subjected them to human rights violations on a massive and systematic scale and left the country in ruins. The only way to break the deadlock and alleviate the suffering of the Syrian people is through a credible political process that sees the full implementation of resolution 2254 (2015). We must keep working to chart a political path to sustainable peace on which all Syrians are heard, grievances are addressed, detainees are released and needs are met. There must be no impunity. In Lebanon, we are grateful to the Arab League and its members for urging the Government to address the country’s crisis through meaningful reforms, timely elections, constructive engagement with the International Monetary Fund and the full implementation of resolutions 1559 (2004) and 1701 (2006). In Iraq, we welcome the enhanced strategic cooperation between the Government and members of the League, which includes an observation mission to monitor Iraq’s parliamentary elections last October. Strengthening regional cooperation and collaboration are also critical in Yemen, where escalating hostilities threaten to further heighten dramatic humanitarian needs and further diminish hopes for peace. I count on the League of Arab States to support United Nations-led efforts to reach a lasting ceasefire, defuse tensions, advance an inclusive political process and provide humanitarian and economic assistance to the Yemeni people. Faced with a catastrophic funding crunch, I urge everyone to do everything possible to prevent hunger and starvation from taking millions of lives. In Israel-Palestine, the League and the United Nations remain committed to finding a path for the peace process to advance and the occupation to end. Our shared goal remains two States  — Israel and an independent, democratic, contiguous, viable and sovereign Palestinian State  — living side by side in peace within secure and recognized borders, on the basis of the pre-1967 lines, with Jerusalem as the shared capital of both States. Political, economic and security conditions across the occupied Palestinian territory are deteriorating as Palestinians experience dispossession, violence and insecurity. At the same time, the existential financial crisis of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) affects the rights and well-being of Palestine refugees across the region. I reiterate my call on Member States to increase their financial support to the Palestinian people and their contributions to UNRWA, a vital pillar of regional stability. Ever-closer cooperation with the Arab League is vital to achieving all those goals. From regular meetings with my Special Envoys and staff exchanges to workshops on mediation and capacity-building exercises on inclusive peacemaking, our relationship is broadening and deepening. We look forward to strengthening our ties further, including through the United Nations Liaison Office to the League of Arab States, which has opened new communication channels between our organizations, at both headquarters and in the field. We are particularly focused on building stronger partnerships with the League in the areas of women and peace and security, disarmament, mediation and peacebuilding. We are expanding our cooperation on youth, peace and security issues through capacitybuilding and consultations on a regional strategy in the Arab region. Looking ahead, we will hold our 15th general cooperation meeting in July to advance our biennial framework, and we will work together on a sectoral meeting on climate change. Today more than ever before, we need to come together and stand together in support of multilateral peaceful solutions. That is why our relationship with the League of Arab States and the strong support from its membership have never been more essential or more appreciated.

I thank the Secretary-General for his briefing. I now give the floor to Mr. Aboul Gheit.

I would like to begin by congratulating you, Mr. Minister, and the United Arab Emirates on its assumption of the presidency of the Security Council for this month. We very much appreciate the important role of the United Arab Emirates as the Arab member of the Council. We thank you, Mr. President, for convening today’s meeting and for the outstanding concept note prepared by your delegation (S/2022/240, annex). I also express my sincere appreciation to our dear friend Secretary-General António Guterres for his continued interest in promoting cooperation between the United Nations and the League of Arab States to increase prospects for international and regional peace and security. Today the Council addresses the issue of cooperation between the United Nations and the League of Arab States, at a time when the international order is perhaps at its most critical juncture since the end of the Cold War. Conflict between global Powers is escalating, bringing with it several security, political and economic risks. It is a very deplorable situation. We hope that global Powers will be able to broker solutions and settlements that are in the interests of all parties in order to stop the bloodshed and meet the security requirements of all, in line with the commitment to the Charter of the United Nations and the principles of international law and good-neighbourliness. That would help the world avert disastrous repercussions on the economies of developing States that import food and oil. We also hope that this significant conflict situation will not have a negative impact on the attention paid by the Security Council to other issues and crises worldwide, and in the Arab region specifically. We are deeply concerned about the crises in the Arab world being overlooked or forgotten amid the tense international situation. Crises will not be resolved by themselves. The current international situation might exacerbate them. The Arab region continues to suffer from the significant shock of 2011. There is ongoing conflict within States  — such as Syria, Libya and Yemen — which leads to high humanitarian and economic costs. It also threatens security in the Arab region. Developments in the international arena have led many in the Arab region to consider the suffering of the Palestinian people differently. Their suffering has continued for more than 70 years. They have been suppressed and forced to live as refugees. Their rights and freedoms have continued to be violated, without any genuine prospect for a solution. The Council endorsed the principle of land for peace and the two-State solution as a basis for resolving the historic conflict in Palestine and ending the Israeli occupation. That also included the establishment of an independent homeland for Palestinians, living side by side in peace with the State of Israel along the 4 June 1967 borders. However, the occupying Power continues to manipulate and refuses to participate in direct negotiations  — based on United Nations and other international benchmarks — with the Palestinian side, despite many appeals by the President of Palestine before the Council in 2018 (see S/PV.8183) and 2020 (see S/PV.8717) and before the General Assembly in 2021 (see A/76/PV.12). He asked the Secretary-General to convene a summit under the auspices of the United Nations in order to launch direct negotiations. The international order we aspire to cannot be based on double standards or discrimination. We therefore call on all international Powers to shoulder their responsibilities, as set forth in the Charter of the United Nations, to address all issues and crises alike in full respect for international law and for the purposes and principles of the Charter. In Syria, the situation is at an impasse. The political track sponsored by the United Nations has been obstructed, the economic situation is sharply deteriorating, and the living conditions of Syrians across the country are worsening, including in areas under the control of the regime or by other forces. The situation is simply not viable. It is causing unspeakable suffering to millions of Syrians. We have serious concerns that the current international confrontation may have negative repercussions on the situation in Syria. In Libya, we fear that divisions in the country will be exacerbated by the presence of militias, foreign forces and mercenaries. We all agreed at the first and second Berlin conferences, and with the support of the Council, that they needed to leave Libya. In that vein, we reaffirm that foreign intervention in the Libyan crisis would only further complicate the situation, making the parties more stubborn and prolonging the conflict. We want the Libyan people to be able to select their representatives freely through fair elections, and we stand ready to participate in monitoring those elections as soon as possible. In Yemen, the Houthi militias continue to reject a political settlement and negotiations, instead threatening their neighbours in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates with drones and ballistic missiles. In that regard, I commend the Security Council for the adoption of resolution 2624 (2022), thanks to the efforts of the United Arab Emirates. The resolution led to the imposition of more sanctions on the Houthis and listed them as a terrorist organization. We reaffirm that a political solution is the only means to address the war in Yemen, guarantee its territorial integrity and ensure that Yemen is not used as an arena by certain regional Powers to threaten its neighbours. Iranian interventions in the internal affairs of Arab States have been ongoing for over a decade. Arab States have many concerns vis-à-vis the Iranian policy in our region, particularly if Iran does not reach an agreement with the 5+1 group on its nuclear programme, which poses a threat to peace and security in the region and the world. We stress that all efforts need to be supported at this year’s Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, as well as at the United Nations conference to reach an agreement for the establishment of a zone free from nuclear and other weapons of mass destruction in the Middle East, through more commitment to that goal on the part of the nuclear-weapon States, particularly those States that sponsored the resolution on the Middle East at the 1995 Review and Extension Conference. Furthermore, the Iranian policy continues to be one of intervention, which is not welcome in many Arab States. Its missile programme is a source of legitimate concern for many members of the League of Arab States. The Arab States seek to have good-neighbourly relations with Iran based on a mutual understanding of the sovereignty of States and non-interference in their internal affairs, within a framework that achieves security for all in the region. However, that goal is still not within reach. At a time when the League of Arab States continues to promote partnership mechanisms with the United Nations through our meetings on cooperation, we look forward to further mutual cooperation with the Security Council in the various areas set forth in presidential statements S/PRST/2019/5, adopted under the Kuwaiti presidency of the Council, and S/PRST/2021/2, adopted under the presidency of the Republic of Tunisia. I would like to extend a special thanks to the Irish presidency of the Council in September 2021 as it sought to implement the contents of the latter presidential statement, including by convening a successful ministerial-level meeting on the margins of the General Assembly high-level segment with the Arab Summit Troika. The League of Arab States looks forward to the continuation of that tradition with the French presidency in September 2022. All of the provisions of the aforementioned presidential statements must be implemented, including continued Council field visits to the League of Arab States members. That also includes further work to increase the participation of women and young people in our efforts to achieve international peace and security in the context of the welcome support provided by the United Nations in building the League’s capacity in that important area. We also look forward to the adoption of another presidential statement that would enhance international and regional cooperation to address international and regional challenges, with a focus on the importance of training young people at the League and throughout the Arab world. We should provide young people with the means to shoulder the serious responsibilities that they will assume in the future. We support the proposal of the Secretary-General in his report entitled Our Common Agenda (A/75/982) to upgrade the status of his Special Envoy on Youth and to enhance the competencies of that office. As proposed by certain States, a specialized youth agency could also be established, based on the model of UN-Women, which would enhance the major role played by young people in our Arab communities. Here, I would like to commend Ms. Razan Farhan Alaqil, the first Youth Representative to the United Nations of her country, and I look forward to listening to her intervention in this meeting. While participating in the commemoration of the seventy-fifth anniversary of the United Nations, Heads of States and Governments committed themselves to fulfilling their promises to future generations and to making 2021 a year for change. Their declaration identified 12 areas of international multilateral work for change, all of which form part of the cooperation between the Security Council and the League of Arab States. The League of Arab States believes that the positive momentum created by the Secretary-General’s report Our Common Agenda constitutes the optimal path for transitioning towards a broader horizon of joint work within the international community, provided that there is genuine political will and that we forget about the past and instead focus on our common interests in the future. In that connection, I would like to welcome the establishment of the High-Level Advisory Board on Effective Multilateralism. We look forward to its recommendations to enhance and develop collective work at the multilateral level. In conclusion, we at the League of Arab States look forward to the upcoming summit proposed by the Secretary-General for next year. We stress our readiness to play an active role in the preparation of the summit. That would be in the interests of future generations, who deserve a bright future. Young people would contribute to such a future, guided by the experience of previous generations, with a specific vision that achieves the goals and maintains the particular cultural characteristics of Arab communities, guaranteeing equality in rights and obligations. We will continue to be committed to the strategic partnership between the Security Council and the League of Arab States in order to achieve our common goals.

I thank Mr. Aboul Gheit for his briefing. I now give the floor to Ms. Alaqil.

I would like to greet all participants by saying peace be upon you from the youth of the Arab world, carrying a message of hope from that generation. I am honoured to be here today and to greet those present with a message of hope and peace. I travelled here to convey a message on behalf of more than 100 million young women and men from the Middle East and North Africa. I am here today representing one of the largest generations of young people in history worldwide, as young people in the Arab world represent 60 per cent of its entire population. We appreciate the opportunity to participate in this meeting. I thank the Security Council for giving us this chance and for listening to the voice of Arab youth. My generation’s message today is about engaging young people in effective participation in maintaining peace to build the future. I will cover the following main points. First, United Nations and international resolutions on the inclusion of youth; secondly, the role of youth in bringing about peace and security and achieving sustainable development in the region; thirdly, youth from the Arab world and the Security Council; and, lastly, some recommendations. First, on United Nations and international resolutions on the inclusion of youth, seven years ago in this very Chamber, the Security Council unanimously adopted the historic resolution 2250 (2015), on youth, peace and security, which seeks to empower young people to participate in peacebuilding and conflict resolution. Some important messages were emphasized. “Recognizing that youth should actively be engaged in shaping lasting peace and contributing to justice and reconciliation,” (resolution 2250 (2015), ninth preambular paragraph); “Urges Member States to consider ways to increase inclusive representation of youth in decision-making at all levels” (ibid., para. 1). In the outcome statement of the Global Youth Summit 2020, presided over by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, it was stressed that the Group of 20 should encourage the role of young people in decision-making because they are the catalysts for a more just and sustainable future. In addition, on the item entitled “Empowering youth”, it emphasized the need to include young people in decision-making and ensure their representation, participation and inclusion in decision-making bodies. We emphasize the participation of young people at all levels of United Nations work, from preventive diplomacy to early warning, conflict prevention, conflict management, peacekeeping, conflict resolution, peace negotiations and post-conflict peacebuilding, and in achieving sustainable peace and ensuring the non-recurrence of conflicts. Secondly, on the role of youth in bringing about peace and security and achieving sustainable development in the region, I say to participants and my young Arab brothers and sisters who are listening to me, let me speak from experience. The Security Council has given my generation this opportunity to dream of a promising future, filled not only with our own hopes but also with the hopes of all those in the Chamber. We believe that the inclusion of youth means giving us a fair opportunity, based on our knowledge and our rights, since we are truly qualified not only to bring value added to important discussions but also as active members in efforts regarding development for peace and security in our region and the world. We should be perceived based on our professional and vocational capabilities, not just on our age. We should be considered as competent to participate alongside. Belief in us  — we are of your making  — and our inclusion in actions to maintain peace and security will enable us to lead the future. It is therefore necessary to address the main Arab challenges and dossiers before the Security Council, which deplete the energy of the Arab world, so that we can direct financial and human resources towards development and the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. In that regard, the roles of the Security Council and the League of Arab States and the cooperation between them are pivotal. Including the young generation in such efforts will enhance sustained efforts to resolve current and future challenges. In that context, our message is that we are competent because your generation raised us this way. We ask that we be included. Thirdly, on youth from the Arab world and the Security Council, there are a number of Arab young people who make local efforts that serve their communities, which is reflected in the development of the region. The following are just examples and models among tens of millions. However, in their local work we can reflect on what can be achieved with regard to development at the regional level thanks to their participation in peace and security dialogues based on their experiences and competence, not their age. Mr. Sameh Kamel, from the Arab Republic of Egypt, has been a youth representative at the United Nations since 2016 and led the establishment of the Arab Youth Platform for Sustainable Development of the League of Arab States. Kazem Karabsheh, from the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, has been working within the initiatives of the Jordanian Ministry of Youth for years in training young people on the Sustainable Development Goals. Omar Al-Mutawa, from the United Arab Emirates, was the first youth delegate of that country to the United Nations and dealt with a number of important dossiers. Hala Al-Khamis, from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, established an association that seeks to spread the culture of volunteerism and giving in society and lead change, with thousands of volunteers in the Kingdom, in order to achieve the 2030 Agenda. In 2019, the League of Arab States agreed to establish the Arab Youth Platform for Sustainable Development, with the membership of all States. The establishment of the platform is the beginning of efforts to include young people in sustainable development work towards achieving the 2030 Agenda for the development of the region. However, the success and continuity of its work will be ensured only with continued support for youth leadership by promoting and enhancing youth participation in drawing up national and regional policies and plans through clear mechanisms for Arab and international action and recognition of the importance of young people in their implementation. In that context, in the Security Council, we stress the importance of youth participation in implementing United Nations priorities in the three pillars of United Nations work, namely, maintaining international peace and security, economic, social and political development and fundamental freedoms and good governance, all of which are interlinked and intersect to form the mainstay of multilateral international action and achieve the desired international peace. In conclusion, we, the Arab youth generation, are sending a message to the generation of leaders here in the Chamber and the world by emphasizing the following key recommendations. First, we must ensure the participation of youth at all levels of the United Nations, from preventive diplomacy to early warning, conflict prevention, conflict management, peacekeeping, conflict resolution and peace negotiations and post-conflict peacebuilding, and in achieving sustainable peace and ensuring the non-recurrence of conflicts. Secondly, we must work on resolving the main Arab challenges before the Security Council, which are depleting the energy of the Arab world, so that we can direct financial and human resources towards development and the implementation of the 2030 Agenda. Thirdly, we must ensure youth participation in the implementation of the priorities of the United Nations in its three main areas of work  — the maintenance of international peace and security; international economic, social and political development; basic freedoms and good governance, all of which are connected, in order to form the pillar of multilateral international efforts and to bring about the desired international security. Fourthly, we must promote youth participation in the formulation and implementation of national and regional policies and plans through clear mechanisms for Arab and international action. Fifthly, youth participation can never be complete without the participation of women in all efforts. We are the youth of the world. Including us confirms the Council’s belief in our capabilities, and implementation will ensure opportunities for effective participation in decision-making for the development of our communities and will prepare us to lead the future. I was entrusted to carry the voice of my brothers and sisters  — young Arabs  — and I delivered their message today to the Security Council. My name is Razan Farhan Alaqil, a young Saudi Arabian woman and one of more than 100 million young Arabs. I thank the Council for giving us this opportunity, and we look forward to future opportunities for participation.

I thank Ms. Alaqil for her briefing. I shall now make a statement in my capacity as the Minister of State of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the United Arab Emirates. I thank both Mr. António Guterres, Secretary- General of the United Nations, and Mr. Ahmed Aboul Gheit, Secretary-General of the League of Arab States (LAS), for their valuable briefings on the status of cooperation between their respective organizations. We also thank the civil society representative, Ms. Razan Alaqil, for shedding light on the issues and aspirations of Arab youth. Today’s meeting is particularly important because many of the issues on the Security Council’s agenda are Arab issues, although some of them have been on its agenda for decades because the international community was merely managing these crises rather than resolving them. The ongoing Palestinian-Israeli conflict and other crises in Syria, Yemen, Libya, Iraq, Lebanon, the Sudan and Somalia have imposed a high political, economic and humanitarian cost on the region, which further increases the risk of drastically escalating the situation across the region and the world. Furthermore, the current challenges and crises, with their complex and inherently cross-border aspects, require all stakeholders to make collective efforts at both regional and international levels. This makes our meeting important today, which we hope can help to enhance cooperation between the Security Council and the League of Arab States to address the outstanding Arab issues. The League of Arab States is a standing organization that yesterday marked 77 years since its founding in 1945. The LAS also possesses deep knowledge of regional challenges and the concerns of its member States. That enables it to play a leading role in supporting the implementation of the Security Council’s core mandate to maintain international peace and security. It is therefore important to increase coordination and consultation between the Council and the LAS and to institutionalize that relationship. Doing so will require establishing mechanisms for the exchange of information and viewpoints on how to address various regional challenges from a realistic and practical perspective. To that end, the United Nations Liaison Office to the League of Arab States must be strengthened and empowered with the necessary resources and means to achieve its objectives. That includes facilitating cooperation between United Nations bodies and the LAS and its various subsidiary organs, with a focus on capacity-building and sharing experiences. In that context, we support further cooperation and complementarity in mediation activities between the envoys of the United Nations and the LAS. We also support strengthening trilateral cooperation among the LAS, the United Nations and the African Union. We also emphasize that any Security Council approach to resolve regional issues needs to reflect the concerns of Arab States and consider their views on resolving them. These States can present a new perspective to the Council on ways to break the current stalemate in certain political processes. In that regard, we stress the importance of working according to the principle of seeking Arab solutions to Arab issues. That requires, first and foremost, demanding an end to foreign interference in Arab affairs. We also stress the importance of States’ compliance with their obligations under international law and the Charter of the United Nations, particularly the principles of sovereignty, territorial integrity and good-neighbourliness. As we seek to address the issues of the region, we recommend that special attention be given to the following issues. First, more initiatives and programmes to strengthen the role of Arab women in peace and security issues are needed. We are pleased by the appointment of Ms. Sima Bahous as the first Executive Director of UN-Women from our region. At the national level, the United Arab Emirates has launched the Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak’s Center for Women, Peace and Security and a women’s empowerment programme in the fields of security and peacekeeping, in which a group of Arab women participate. Secondly, it is necessary to focus on empowering youth to play a leading role in addressing existing challenges in the region and participating in peacebuilding efforts, especially since approximately 60 per cent of the region’s population is under 25 years of age. Listening to Ms. Alaqil today is an example of offering a platform for young people to express their opinions and concerns on the most important issues and how to take their views into consideration when developing solutions for such issues. Thirdly, given the threats posed by extremism and terrorism to the region, we stress the need for the two organizations to strengthen joint efforts to combat extremism and terrorism and to work on supporting initiatives that encourage peaceful coexistence and dialogue among religions and cultures in the region. Fourthly, the Arab region needs enhanced economic opportunities and the launching of projects that can achieve development and prosperity for its peoples and build resilience in the face of various security and political challenges. We stress the need for the collaboration between the two organizations to invest in the future of youth by focusing on areas such as artificial intelligence, outer space and renewable energy, which can unlock promising opportunities for the region away from conflict and war. In conclusion, we stress the need for the two organizations to enhance their cooperation in resolving Arab issues based on clear criteria and on equal basis, as well as by using all available diplomatic tools and constructive engagement to end the crises in the region. We also need to apply wisdom obtained from our past experiences in order to better respond to current challenges and move towards achieving stability and security in the region. I now resume my functions as President of the Council.

At the outset, let me extend my felicitations to His Excellency Mr. Khalifa Shaheen Almarar, Minister of State of the United Arab Emirates, for presiding over today’s meeting on cooperation between the United Nations and the League of Arab States. I also welcome the presence of the Secretary- General and the Secretary-General of the League of Arab States and thank them for their valuable insights. I would like to thank the representative of civil society, Ms. Razan Farhan Alaqil, for her briefing. Let me take this opportunity to congratulate the delegation of the United Arab Emirates for its steadfast stewardship of the Security Council this month, as well as for successfully piloting the draft presidential statement in the Council on United Nations-League of Arab States cooperation. For over a millennium, the Arab world has been a cradle of human civilization, given its strategic location. Developments in the Arab world have influenced our shared history, and they continue to have a profound impact globally. The challenges confronted by the region today and how we address them will have a critical bearing on international peace and security. India and the Arab world share a civilizational relationship, underpinned by strong people-to-people relations and commercial and cultural ties. Trade between India and the Arab region through the Indian Ocean flourished for several centuries, even before the advent of modern commerce. Not very long ago, the Indian rupee was legal tender in parts of the Arab world. Today countries from the Arab world are host to more than 9 million Indians, and India’s wide-ranging partnership with these countries encompasses every aspect of human endeavour, from agriculture, trade, commerce and education to clean energy, counterterrorism and new technologies. India and the League of Arab States signed a memorandum of understanding two decades ago for institutionalizing a regular dialogue process to forge a partnership for the future. It led to the creation of the India-League of Arab States Forum, during which progressive cooperation in several fields such as energy, environmental protection, investment, food security, science and technology, and human resource development were agreed upon. Several other initiatives to deepen our engagement with the League of Arab States have also been conceptualized, including the Energy Symposium, the Media Symposium and the first edition of the Arab-India Energy Forum, which was successfully convened a few months ago. The League of Arab States has contributed positively to security and stability in the region. Its States members are significant troopand police-contributors to United Nations peacekeeping forces. The Arab States are among the largest donors of humanitarian assistance to countries facing armed conflict in the region. The League has played an important role in the areas of mediation and conflict prevention and resolution in the region. Today’s meeting provides us with a valuable opportunity to take a closer look at the cooperation between the United Nations and the League of Arab States. We underline that the Arab States can further contribute to our joint endeavour for peace, for the sake of the people of the region, in general, and for women and minorities, in particular. We take note of the positive trajectory of the cooperation, including through the United Nations Liaison Office in Cairo and the practice of annual briefings by the Secretary- General to the Security Council. In this regard, I would like to submit four proposals  — specific suggestions for consideration by the Council. First, there must be greater policy synergy between the two organizations. Regular and frequent consultations with the League of Arab States and its members on peace initiatives in the region would contribute to achieving common solutions and meaningful outcomes. Secondly, efforts must be made to achieve comprehensive coordination at the field level, especially through regular coordination between the United Nations special representatives and envoys and the League of Arab States. Thirdly, engagement with the League and its members in post-conflict peacebuilding through reconstruction and economic development is equally important. Fourthly, ensuring the stability of countries concerned and the region and the welfare of people, especially women and minorities, should be at the forefront of all such efforts. The cooperation between the United Nations and the League of Arab States is of critical importance when it comes to the Middle East peace process. Both organizations must make concerted efforts to support the reactivation of the Middle East peace process, in line with the two-State solution based on the internationally agreed framework and previous agreements between the parties. India welcomes the agreement for normalization of relations between countries in the region, which we believe will contribute to greater peace and stability in the region. Let me conclude by expressing India’s steadfast support for a closer, meaningful and sustained cooperation between the United Nations and the League of Arab States for the benefit of the region. India will continue to partner with the Arab countries in their efforts to achieve regional peace, stability and prosperity and will continue to work with the League of Arab States in combating terrorism and in promoting tolerance and pluralism.

I thank the Secretary-General, the Secretary-General of the League of Arab States and Ms. Alaqil for their briefings. Regional cooperation has a vital role to play in conflict prevention. We therefore welcome cooperation between the United Nations and the Arab League and thank today’s briefers and the United Arab Emirates for convening today’s meeting. We also welcome the imminent adoption of the draft presidential statement on cooperation between the United Nations and the League of Arab States. Sadly, war and conflict continue to scar the region. The Syrian conflict, for example, has left 14 million people in need of humanitarian assistance. Al-Assad’s regime bears responsibility for this tragedy, as it continues to obstruct peace efforts. We therefore welcome the League’s continued suspension of Syria’s membership and urge against normalization with Al-Assad. In Yemen, 7 million Yemenis are now on the brink of famine. We therefore call for generous humanitarian funding and welcome the United Nations Special Envoy’s consultations. We also condemn the ongoing Houthi terrorist cross-border attacks on Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, including the reprehensible attacks on Saudi civilian infrastructure last week. We must also remain steadfast in our commitment to a two-State solution based on the 1967 lines. To end the conflict, we need both to address the legitimate aspirations of the Palestinian people and to safeguard Israel’s security. In Libya, there was a real risk of escalation that could unravel the hard-won ceasefire and threaten stability. We urge both sides of the current impasse to accept the offer from Special Adviser Stephanie Williams to facilitate a dialogue. For, as Libya lurches between political crises, it is the Libyan people who suffer most. It is therefore incumbent on all of us to facilitate a path to the elections that the Libyan people are waiting for. I would also like to highlight our collective role in tackling catastrophic climate change, which we know is a driver of conflict, and, in particular, the role of Egypt and the United Arab Emirates as they take on their presidencies for the twenty-seventh and twenty-eighth sessions of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, respectively. During our own presidency year, we will work closely with them to ensure that the commitments made at the twenty-sixth session are delivered. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has contributed to a bleak humanitarian picture. As the Secretary-General has said, for Egypt, Lebanon, Libya, the Sudan and Yemen, their breadbasket is being bombed. Ukraine alone provides more than half of the World Food Programme’s wheat supply. We therefore hope that Arab League leaders will continue to support all efforts, including in the General Assembly, to bring an end to this war.

We welcome the participation of Minister of State Khalifa Shaheen, President of the Security Council, at today’s meeting. We are grateful to the Secretary-General, Mr. António Guterres, and the Secretary-General of the League of Arab States, Mr. Ahmed Aboul Gheit, for their briefings. We also carefully listened to the representative of the civil society, Ms. Razan Farhan Alaqil. The Middle East and North African region is experiencing a complex and intense period, owing, inter alia, to the multiple acute crisis situations that remain unresolved, often provoked by external interference; the colonial legacy and its terrible consequences that still need to be overcome; and the numerous countries that are still in the throes of political and economic crises that only strengthen radical attitudes and provoke an escalation of terrorism and extremism. Furthermore, the coronavirus pandemic is exacerbating the already complex socioeconomic and humanitarian situation in a host of Arab States. The conflicts in Syria, Libya and Yemen are still raging. We are seeing tensions in Western Sahara. Urgent steps are needed to overcome the stalemate on the central question for the region: the Israeli-Palestinian peace process. In that connection, we think that the Quartet’s role as international mediator is especially important, and we call on our colleagues from the Quartet to support our initiative to convene a ministerial meeting. We hope that the recent normalization of relations between a number of Arab States and Israel will not affect the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people and the achievement of a just settlement of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict on an internationally recognized basis. The current situation in the region increases the need for cooperation between the United Nations and the League of Arab States on countering new challenges, peacekeeping and jointly preventing the escalation of conflicts in the region. Such cooperation could contribute to the peaceful settlement of existing disputes without external interference while respecting the interests of all parties concerned and in accordance with the norms and provisions of international law. The Russian Federation has consistently called for stepping up cooperation between the United Nations and the League of Arab States. In order to strengthen that cooperation, a United Nations Liaison Office was opened at the League headquarters in Cairo in 2019. We are in favour of effectively using of that channel. We believe it is important to intensify coordination between the League and United Nations special envoys in addressing crises in the Arab region with a view to seeking joint measures to address them. We reiterate our interest in seeing a strong and effective League of Arab States and strengthening the role of Arab States in preventing and resolving conflicts. We support the participation of all members of the Arab family in developing solutions on an equal footing. We recall the relevance of Syria’s return to the League of Arab States. We are convinced that such a step would be in the interests of both Damascus and the organization. We believe that cooperation between the United Nations and regional organizations should be based on the recognition of the leading role that regional organizations play in identifying ways of resolving conflicts in that part of the world. Given the potential of the League of Arab States in spreading an interreligious and inter-ethnic culture of peace and combating radical and extremist ideology, it is important to conduct a dialogue between the United Nations and the League on the situation of Christians and other religious and ethnic minorities affected by conflict. It is in the interest of all States in the Arab region and beyond to set aside mutual recrimination and suspicions, and especially to avoid the use of unilateral sanctions, pressure and provocations. Unfortunately, tensions in the Persian Gulf continue unabated, which has had a destabilizing effect on international relations as a whole. In that connection, we welcome the declared intention of leaders of the region to seek diplomatic solutions to the current problems. We reaffirm our readiness to assist in every possible way to normalize the situation in the Persian Gulf, both in our national capacity and in a collective format, including through cooperation between the League and the United Nations. In that context, we recall the renewed Russian concept of collective security in the Persian Gulf aimed at renouncing confrontational approaches and promoting a constructive, unifying agenda. Our initiative is an invitation to dialogue, in which the League of Arab States can play an important role. Russia will continue to strengthen its partnership and cooperation with the League of Arab States on the most urgent international and regional issues.

We thank you, Mr. President, for convening this debate, and we thank Secretary-General Guterres, Secretary-General Aboul Gheit and Ms. Alaqil, the living voice of civil society, for their briefings. Today’s debate provides an opportunity to continue to identify common ground and create synergies between the United Nations and the League of Arab States with a view to resolving conflicts in their member countries. As Mexico has maintained over the years, cooperation between the United Nations and regional organizations is natural and, at the same time, essential  — essential to promote social and human development, mutual understanding and peace through prevention and addressing the structural causes underlying conflicts. Challenges to international peace and security also require that the actions taken at the global level, including those agreed upon by the Security Council, be supported by actions at the regional level. In that regard, Mexico recognizes the efforts of the League of Arab States in response to the impact of the coronavirus disease pandemic. We consider it especially important to work in a coordinated manner to settle conflicts that have been unresolved for a long time, such as those in Yemen, Syria and Palestine. It is equally important to ensure that elections be held in Lebanon on 15 May. In that connection, we commend the participation of an electoral observation mission of the League. We also believe that the League’s unequivocal support is an important factor in the strengthening of institutions in Iraq. Mexico also recognizes the role that the League plays as co-Chair of the political working group of the International Follow-up Committee to the Berlin Conference on Libya. In that regard, the League’s support for the good offices and mediation led by the United Nations to resolve the political stalemate through dialogue is critical, so as to move towards a successful transition. In the face of emerging conflicts and increasing humanitarian demands, the timely intervention of regional organizations will be increasingly important. Mexico recognizes the efforts of the League’s member countries in their financial contributions to humanitarian response plans in the region. We are sure that they will continue with their efforts. We welcome the recent appointment of the Head of the United Nations Liaison Office to the League of Arab States in Cairo. We believe that is an important step towards the institutional strengthening between the two organizations. Mexico reiterates the importance of following up on resolution 2532 (2019), which reaffirms the Secretary- General’s call for a global ceasefire. At the same time, we call for a redoubling of efforts to jointly promote initiatives in the areas of counter-terrorism; combating illicit flows of arms and the effective implementation of Security Council arms embargoes; the implementation of the women and peace and security agenda and the youth, peace and security agenda; the impacts of climate change as a factor in exacerbating conflict; and the use of early-warning and conflict prevention mechanisms. In conclusion, cooperation with regional organizations that promotes mutual trust to avoid security misperceptions favours preventive diplomacy and mediation as viable alternatives for finding sustainable peaceful solutions.

I thank Minister Shaheen and express my sincere thanks also to the Secretary- General and the Secretary-General of the League of Arab States for their remarks. I also thank Ms. Alaqil for bringing the perspective of young people and women to bear on our deliberations. We have heard her important messages to us here today. As she said, that is where our future hopes lie, and I have to say that if there are 100 million out there like her, I think that our hopes will be well looked after. Chapter VIII of the Charter of the United Nations recognizes the crucial role of regional organizations in the maintenance of peace and security. Ireland’s own history and national experience mean that we deeply appreciate the vital contribution of such organizations in building and sustaining peace. Our membership of the European Union was central to our development and growth. Moreover, the European Union played a key role in the journey to peace and reconciliation on the island of Ireland. Ireland attaches the highest importance to the role of the League of Arab States, and we look forward to the adoption of the presidential statement this morning on cooperation between the United Nations and the League of Arab States. Our commitment to the League of Arab States was reflected in the programme of our own Council presidency, last September, when our Minister for Foreign Affairs and Defence, Simon Coveney, was pleased to chair an informal interactive dialogue between members of this Council and the Arab Summit Troika. The United Nations and the League of Arab States have much to learn from each other as they work on the vital task of the maintenance of peace and security in the region. Ireland welcomes the recent appointment of Ms. Tamara Al-Zayyat as Head of the United Nations Liaison Office to the League of Arab States. As we heard, she is doing valuable work in helping to create synergies between the two secretariats on a range of important issues. One of those issues, both for the region and indeed beyond, is the relationship between climate change and insecurity. That is an area where we see potential for increased cooperation, and we welcome the Secretary-General’s remarks that this will be the subject of the sectoral meeting between the League and the United Nations. Ireland firmly underlines the urgent need for lasting political solutions to disputes and conflicts in the region. We echo the call of the United Arab Emirates for innovative approaches to strengthening conflict prevention and mediation in the region in support of the Council’s own efforts. In Libya, the deterioration of the situation on the ground since the postponement of elections last December is of grave concern. All actors have a responsibility to safeguard the progress that the Libyan people, supported by the international community, have worked so hard to achieve. In Yemen, innocent civilians have suffered for far too long; only a negotiated political solution will bring peace. Negotiations towards peace can take place only when there is a serious effort towards de-escalation in violence. All parties to that conflict are bound by their obligations under international humanitarian law. I also wish to reiterate here Ireland’s condemnation in the strongest terms of the cross-border attacks against Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. This month marks 11 years of devastating conflict in Syria. It is critical that now more than ever the parties adhere to a permanent nationwide ceasefire, in line with resolution 2254 (2015). That remains the only basis for a sustainable political solution. As a leading troop contributor to the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon since 1978, Ireland remains resolutely committed to the stability of Lebanon as its people grapple with complex political and economic challenges. We urge the holding of elections as scheduled on 15 May this year and the full implementation of the relevant resolutions of the Council. In those countries and others in the region, we are, sadly, seeing an increasingly grave humanitarian and food security crisis. As the Secretary-General has told us, Ukraine alone provides more than half of the World Food Programme’s wheat supply. Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine has driven up food and commodity prices, which will compound the humanitarian misery for millions of people. Finally, a solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict remains a key element for regional and global security. In the absence of positive political progress, we must guard against the potential for disillusionment and despair to take hold, especially among young people. International and regional actors must recommit to the imperative of a two-State solution as the only way to guarantee a stable, sustainable peace between Israelis and Palestinians. That would be to the benefit of all people in the region.

Let me thank you, Minister of State Shaheen, for your statement and for personally presiding over this important meeting here today. We are also very appreciative of the briefings by Secretary- General Guterres and Secretary-General Aboul Gheit. I also thank Ms. Razan Alaqil for her timely remarks. Yesterday marked 77 years since the foundation of the League of Arab States. Let me extend Norway’s congratulations to the organization and its member States. Norway strongly supports enhanced cooperation and dialogue between the Security Council and the Arab League as an essential part of peace and security in the region. Organizations such as the Arab League are vital for facilitating dialogue, building consensus and bridging differences among States. We would welcome a more prominent role played by the Arab League in promoting stability, peace and reconciliation in the region, in cooperation with other regional and international partners. We are pleased to see an emphasis placed today on the role of youth. As Ms. Alaqil’s briefing to the Council demonstrates, youth can be agents of positive change in their communities and are key to building a more inclusive, sustainable and effective peace. You asked us, Mr. President, to identify the progress made and avenues for enhanced partnership. Let me offer four suggestions. First, it is clear that implementing the youth, peace and security agenda can be a collective effort throughout the Middle East and North Africa region. Indeed, there are already a few national youth, peace and security coalitions, including in Iraq and Jordan. But we believe that further partnership between the United Nations and the Arab League on enhancing the implementation of resolution 2250 (2015) throughout the region would be a valuable way to share lessons learned, build capacity and support the participation of youth in regional peace and security efforts. Secondly, enhanced collaboration on children and armed conflict needs to be central to the partnership between the League of Arab States and the United Nations. Strengthening mediation efforts that are sensitive to the issue of children and armed conflict, as well as the prevention of grave violations against children, are particularly promising joint endeavours, including, of course, protecting education from attack. Thirdly, another area for further cooperation could be through coordination on issues related to climate and security. We are pleased to note next week’s Middle East and North Africa climate week, hosted by the United Arab Emirates, in partnership with many global and regional partners, including the United Nations and the Arab League. Multilateral forums that showcase innovative climate action in the Arab region and deepen multi-stakeholder approaches  — putting civil society at the forefront  — are key to addressing the adverse impacts of climate change, which indeed knows no borders. Fourthly, let me highlight the important role that women in Arab States must play in building regional peace and security. Joint efforts between the Arab League and UN-Women  — such as the Arab Women Mediators Network and the Emergency Committee for Protection for Women during Armed Conflicts — are strategic opportunities for furthering the regional implementation of women and peace and security resolutions. Moreover, we support efforts to intensify contact and coordination between all relevant United Nations Special Envoys and the Arab League, in order to advance a safe and enabling environment for women’s meaningful participation and decision-making in peace processes and underscoring the importance of a human rights-based approach to peacebuilding. In conclusion, we are hopeful that enhancing the partnership between the United Nations and the Arab League can play an important role in deepening peace and security in the region.

I would like to thank the United Arab Emirates for convening today’s important meeting. I also welcome the presence of His Excellency Mr. Harsh Vardhan Shringla, Foreign Secretary of India. I would like to express gratitude to the Secretary- General, His Excellency Mr. António Guterres; the Secretary-General of the League of Arab States, His Excellency Mr. Ahmed Aboul Gheit; and Ms. Razan Farhan Alaqil for their briefings. I equally welcome the participation of the representative of Yemen in today’s meeting. Consistent with its foreign policy objectives and in keeping with the provisions of Chapter VIII of the Charter of the United Nations, on regional arrangements, Ghana strongly supports the strengthening of cooperation between the United Nations and regional and subregional organizations in the maintenance of international peace and security. We believe that regional arrangements or mechanisms, with their unique and invaluable knowledge of the regions they represent, make vital contributions to securing our collective security. It is imperative, therefore, that we encourage the sustenance of such strategic cooperation and coordination. In that context, Ghana will continue to actively and constructively support initiatives by the Security Council to help further cement the veritable partnership between the United Nations and all regional and subregional organizations, including with the League of Arab States, on the range of issues requiring urgent consideration, such as early warning on potential conflict situations, prevention, mediation, peacekeeping, peacebuilding, sustaining peace, addressing the root causes of conflict, counter-terrorism, vaccine equity and justice, as well as addressing the climate emergency. We also welcome the commitments made today to the women and peace and security agenda and the youth, peace and security agenda in that context. In that regard, we are pleased to note the principles of the 22-member League of Arab States, in particular on conflicts, including those in the Arab League region, which are required to be settled by peaceful means, with full respect for the sovereignty, independence, unity and territorial integrity of the countries concerned and in accordance with the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations. In contributing to this agenda item, we would like to make the following additional points. First, Ghana believes that, in these times of heightened global tensions, the continued engagement and leadership of the League of Arab States will be critical to containing any new conflict situations and flare-ups in the Arab region, as well as addressing the prevailing security challenges. We therefore encourage greater diplomatic engagement by the League in the conflicts in the region, in collaboration with the Security Council, through its conflict resolution tools and strategies. Secondly, we commend the framework of trilateral cooperation under the auspices of the United Nations, the African Union and the League of Arab States, and welcome efforts to enhance consultations in addressing some of the intractable conflicts with which we continue to grapple. We believe that a deepened partnership with the League of Arab States will help create the desired conditions for tackling some of the cross-regional peace and security issues effectively, as it is evident that sustainable peace will continue to be elusive without effective coordination and collaborative solutions to the conflicts and crises facing the Middle East and North Africa. Thirdly, never has it been more necessary than now to recall that, while the Charter confers on the Council the primary responsibility of maintaining international peace and security, it also permits regional arrangements to deal with matters pertaining to the maintenance of international peace and security as lie within their competence. Therefore, by utilizing avenues for regular consultations with the League of Arab States and other regional arrangements, the Council can be more effective in discharging its mandate, especially in situations where arguments for subsidiarity are stronger and clearer. In conclusion, we are mindful of the complexities that cooperation with regional arrangements entail and, as a result, Ghana will continue its efforts to identify gaps and propose guidelines to enhance complementarity between the United Nations and regional organizations. Those efforts are a continuing endeavour and will benefit greatly from the partnership and solidarity of all Council members, the wider United Nations membership and relevant international actors, including the League of Arab States.

I should like to begin by thanking Secretary-General Guterres and the Secretary- General of the League of Arab States, Ahmed Aboul Gheit, for their briefings. I would also like to welcome youth briefer Razan Farhan Alaqil to the Security Council and to acknowledge the value of civil society in enriching discussions in the Chamber. We are very pleased to hear from our speakers about the value of strengthening cooperation between the United Nations and the Arab League and the progress that has been made in that regard, based on the two previous presidential statements (S/PRST/2019/5 and S/PRST/2021/2). The United Nations is on the front lines in addressing many challenges, but it cannot solve them alone. Regional organizations serve as the building blocks of global peace and security. We value the cooperation between the United Nations and the Arab League. As mentioned by the Secretary-General and other members of the Council, there is no end to the list of pressing challenges facing the Middle East. We value the role of the United Arab Emirates in enhancing cooperation between the United Nations and the Arab League to meet those challenges. We appreciate the fact that improving partnerships and cooperation with regional and subregional organizations has become an increasingly prominent theme for the Security Council. We should aim to discuss concrete ways to strengthen cooperation between the Council and the Arab League in the areas of conflict prevention, preventive diplomacy, peacekeeping, peacebuilding and counter-terrorism, as well as to promote the role of women and youth in maintaining regional and international peace and security. We believe that the opening of the United Nations Liaison Office to the Arab League will help in that regard. We support the youth briefer in proposing ways for the United Nations and the Arab League to advance the implementation of the youth, peace and security agenda and jointly address challenges facing youth in the Middle East and North Africa. The Arab League can further promote inclusivity and a greater role for civil society. We commend its focus on youth and on promoting diverse societies within its member States. We also strongly encourage the Arab League to further promote women’s empowerment and participation in decision-making processes at all levels, as well as to engage with civil society and human rights organizations in a constructive and transformative manner. We would also welcome enhanced trilateral coordination among the United Nations, the African Union and the League of Arab States on cross-regional peace and security issues. All new conflicts in the region, from the Israeli- Palestinian conflict to the conflicts in Yemen, Syria, Libya and the volatile situation in Lebanon, require a Herculean effort to resolve them. In our view, the Arab League is well positioned to bring together Arab States to address those challenges. The Middle East is not immune to broader tensions and conflicts elsewhere. The Russian invasion of Ukraine is already having an impact on the many challenges that the States of the Arab League face. As mentioned by Secretary-General Guterres, it directly threatens food security in the region, the daily bread of millions of people. The Russian invasion exacerbates the suffering and misery for millions of Arabs. We must be united in our resolve to confront aggression and violent conflict everywhere for our world to move towards a peaceful, just and sustainable future. In this period, Albania stands ready to work together with the League of Arab States to enhance cooperation with the United Nations, and with the Security Council in particular. We look forward to the new presidential statement in that regard.

Let me start by thanking Secretary-General António Guterres and Secretary- General Ahmed Aboul Gheit for their insightful briefings. We also thank Ms. Razan Farhan Alaqil for her valuable contribution to our conversation. Brazil and Arab countries share deep social, cultural and economic ties, as well as similar views on many topics on the international agenda. The League of Arab States is a traditional partner of our country. Its first permanent delegation in Brazil was opened in 1956 and, since then, the relationship with the organization and with each of its member countries has gained increasing importance. With the inauguration of our Embassy in Manama in November, Brazil now has Embassies in the capitals of 17 of the League’s 22 member States  — a fact that underlines our evergrowing ties with Arab countries. The Arab League plays an extremely important role in voicing the interests and aspirations of Arab countries in various forums, especially at the United Nations. For that reason, we support the Security Council’s initiative to recognize its positive influence in the prevention and mediation of regional conflicts and to support the strengthening of cooperation and strategic coordination between the United Nations and the League of Arab States in various fields, such as peacekeeping, peacebuilding and sustaining peace. We also welcome the reference to the efforts of the League of Arab States to implement the women and peace and security agenda, including through the development of a regional action plan for women and peace and security and the youth, peace and security agenda. Many of the conflicts in the Arab world were created or exacerbated by forces outside the region, while the interests and well-being of Arab peoples are — most of the time — side-lined. The Arab League has raised its voice in favour of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of its member States through moderation and the peaceful settlement of disputes. It is essential that the Council draw on the League’s experience and wisdom to find balanced solutions to the region’s problems. Brazil recognizes and values the experience of the League of Arab States in mediating conflicts in the region and supports its engagement with the Council in that regard. Finally, I would like to congratulate the United Arab Emirates delegation on the presidential statement to be adopted by the Council today. We believe that it reflects the organization’s relevance in the preservation of peace and security in its area of activity and the broad scope for cooperation with other United Nations bodies.

I want to thank Secretary-General Guterres; the Secretary-General of the League of Arab States, Mr. Ahmed Aboul Gheit; and Ms. Alaqil for their informative presentations. I particularly appreciate Ms. Alaqil’s message from youth in the Arab world. I also welcome the presence of Minister Shaheen. The Security Council has a critical responsibility to respond to the scourge of war and to threats to international peace and security. To that end, the United States fully supports the ongoing efforts to enhance coordination between the Council and the League of Arab States. Together, we can work to further a stable, prosperous and secure Middle East. In that vein, we welcome the League’s ongoing engagement in a range of protracted conflicts that continue to upend regional stability and create multiple complex humanitarian crises, including in Libya, Syria and Yemen. We also deeply appreciate the important role played by League member States in pushing back on Iran’s destabilizing behaviour in the region. The United States applauds those members that recently normalized relations with Israel, including the Abraham Accords countries. I especially want to thank the League of Arab States for its contributions as a member of the Global Coalition against Da’esh. The Coalition has brought together 83 countries and international organizations to ensure the enduring defeat of the Islamic State in Iraq and the Sham. As we continue to respond to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) around the world, we are also grateful to the League of Arab States for its participation in President Biden’s first global COVID-19 summit on ending the pandemic. We look forward to our engagement with Arab health ministers later this month. The United States has led the world in supporting the COVID-19 Vaccine Global Access (COVAX) Facility and donating vaccines to countries in need. We have sent nearly 38.5 million doses to League of Arab States members, in partnership with COVAX. COVID-19 remains an immediate global priority, and we value opportunities to further engage with the League and its member States on its critical work. But, as we deal with the pandemic, we must also stay laser-focused on another great threat, namely, the climate crisis. As part of that work, we welcome the opportunity to strengthen our collective climate ambitions and accelerate progress towards achieving the goals of the Paris Agreement on Climate Change. We encourage all League of Arab States members to join over 111 other countries in endorsing the Global Methane Pledge, with the global collective goal of reducing methane by 30 per cent by 2030. The United States is also encouraged by joint efforts undertaken by UN-Women and the League of Arab States to support League member States in developing and implementing national action plans on women and peace and security. We also welcome the League’s efforts to aid the region’s youth. We heard Ms. Alaqil’s voice very loudly and, once again, we appreciate her bringing the recommendations of youth to this forum. When young people lack access to opportunities, when they are marginalized or discriminated against and when they face security threats, they become more susceptible to recruitment by criminal and terrorist groups. Finally, it is deeply regrettable that we meet at a time when the Security Council’s ability to carry out its mandate has been undermined by one of its permanent members. The United States condemns, in the strongest terms possible, Russia’s premeditated, unprovoked and increasingly devastating invasion of Ukraine. We must stand united in the face of President Putin’s illegal war. In that spirit, the United States appreciates that a majority of members of the League of Arab States supported the General Assembly resolution on Ukraine, adopted on 2 March (resolution ES‑11/1). But make no mistake: Russia’s war has global implications. Russia’s devastation of Ukraine’s agricultural fields and its blockade of ports have already hurt global food security. That is having an impact on the Arab world, including in Yemen, a country that has already endured immense humanitarian suffering. We hope to work with the League of Arab States and other members to ensure that the consequences of Russia’s aggression are addressed. The humanitarian situation in Syria today remains dire, with nearly 15 million people in the country in need of assistance. We thank Syria’s neighbours for their incredible generosity in hosting Syrian refugees. It is clear that we face a host of challenges, but we cannot focus on one challenge and forget so many others that we are dealing with. Secretary-General Aboul Gheit reminded us of that in his remarks. However, by acting together, I have no doubt that we will be better poised to meet the moment, to meet all of the challenges that we face and to find solutions moving forward.

I also thank Secretary- General António Guterres, the Secretary-General of the League of Arab States, Ahmed Aboul Gheit, and Ms. Razan Farhan Alaqil, for their briefings. We are living in extraordinarily dangerous times. Our multilateral order is struggling to live up to its responsibilities. Kenya therefore believes that cooperation between the Security Council and the League of Arab States must become more ambitious if it is to be fit for purpose. It may well be that Chapter VIII of the Charter of the United Nations and its embrace of the contribution of regional and subregional organizations in the maintenance of international peace and security are what will ultimately rescue multilateralism. Today I will focus on how cooperation can be more responsive to transnational terrorism and political stabilization and, in particular, on militant or terrorist groups that utilize cross-border attacks to enhance their prestige for ideological and recruitment purposes, even as they are engaged in national mediation efforts. African countries constitute nearly half of the membership of the League of Arab States. It is therefore logical that we add the African Union to achieve a trilateral framework that builds on, and coordinates with, the Security Council’s cooperation with both regions. In that regard, Kenya welcomes this year’s draft presidential statement recognizing the importance of that approach, and we urge the further strengthening of the trilateral consultations and coordination regarding cross-regional peace and security issues. We especially look forward to impactful outcomes from the fifth Arab-African summit, to be held in Riyadh, and the tenth General Cooperation Meeting between the General Secretariat of the League of Arab States and the African Union Commission on the following issues. First is support for a Libya-led peace and political transition in a manner that is in accord with the national context and the specific security needs of the Libyan people, neighbouring States and the region. Secondly, we must ensure continued support for the implementation of the political agreement in the Sudan that respects the important role that the Horn of Africa countries have played. Thirdly, we must encourage timely elections that enable a strengthened Federal Government of Somalia. Cooperation should also aim to limit the ability of Al-Shabaab to penetrate the State and aid programmes and giving it any political legitimacy. The common aim should be to raise the costs of Al-Shabaab conducting terrorist attacks in Somalia and abroad, its use of foreign terrorist fighters and its ideological commitment to undermining the territorial integrity of multiple States. Fourthly, we must strengthen the ability of security forces in the Horn of Africa, the Lake Chad basin and the Sahel to carry out counter-insurgency operations and counter-terrorism. Fifthly, we must ensure collective and coordinated measures to secure the maritime domain, especially the Red Sea, the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean, to ensure that those waterways are free from piracy, terrorism and any dangerous naval confrontations. In conclusion, I reaffirm Kenya’s support for a robust cooperative relationship between the League of Arab States and the Security Council.

I welcome the presence of the United Arab Emirates Minister this morning and thank him for his briefing. I also welcome the presence of Secretary- General Guterres and Secretary-General Aboul Gheit and thank them for their briefings. I also thank Ms. Razan Farhan Alaqil for her hopeful testimony. The United Nations needs to cooperate with regional organizations. They work closest to the ground and are best placed to find effective solutions to resolve and prevent conflicts. The region continues to face major threats. I am thinking first and foremost of terrorism, with the resurgence of Da’esh in particular. We must adapt our action on the ground in the context of the Global Coalition against Da’esh, in combating the financing of terrorism, in fighting against the use of the Internet for terrorist purposes and in respect for human rights and international humanitarian law. We must also prevent conflicts by responding to the legitimate aspirations of populations in the social, economic and political fields in particular. Climate change exacerbates all those vulnerabilities. In the Arab world, the advance of desertification, the increase in droughts and the growth of water insecurity are now a reality. Mitigating them and adapting to them are an integral part of the struggle for international peace and security. Food insecurity is also dramatically back in the spotlight. In the Middle East, Russia’s aggression against Ukraine raises fears of major food shortages. Russia’s war against Ukraine will continue to have direct consequences for all the populations that depend on it for their supplies. Political and inclusive solutions are therefore now more necessary than ever to put an end to the conflicts and to work for the stability of the entire region. France welcomes the initiatives of the League of Arab States to strengthen the rule of law and to ensure inclusive political processes, enabling the participation of women and young people in particular. In terms of electoral assistance and observation, we welcome the cooperation between the United Nations and the Arab League on the occasion of the Iraqi legislative elections of 10 October 2021. The holding of free and transparent elections in Lebanon on 15 May, according to the established timetable, will also be crucial to ensuring stability in the region. In Syria, the war is far from over. Only a political solution in line with resolution 2254 (2015) can bring about lasting peace. Without a robust political process, our position on reconstruction and on the lifting of sanctions will remain unchanged. We are opposed to any rehabilitation of the Syrian regime, which is why we welcome the League’s maintenance of a principled and demanding position on the reintegration of Syria into the League. We will continue our commitment to the fight against impunity for crimes committed in Syria. In the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, France consistently defends the two-State solution, with Jerusalem as its capital, as defined by Council resolutions, the agreed parameters and international law. We will continue to work to re-establish a political vision and preserve the humanitarian space. We call on the Arab League and its members to fully play their part in funding the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East, as the organization has pledged to do. In Yemen, we need to achieve a comprehensive and inclusive political solution, which is the only way to end the war and the humanitarian catastrophe that the population is suffering with full force. All parties, particularly the Houthis, must commit in good faith to negotiations to ensure full, safe and unhindered humanitarian access. In Libya, the political crisis can be resolved only through continued political dialogue, with firm condemnation of any use of force. A new road map for the holding of presidential and parliamentary elections as soon as possible must be developed. That is the only solution for the long-term stabilization of the country. In the Sudan, we also support the facilitation efforts of the United Nations, the African Union and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development to promote dialogue between the Sudanese parties. France will spare no efforts in giving regional dialogue initiatives a chance. That was the case last August with the Baghdad conference. Another conference will take place this year. In order to ease tensions, it is more urgent than ever to conclude the agreement on a return to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action. France will remain mobilized in support of security, stabilization and the de-escalation of tensions in the region, including in the Gulf, where we will continue to strive to safeguard freedom of navigation. To address these many challenges, the concerted, unified support of the international community, particularly the members of the Arab League, for United Nations efforts remains absolutely essential, both politically and in terms of funding.

I thank the United Arab Emirates for its initiative to convene today’s meeting. I welcome His Excellency Mr. Shaheen, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs of the United Arab Emirates, to New York to preside over this meeting. I also thank Secretary-General Guterres, Secretary-General Aboul Gheit and Ms. Alaqil for their briefings. I also welcome the participation of the Permanent Representative of Yemen in his capacity as Chair of the Group of Arab States. China looks forward to the Security Council’s adoption of the draft presidential statement on strengthening cooperation with the League of Arab States (LAS). We believe that the statement will promote cooperation between the two sides in areas such as addressing the root causes of conflict, employing good offices as mediation and countering terrorism. We look forward to the brief report to be submitted by the Secretary-General on cooperation between the Security Council and the League, as per the presidential statement, so as to develop ideas and create conditions for deepening cooperation between the two sides. Security and development have long been the two principal goals pursued by Arab countries. Achieving national and regional peace, stability and prosperity is a common aspiration of the Arab people. The international community should play a constructive role in supporting Arab countries to independently explore development paths that are in line with their national conditions and independently determine the destiny of their countries. The League has in-depth knowledge of the historical traditions, geographic environment and the political and security situation of the countries of the region, affording it a unique advantage in addressing regional affairs. The United Nations should deepen its cooperation with the League and put into practice the essence of Chapter VIII of the Charter of the United Nations. The Security Council should give attention to the views of the LAS and encourage a regional approach to the settlement of regional disputes. In September, the Security Council held its first informal dialogue with the LAS troika, which achieved very good results. Such dialogue should continue, with more flexible and diverse formats. China encourages the relevant Special Representatives and Special Envoys to strengthen communication and maintain coordination with the League so as to build synergies. The question of Palestine has always been at the heart of the Middle East issue. The international situation is constantly evolving. However, under no circumstances should the question of Palestine be marginalized. We hope that Palestine and Israel will take the recent high-level contact as an opportunity to gradually build mutual trust, gather momentum and restart dialogue on an equal footing at an early date. We hope that there will be greater intra-Palestinian unity in order to achieve reconciliation and develop a unified negotiating position. China commends the just position of the League and its members on the question of Palestine. The United Nations and the Security Council should coordinate peace efforts with the LAS on the basis of the relevant United Nations resolutions, the Arab Peace Initiative and international consensus and must persevere in the efforts to advance the Middle East peace process. The conflict in Syria, now in its eleventh year, has brought about irreparable harm to the Syrian people. The presence of millions of Syrian refugees has put enormous pressure on the neighbouring Arab countries, such as Lebanon and Jordan. There are profound lessons to be learned from the Syrian crisis. The seventh round of the Constitutional Committee’s core group meeting is being held in Geneva. We look forward to the meeting making concrete progress and advancing the Syrian-led and -owned political process. China is pleased to see that more and more Arab countries are supportive of the return of Syria to the League of Arab States. We believe that its return would contribute to the early and comprehensive settlement of the Syrian issue. For some time now, Libya has seen the intensification of internal divisions and problems. The momentum for a political settlement that began last year has since slowed, resulting in increasing uncertainty and instability. We hope that all parties will stay committed to the general direction of a political solution, maintain peace and stability in Libya, reach consensus on important issues concerning the future and destiny of the country as soon as possible and hold elections at an early date. The political process in Libya must follow the Libyan-led and -owned principle. China supports the League’s efforts to strengthen communication and coordination with the United Nations and the African Union through the Libya quartet and to play a more active and constructive role in advancing the political process in Libya. In order to achieve security and stability in the Gulf region, it is necessary to take into account the legitimate concerns of all parties. China put forth an initiative to establish a multilateral dialogue platform in the Gulf region. Issues relating to the safeguarding of oil facilities, civilian infrastructure and waterway security could be the initial topics for discussion on the basis of which a common comprehensive cooperative and sustainable security architecture can be gradually built. We stand ready to maintain communication with the LAS and the Gulf Cooperation Council in that regard. There is a long-standing friendship between China and Arab countries. We fought side by side in the struggle for national independence. We cooperate with one another in the course of building our respective countries. With a good partnership that delivers mutual benefits, we are good brothers who help and support one another. China has always kept the peace and development of the Arab world close to its heart. China’s State Councilor and Minister for Foreign Affairs Wang Yi has visited the Middle East and the North African region several times in the past two years in order to promote dialogue to resolve hotspot issues for regional security and common security. In the face of the coronavirus disease pandemic, China has been working with Arab countries to promote cooperation in vaccine production and in drug research and development. China has also accelerated the establishment of free trade zones with Gulf countries, which will positively boost the post-virus recovery and promote development in the Middle East. China will continue to work hand in hand with Arab countries in order to promote the building of a community with a shared future for China and other States.

I welcome your participation, Minister Shaheen Almarar, in presiding over this debate, which allows us to recall our firm conviction that regional and subregional organizations are essential players in the response to international crises and conflicts and that the regional narrative must be central in the consideration of matters submitted to the Security Council. I thank Mr. António Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations, and Mr. Ahmed Aboul Gheit, Secretary-General of the League of Arab States, as well as Ms. Razan Farhan Alaqil, for their informative briefings. The choice of addressing this topic highlights the positive role played by the cooperation between the United Nations and regional and subregional organizations in the maintenance of international peace and security, in accordance with Chapter VIII of the Charter of the United Nations. Cooperation between the United Nations and the League of Arab States is one of the issues regularly discussed within the Council. As recently as last year, in January to be precise, the Council held an important debate (see S/2021/66) to hammer home the essential partnership between the two entities, created the same year with a series of objectives related to ensuring international peace and security. Since their creation in 1945, cooperation between the United Nations and the Arab League has continued to take shape over the years, encompassing different aspects such as conflict prevention, mediation, peacekeeping, peacebuilding, disarmament, the fight against terrorism and violent extremism, the protection of human rights, the coordination of humanitarian aid and the promotion of economic and sociopolitical development. More recently, the two organizations jointly advocated against the effects of the current health crisis and climate change. In addition, the United Nations established a Liaison Office to the Arab League and, recently, appointed its leadership. We welcome that step. Beyond those achievements, the turmoil in the region covered by the Arab League and the magnitude of the issues involved call for even closer cooperation, particularly in the search for solutions to the cyclical crises in Syria, Yemen, Libya, the Sudan, Somalia and the Sahel, as well as for the peace process in the Middle East. It is important to go beyond the periodic meetings set forth in the presidential statements adopted by the Council in June 2019 (S/PRST/2019/5) and January 2021 (S/PRST/2021/2) and to effectively strengthen cooperation through trilateral interaction among the United Nations, the Arab League and the African Union on cross-cutting peace and security concerns. Almost half of the Arab population lives in Africa. That sociological reality seals the shared destiny between the Arab League and the African Union. That shared destiny also means a shared narrative in applying endogenous solutions to regional crises, naturally involving young people, as Secretary-General Aboul Gheit and Ms. Razan Alaqil have pointed out. Notwithstanding the diversity of approaches within the Arab League and the dynamics of fragmentation within the Council on the region’s security challenges, cooperation between the United Nations and the Arab League in particular  — and among regional organizations in general — must remain at the heart of the global agenda for the settlement of crises. Such a cooperation dynamic is all the more necessary because in a security context marked by multifaceted crises  — and exacerbated by an unprecedented pandemic — the number of requests made of the United Nations, together with the increasingly regional nature of these crises, requires the Organization to be better connected to the realities on the ground in order to make its actions more effective. It goes without saying that the involvement of regional actors alongside the United Nations makes it possible to strengthen the effectiveness of stabilization processes and to better understand persistent threats. While it is true that, through its actions in recent years, the United Nations has made real efforts to engage in regional and subregional partnerships, the multiplicity of crises and their increasingly complex nature require us to do more. I would like to address three key directions for a more productive partnership between the United Nations and regional and subregional organizations in general, and between the Organization and the Arab League in particular. First, the United Nations-Arab League partnership must be based on complementarity and comparative advantages. In addition to the advantage of in-depth knowledge of their regions, regional and subregional organizations are, through their regional mechanisms, able to mobilize and deploy rapidly on the ground. That requires stable and predictable financial, logistical and technical support as well as capacity-building. Secondly, cooperation must be based on better coordination and communication. Terrorism, transnational crime, humanitarian crises and natural disasters are all complex and interdependent challenges that require the involvement of several actors, and therefore regular and rapid exchange of information. Thirdly, coherent crisis-management and crisisresolution mechanisms, with clearly defined tasks and responsibilities among the various actors, need to be established. That would allow for the development of agreed policies between the United Nations and regional and subregional organizations, with a view to dealing effectively with crisis situations. In conclusion, I would like to welcome at the end of our debate today the adoption of the draft presidential statement submitted by the United Arab Emirates and call once again for strengthening cooperation between the United Nations and regional and subregional organizations, including interregional partnerships. One of the main benefits of doing so would be to support the United Nations in one of its central missions, namely, the maintenance of peace and security in the world. It is essential today to achieve synergy of action between the United Nations and regional and subregional organizations. Such synergy would be a decisive step towards the fulfilment of our international commitments and our common will to considerably improve collective security, particularly through conflict-prevention, peacekeeping and peacebuilding efforts.

I now give the floor to the representative of Yemen.

I am pleased to make this statement on behalf of the Group of Arab States. I would like to extend our sincere thanks to the sisterly United Arab Emirates for holding this important meeting and for all its efforts aimed at representing the issues of the Arab Group in the Security Council. I should also like to thank His Excellency Mr. António Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations, His Excellency Mr. Ahmed Aboul Gheit, Secretary- General of the League of Arab States, and Ms. Razan Farhan Alaqil for their valuable briefings. We meet today as the world is facing mounting complications and international crises that pose multiple challenges. Those crises and challenges have effects on Arab States that already suffer crises and challenges at the political, security, economic and social levels. The crises in Arab States represent a threat to regional and international peace and security. Accordingly, they became items on the Council’s agenda, taking up a great deal of time and effort. The Council seeks to find peaceful and lasting solutions to those crises, with a view to putting an end to the suffering of the peoples in crisis and restoring security and stability in the region. The League of Arab States has always played an effective role in resolving those crises and addressing challenges in Arab States. We believe in the important role played by regional organizations working side by side with the United Nations through common and concerted efforts aimed at finding comprehensive and lasting solutions to regional crises, as they are better equipped to understand the root causes and intricacies of those crises. While cooperation between the United Nations and the League of Arab States is outstanding, that cooperation can, in accordance with Chapter VIII of the Charter of the United Nations, be enhanced to reach the levels needed to effectively address the growing challenges in our region. In that regard, the Arab Group would like to stress the following points. First, consultations and formal and informal meetings between the Security Council and members of the League of Arab States need to be intensified, for the purpose of exchanging views regarding the Arab issues on the Council’s agenda. In line with presidential statements S/PRST/2019/5 and S/PRST/2021/2, the Group values the holding of this annual high-level Security Council meeting on cooperation between the United Nations and the League of Arab States, as it serves to assist the Council in attaining a deeper and better understanding of Arab crises. The Group also stresses the need to establish a mechanism that promotes bilateral cooperation and coordination between the Secretary-General of the United Nations and the Group of Arab States in New York to discuss and address Arab priorities at the United Nations, particularly in the Security Council, including the holding of periodic formal meetings with the Secretary-General of the United Nations. We also stress the need to continue holding annual informal ministerial meetings among the Security Council, the Arab Summit Troika and the Secretary-General of the League of Arab States on the margins of the highlevel segment of the General Assembly. We also look forward to the upcoming visit by the Security Council to the League of Arab States, as part of their exchanges of visits. Secondly, we stress the need for Arab solutions to Arab problems. As the traditional Arabic saying goes, the people of Mecca know their allies best. Arab States must therefore contribute to finding suitable solutions to the crises in Arab States. In that regard, the Group calls for greater cooperation and coordination between the two sides in the selection of United Nations special envoys to the Arab region. We call for enhanced cooperation between those special envoys and the League of Arab States, which increases the chances of reaching needed peaceful solutions to Arab issues. Thirdly, it is important that the Council speak with one voice with respect to Arab issues and limit the use of the veto. Council positions, particularly those of permanent members, should reflect the concerns of Arab States with respect to their own crises, most important of which are the establishment of a sovereign independent Palestinian State within 4 June 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital; maintaining the legal and historic status quo of Al-Quds Al-Sharif, including the Al-Aqsa Mosque/Al-Haram Al-Sharif; and ending the Israeli occupation of Arab territories. Such concerns also include ending foreign intervention in the domestic affairs of Arab States and the establishment of a zone free of nuclear weapons and other weapons of mass destruction in the Middle East. The Group also stresses the need to implement all relevant Security Council resolutions. Fourthly, we emphasize the importance of enhancing the role of preventive diplomacy. The economic, humanitarian and political costs of crisis prevention are much lower than the exorbitant costs of conflict resolution and achieving peace. The Group therefore reaffirms the importance of promoting cooperation between the Council and the League in the areas of early warning, peacekeeping, the peaceful settlement of disputes and post-conflict peacebuilding towards sustaining peace. That can be achieved through the continued development of mechanisms to exchange information and promote capabilities through training and capacity-building. Fifthly, the United Nations Liaison Office to the League of Arab States must be developed and enhanced. It is important to conduct periodic assessments of the strategic framework of the Office with a view to maximizing cooperation. The Arab Group welcomes the joint projects implemented by United Nations departments and the League in various areas, especially by the Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs, which plays a pivotal role in promoting institutional cooperation through continuous sectoral meetings with the relevant organs of the League towards the attainment of our common goals. Finally, the Group believes that those efforts cannot materialize without the major contribution of young people, who represent half of our population. Hence, we cannot address the challenges in Arab States without the meaningful participation of young people in achieving, building and sustaining peace as well as preventing violence and achieving sustainable development. In that regard, the Arab Group welcomes the proposals contained in the Secretary-General’s report Our Common Agenda (A/75/982) on enhancing the role of the Special Envoy on Youth. Similarly, the Arab Group believes that the inclusion of women and girls in conflict prevention and settlement as well as in the building and sustaining of peace is key to the success of cooperation between the Council and the League of Arab States. The Arab Group appreciates the participation of the representative of both youth and women in today’s debate as a testament in that respect. In closing, the Arab Group believes that genuine and concerted efforts among the main actors at the international and regional levels are the optimal means of promoting peace and security in the Arab region. The Group stresses that it will continue to support the joint efforts of the Security Council and the League of Arab States in that regard so that our States can enjoy peace, security and prosperity.

The Council has before it the text of a statement by the President on behalf of the Council on the subject of today’s meeting. I thank Council members for their valuable contributions to this statement. In accordance with the understanding reached among the members of the Council, I shall take it that the members of the Security Council agree to the statement, which will be issued as a document of the Security Council under the symbol S/PRST/2022/1.