Yaounde: Sheikh Shakhboot bin Nahyan Al Nahyan, Minister of State, led the UAE delegation participating in the 50th session of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), which was held from August 29 to 30, 2024, in Yaounde, Republic of Cameroon.
Sheikh Shakhboot delivered a speech on behalf of the UAE, in which he expressed his appreciation for the efforts made by the Islamic Republic of Mauritania during its presidency of the 49th session in 2023 and congratulated the Republic of Cameroon for presiding over and hosting the 50th session of the OIC Council of Foreign Ministers.
National awareness
During his speech, Sheikh Shakhboot affirmed the UAE’s steadfast belief in the importance of preserving peace and security, by investing in establishing national awareness among societies, that strengthens the values of tolerance and coexistence.
He added that humanitarian work is a fundamental pillar of the UAE’s approach since its establishment, which has never been guided by ethnicity, nationality, or colour, reflecting the UAE’s principles, as established by the late founding father, Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan.
His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE President, continues this noble mission which advances the UAE’s position as a leading country in the fields of peace, tolerance, and humanitarian initiatives on both regional and international levels. Sheikh Shakhboot emphasised the need to intensify efforts to immediately halt the war in the Gaza Strip, and avoid expanding the conflict into new dangerous levels of instability.
Regional developments
Furthermore, the minister called for exercising the utmost restraint in addressing the rapidly escalating and alarming regional developments, highlighting that the UAE is diligently working with regional and international partners to achieve stabilisation in the post-war phase in Gaza through a clear and comprehensive strategy aimed at establishing order and security, empowering competent and efficient authorities to manage its affairs, while paving the way for the establishment of an independent and sovereign Palestinian state.
UAE is top donor
Sheikh Shakhboot underscored that the UAE ranks first as the largest donor of humanitarian aid provided to Gaza, with the country’s contributions accounting for 33 per cent of the total humanitarian aid sent to the Strip. In regards to the situation in Sudan, he expressed the UAE’s deep concern over the catastrophic and deteriorating humanitarian situation, with severe food insecurity that has reached famine levels in several areas.
He called on the parties of the conflict to allow for the immediate, safe, sustainable, and unhindered delivery of urgent humanitarian relief aid to civilians in need, in accordance with United Nations Security Council Resolution 2736 (2024).
Sheikh Shakhboot concluded his speech by reaffirming the UAE’s belief that multilateral action is essential in addressing the various challenges of the Islamic world and stressed the importance of effective platforms such as the OIC at the international level in promoting dialogue and multilateral action.
