8 June 2023
Thank you, Mr. President,
I thank USG DiCarlo, the Secretary General of the League of Arab States and Dr. El-Omrani for their remarks.
Albania welcomes this High-Level Meeting on the cooperation between the United Nations and the League of Arab States and thanks the UAE for organizing it and welcomes you Minister on the chair.
We underline the value of ever closer cooperation between the UN and the League in addressing the many serious challenges in the region. Joint efforts only increase the legitimacy and effectiveness of peace initiatives and promote sustainable solutions.
A world affected by multiple security and political challenges needs effective multilateralism, stronger partnerships and new mechanisms for cooperation. Regional organizations are the first in line to respond to challenges affecting their area by promoting security cooperation among their members.
Millions of people across the Arab region continue to suffer from old and recent conflicts, all of which create an ever-growing demand for the UN and LAS to leverage their combined strengths and respond to the most pressing needs, in particular, in addressing humanitarian challenges resulting from conflicts, terrorism and other security threats, natural disasters, climate change and refugee crisis.
The on-going spiraling deterioration of violence in Sudan, the troubling lack of perspective for a much-needed political horizon in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the ongoing quagmire in Syria, the stalemate in Libya represent enormous challenges that require pressing solutions.
Mr. President,
The Abraham Accords have marked a significant shift in the dynamics of the Middle East contributing to regional stability by fostering new relationships and alliances, opening new avenues for diplomatic engagement, dialogue, economic cooperation and development, creating a more stable environment in the region by countering common threats. We want to believe that the Accords have the potential to positively impact the Israeli-Palestinian peace process by creating a more conducive environment for peace negotiations.
It should be fully exploited to reduce and end the pervasive cycle of violence, which nowadays leaves little place to anything else, even less so to real hope.
Only a solution with two states, for two people, with Jerusalem as shared capital, will bring lasting peace among Israelis and Palestinians.
We are encouraged by the developments and positive dynamics in Yemen. All parties must seize this opportunity created by combined efforts from the UN and its Special Envoy, and the regional actors, Saudi Arabia and the Sultanate of Oman, to work for lasting peace through an inclusive Yemeni process. We also praise the role of the GCC in this regard. Every effort towards inclusive solutions will help alleviate the humanitarian crises and pave the way towards the economic recovery of the country.
We welcome the participation of President Zelenksyy in the 2023 LAS Summit held in Jeddah, which represents a recognition of the world-wide devastating consequences of the Russian aggression against Ukraine, not least in relation to food security.
Mr. President,
Libya remains in crossroads. Albania supports the efforts of SRGS Bathily to enabling national elections in Libya through a comprehensive approach and inclusivity. The only response to the current deadlock in meeting the aspiration of the Libyan people for democracy is the holding of free, fair and transparent elections to instore legitimacy. Albania welcomes the adoption of the UNSCR 2684 enforcing the arms embargo, which remains crucial for advancing peace and security in the country and in the region.
Syria was recently reintegrated in the League of Arab States. We remain skeptical that the regime will reciprocate to the good intentions of the League by responding promptly and in with good faith and meet the demands put forward by the League.
I wish we were wrong but experience has shown that the stubbornness of the regime to go forward in total denial while sitting on a mountain of crimes with the hope of escaping accountability, remains unabated.
But we should not forget the deliberate use of sarin and chlorine gas against innocent civilians; the deliberate targeting of civilians through indiscriminate bombing, barrel bombs and shelling of residential areas; the widespread use of torture and extrajudicial killing and more than 130 thousand people whose whereabouts remain unknown.
We remain convinced that the only way forward to lasting peace in Syria is the full implementation of the UNSCR 2254 and a serious Syrian-led transition towards a free, democratic and prosperous Syria for all Syrians and the League has an important role to play. Including for supporting efforts to maintain open for as long as it is needed the three cross-border points to maintain the critical lifeline for millions in need.
Let me conclude Mr. President, by welcoming the particular focus of the League of Arab States to combating all forms of violence against women and girls, which goes hand in hand with the need to strengthen the political, social and economic empowerment of women. We further praise the focus on youth, a great potential and another important player in peacebuilding efforts but also in taking a stronger and leading role in mitigating the climate crises.
Experience of other areas and regions has shown that harnessing the energy, creativity and ingenuity of people without distinction is indispensable in order to craft solutions that are responsive to the real needs of people—solutions that meet their aspirations for a dignified life, social and economic progress, human rights, fostering democracy and achieving sustainable development in the Arab world.
I thank you.