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UAE renews demand to end occupation of three Emirati islands

Reem bint Ibrahim Al Hashemy delivers country's address at UN General Assembly session

The UAE has renewed its demand to end Iran’s occupation of the country’s three islands: Greater Tunb, Lesser Tunb, and Abu Musa. This came as Reem bint Ibrahim Al Hashemy, Minister of State for International Cooperation, addressed the 77th session of the United Nations General Assembly.

“History and international law bear testimony to the UAE’s sovereignty over the three islands. We will never stop our legitimate claim to these islands, either through direct negotiation or through the International Court of Justice,” she said.

She also stressed the UAE’s “firm position” calling for the establishment of an independent Palestinian state on June 4, 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital in accordance with agreed international references. “We also welcome the statement of the Prime Minister of Israel from this podium regarding support for a two-state solution,” she added.

The UAE is looking forward to advancing political endeavours in the region and overcoming obstacles on the path to peace.

“However, this should be accompanied by efforts to strengthen international rejection of interference in the internal affairs of Arab countries. This meddling in Arab affairs undermines all efforts aimed at resolving conflicts and drives extremism and terrorism in a blatant violation of the sovereignty, unity, and territorial integrity of the region’s countries,” said Al Hashemy.

She called for a firm international position that rejects terrorism in all its forms.

The world has witnessed a rise in the flow of weapons to conflict regions and in the number of individuals of different ethnic backgrounds embracing terrorism. “This situation further escalates when terrorists use missiles and drones to launch cross-border attacks, reflecting the evolving nature of terrorism.”

These developments require preventing areas of conflict from becoming a safe haven for terrorists while at the same time modernising “our strategies” constantly.

“This threat has manifested through the vicious and aggressive attacks launched by the terrorist Houthi militias earlier this year on the capital of my country, Abu Dhabi, as well as on the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. This came at a time when other terrorist groups such as Daesh, Al Qaeda, and Al Shabab are seeking to develop their capabilities and re-organise their ranks in a way that poses a direct threat to the gains attained through international cooperation in the war on terrorism,” she said.

The minister referred to the devastation caused by floods, heat waves, and droughts, “all of which intensify humanitarian crises and security threats, especially in regions most vulnerable to climate change”.

“The fate of our planet is at stake, compelling us to build partnerships and promote joint action while bolstering our commitment to supporting climate action by promoting renewable energy, proper financing, and assisting developing countries in enhancing resilience.”

She called for Investing in renewable energy, which means investing in economic resources, international peace and security.

“In this regard, we must leverage opportunities to forge practical, logical, and thoughtful solutions to the climate crisis. The 27th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP27) to the UNFCCC, which will be held in the Arab Republic of Egypt in November, is a prime opportunity in this regard. As we urge all Member States to actively participate in this session, the UAE is preparing to host COP28 next year. We are working to build partnerships, ensure inclusiveness, and focus on areas that will achieve meaningful outcomes.”