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ACCRA / Ghana / WAM
A United Arab Emirates delegation, led by Dr Rashed Ali Al Kaabi, Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs for Security and Military Affairs, participated in the United Nations’ Peacekeeping Ministerial Meeting, which was held in the Republic of Ghana’s capital, Accra.
The Ministerial Meeting was the first to be held on the African continent, with previous sessions taking place in the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, and the Republic of Korea, with the next meeting set to be held in Germany in 2025. On the sidelines of the meeting, Al Kaabi held several productive meetings with the heads of attending delegations, including with France, the UK, Bangladesh, Ethiopia, Pakistan, and others. Al Kaabi also held meetings with Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, Vice President of Ghana, and Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, Ghana’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration. During the meeting, the UAE and more than 90 countries and three international organisations expressed a collective commitment and political support for peacekeeping.
Furthermore, 57 member states announced new pledges to address crucial gaps and enhance effectiveness in implementing mandated tasks, which include preventing violence, protecting civilians, and peacebuilding efforts. Additionally, 37 member states pledged to construct over 110 new military and police units, while
45 states pledged to provide specialised training on critical issues such as peacekeeping, protecting civilians, gender-responsive leadership, and preventing the exploitation and violation of both genders. In his speech at the closing ceremony of the Ministerial Meeting, Jean-Pierre Lacroix, UN Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations, stated that the ultimate objective of peacekeeping is to help resolve conflicts by supporting peacekeeping parties to secure and implement peace agreements and related political processes.
Peacekeepers operate in the world’s most volatile environments; the threats they face today are greater than ever, with increasing geopolitical tensions, increased complex conflicts, and the use of digital tools as weapons to attack peacekeepers and the communities they serve.