UAE FM Joins Virtual Ministerial to Advance Humanitarian Aid for Gaza
Abu Dhabi, The Gulf Observer: H.H. Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), played a crucial role in a virtual ministerial meeting aimed at advancing plans to establish a maritime corridor to deliver essential humanitarian assistance to Gaza by sea.
The meeting, held on March 13 and hosted by the Republic of Cyprus Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dr. Constantinos Kombos, witnessed the participation of esteemed dignitaries, including U.S. Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken, European Union Commissioner for Crisis Management Janez Lenarčič, UK Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs David Cameron, Mohammed bin Abdulaziz bin Saleh al-Khulaifi, Minister of State at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Qatar, and UN Senior Humanitarian and Reconstruction Coordinator for Gaza, Sigrid Kaag.
This ministerial gathering followed a joint statement issued on March 8th by the European Commission, Germany, Greece, Italy, the Netherlands, Cyprus, UAE, UK, and US, endorsing the activation of a maritime corridor to facilitate humanitarian assistance to Gaza.
During the meeting, participants deliberated on ways to bolster this humanitarian initiative and expedite the establishment of the maritime corridor to ensure swift and effective delivery of aid to the civilians in Gaza. Discussions also centered on fostering cooperation mechanisms among participating nations and the UN to streamline aid distribution in accordance with United Nations Security Council Resolution 2720.
H.H. Sheikh Abdullah underscored the imperative of a collaborative international approach to address the escalating humanitarian crisis in Gaza, emphasizing the urgent need to open humanitarian corridors for the unimpeded flow of aid. He highlighted the significance of leveraging the “Amalthea” initiative recently introduced by Cyprus as a cornerstone for the maritime corridor, affirming the UAE’s steadfast commitment to mobilize global support for the initiative.
Expressing gratitude to the ministers and officials for their dedicated cooperation, H.H. Sheikh Abdullah commended their collective efforts towards alleviating the plight of civilians in Gaza and reaffirmed the UAE’s unwavering commitment to enhance humanitarian responses in collaboration with the international community.
