Great job by the Emirati team led by Sheikh Abdullah Bin Zayed Al Nahyan as the UAE has been elected to the United Nations Security Council on Friday for a two-year term starting on Jan. 1, 2022 (“UAE elected to UN Security Council,” Gulf Today, June 12).

Like a true leader His Highness Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed praises efforts by diplomats and hopes they will continue to work on further progress. The UAE has been a member of the UN since the country’s founding in 1971 and has only held a seat once before on the Security Council in 1986-1987.

The United Nations (UN) is an intergovernmental organisation that aims to maintain international peace and security, develop friendly relations among nations, achieve international cooperation, and be a centre for harmonising the actions of nations.

For this achievement His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai also congratulated the UAE diplomatic missions for achieving the UN status.

The United Nations is the largest, most familiar, most internationally represented platform and the most powerful intergovernmental organisation in the world. The UN is headquartered on international territory in New York City, with its other main offices in Geneva, Nairobi, Vienna, and The Hague.

The UN was established after the Second World War with the aim of preventing future wars, succeeding the ineffective League of Nations. On 25 April 1945, 50 governments met in San Francisco for a conference and started drafting the UN Charter, which was adopted on 25 June 1945 and took effect on 24 October 1945, when the UN began operations.

There is no doubt that the UAE’s campaign for a seat on the Security Council was anchored by the country’s national and international commitments to advance inclusion, spur innovation, build resilience, and secure peace.

The UAE has proven itself that this country is capable and has capacity to do great things in pursuance of new challenges. Good luck and tons of best wishes to the UAE. God bless this country (our second home).

Abdul Rasheed Lashari — By email