UAE participates in AHLC Ministerial Meeting in Brussels

The United Arab Emirates participated in the Ad Hoc Liaison Committee (AHLC) Ministerial Meeting, held in Brussels, and chaired by Norway, with the participation of key international partners and organisations.

The UAE delegation was led by Sultan Al Shamsi, Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs for Development and International Organisations.

The meeting brought together the parties to the conflict, major donor countries, and international organisations to address the humanitarian needs, institutional and economic challenges. Discussions focused on mobilising coordinated international support for humanitarian response and early recovery efforts in Gaza.

They also addressed support for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) and its vital role in providing essential services to Palestinian refugees.

During the meeting, Al Shamsi reaffirmed the justice of the Palestinian cause and reiterated the UAE’s consistent position on the need to establish a credible political horizon toward resolving the Palestinian-Israeli conflict through a just and comprehensive peace, based on the two-state solution and the establishment of an independent Palestinian state.

The UAE firmly rejects any attempts to annex the West Bank or separate it from the Gaza Strip, and opposes the expansion of settlement activities in the Occupied Palestinian Territory. The UAE has consistently called for the protection of civilians and the safe and sustainable delivery of humanitarian aid to the Palestinian people in accordance with international law and international humanitarian law.

Al Shamsi welcomed the launch of the second phase of the comprehensive peace plan and the establishment of the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza. In this context, he emphasised the importance of building on the progress achieved and working to re-establish a comprehensive political process that leads to a just and lasting resolution, reaffirming that Gaza’s governance and administration are the responsibility of the Palestinian people.

The UAE places support for the Palestinian people at the forefront of its diplomatic efforts and initiatives, and continues to advance a durable peace between the Israelis and Palestinians, including through its role as a founding member of the Board of Peace and its membership on the Gaza Executive Board.

Highlighting its leading humanitarian role, Al Shamsi noted that the UAE is among the leading providers of humanitarian assistance to Gaza, delivering more than 130,000 tonnes of aid by land, air, and sea, accounting for over 45 percent of total international assistance, with contributions amounting to approximately US$3 billion.

In addition, the UAE has established six desalination plants benefiting more than one million people, received over 2,963 patients and their families for medical treatment, and set up a field hospital inside Gaza and a floating hospital in Al Arish to support critical healthcare needs.

WAM