Wednesday 7 , August 2024

On behalf of President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan (may Allah protect him), H.H. Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Ras Al Khaimah, participated in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Plus (SCO) Summit, being held in the capital of Kazakhstan, Astana, as the head of the UAE delegation. Taking place under the theme "Strengthening Multilateral Dialogue - Striving Towards a Sustainable Peace and Prosperity", the summit witnessed the participation of heads of state and government of Member States, as well as representatives of regional and international organizations. The UAE's participation in the summit comes after it was officially granted "Dialogue Partner" status in the SCO during the organization’s meetings last year in India. The Ruler of Ras Al Khaimah affirmed that the UAE, under the leadership of President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan “may Allah Protect him”, is committed to strengthening its partnerships and building bridges of cooperation and friendship with countries worldwide around mutual respect and across all vital sectors, including economic, trade, political, cultural, energy, and technological fields. This approach, he explained, stems from the UAE's grasp of the role international cooperation plays in driving development, boosting the prospects for accelerating economic growth to ensure a more prosperous and sustainable future for all peoples of the world. In his speech during the summit, H.H. Sheikh Saud stated that the UAE's participation in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit exemplifies its steadfast commitment to promoting multilateral international work, emphasizing the key role of the SCO in enhancing cooperation among Member States to achieve common goals. HH confirmed that the UAE, adopts an opened approach to economic partnerships, foreign trade, and investment, and it is currently collaborating with various partners to drive international cooperation, steering it towards the most pressing issues and priorities on the global agenda. The Ruler of Ras Al Khaimah went on to explain that the summit is paving the way for a new era of cooperation among the organization’s member countries, covering various fields to advance common interests that serve their peoples. H.H. Sheikh Saud reiterated the UAE's call for an immediate and lasting ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, ensuring the swift, urgent, and intensified delivery of humanitarian aid, highlighting the need to identify a clear path and achieve just and lasting peace based on the two-state solution to ensure the Palestinian people their right to establish an independent and sovereign Palestinian state. The following is HH’s speech: “Your Excellency Kassym Jomart Tokayev President of the Republic of Kazakhstan// Your Excellencies First, I express thanks and grateful to the Republic of Kazakhstan for the generous hospitality and good organization. I also appreciate the efforts strived by Kazakhstan presidency. I wish continuous success, progress, and prosperity to the presidency, government, and people of the Republic of Kazakhstan. Also, I express my happiness for my first appearance before the summit representing UAE. I hope that UAE's participation in the summit came after it was officially granted "Dialogue Partner" status, shall serve as additional drive to maintain, and develop balanced and various partnerships with countries and multi partner organization entire world. Your Excellency the President Your Excellencies Being an active organ in the international community, UAE participating in SCO Summit exemplifies its firm commitment to promote the global multi-partner cooperation, since it realizes the exceptional importance of organizations such as SCO in establishing cooperation bridges between member countries and working for realizing the joint targets. UAE adopted an open approach of economic partnership, international commerce, and investment. UAE adopts an opened approach to economic partnerships, foreign trade, and investment. Currently UAE is collaborating with various partners to drive international cooperation, steering it towards the most pressing issues and priorities on the global agenda. Regarding the international urgent issues, we cannot ignore the war in Gaza Strip with its ongoing humanitarian catastrophes. UAE renews its call for an immediate and lasting ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, ensuring the swift, urgent, wide, and intensified delivery of humanitarian aid, as well as releasing all hostages and prisoners. We reconfirm the need to identify a clear path and achieve just and lasting peace based on the two-state solution to ensure the Palestinian people their right to establish an independent and sovereign Palestinian state. Ladies and Gentlemen, UAE confirms its adopted approach of supporting international peace and stability. It has laid the foundations of its foreign policy based on commitment to the international law, respect for States' sovereignty, diplomatically settlement of disputes, rejecting extremism and hate speech, and fighting terrorism and drying up its sources. We are looking forward to plant the concepts of tolerance, dialogue, and coexistence between all people, thus working together for peace, security, development, and prosperity. Ladies and Gentlemen This summit is laying the foundation of a new era of cooperation between the Organization’s members to strengthen the joint interests that serves the people aspirations towards development and welfare. We have a significant opportunity, within SCO, to boost cooperation levels and develop strategic initiatives in all fields including preserving the environment and combating climate change. Your Excellency the President Your Excellencies Ladies and Gentlemen In conclusion I wish to reconfirm that UAE supports the SCO and always willingly to cooperate therewith and promote the strategic relationships and partnerships with its countries. We also express our sincere wishes of more progress and prosperity for Republic of Kazakhstan and SCO. The SCO Summit kicked off with a keynote by the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan, during which he welcomed the attendees and highlighted the SCO's objectives and principles, which include boosting solidarity and cooperation between Member States. He also presented development-related recommendations aimed at bolstering relations between member countries across political, trade, economic and security fields. Several heads and leaders of participating state and international organizations also delivered speeches, touching on a number of regional and global issues, and ways to enhance the comprehensive partnership among SCO members, which, they affirmed, would help maintain peace and security and accelerate development in the region. The UAE delegation for the summit included HE Suhail bin Mohammed Al Mazrouei, Minister of Energy, and Infrastructure; HE Abdullah bin Touq Al Marri, Minister of Economy; HE Ahmed bin Ali Al Sayegh, Minister of State; HE Dr. Mohammed Saeed Al Ariqi, UAE Ambassador to Kazakhstan; and a number of officials.