Statement by
Mr Hassan Adam, Minister Counsellor,
At the Plenary of the Seventy Sixth Session of the UN General Assembly:
Situation in the Middle East
01 December 2021
Thank you, Mr. President, for convening this important General Assembly Plenary meeting on the Situation in the Middle East.
Since the twenty-fifth session in 1970, the General Assembly has considered the item on the situation in the Middle East on a yearly basis. However, after more than five decades of discussion in this Assembly, the situation in the Middle East remains marred by conflict and ongoing violence. The question of Palestine yet remains unresolved, and the conflicts in Syria, Yemen, and other parts of the region are still causing devastation and destruction. The international community must do better to achieve a comprehensive and just peace in the Middle East.
Mr. President,
The question of Palestine has been before us for decades. However, the Palestinian people have yet to fully enjoy their basic rights and live a life of dignity and freedom. The Secretary General’s reports on this agenda item highlight the further deterioration of the political, security, and social situation in the Israeli-occupied Palestinian territory and the suffering of civilians.
The Maldives once again reaffirms its long-standing and steadfast, commitment to Palestine’s efforts for self-determination, sovereignty, and independence. We believe that the establishment of an independent and sovereign State of Palestine within its pre-1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital, living side-by-side with Israel, in peace and harmony, is the only viable solution to the question of Palestine.
Mr. President,
The Maldives also remains greatly concerned by the ongoing conflicts in Yemen and Syria. The humanitarian toll of these conflicts has been catastrophic, causing a displacement crisis in the broader region. Millions of people have been forced to flee their homes to find refuge in neighbouring countries. As expected, these countries have been facing several challenges in absorbing millions of refugees and without the support of the international community, we cannot expect these countries to be in a position to continue to accommodate the refugees in such large numbers.
A range of issues from economic disparity to ongoing conflicts has also made it difficult to combat the Covid-19 pandemic in the region. This has also gravely impacted the vaccination rate in the region. While some states in this region were among the first in the world to receive vaccines, war-torn states were not able to implement concrete plans for procuring and distributing vaccines, despite being among the worst affected by the pandemic.
Mr. President,
The international community simply must do better. Talk is not enough. Humanitarian and economic support is essential, but that too is not enough. Comprehensive peace in the Middle East requires a political solution and the political will to pursue it. We, therefore, renew our heartfelt call on the international community to intensify efforts to achieve a long-lasting and stable political solution to the conflicts in the region. This is the only way to restore a sustainable international order with prosperity and durable peace for the people of the region.
I thank you, Mr. President.
