HE Obaid Al Zaabi heads UAE delegation to 30th session of Human Rights Council

H.E. Ambassador Obaid Salem Al Zaabi, UAE Permanent Representative to United Nations and Other International Organisations in Geneva, led the UAE delegation to the 30th session of the Human Rights Council, which kicked off.

The Council opened with the discussion of second item of its agenda on updating the activities of the High Commissioner for Human Rights.

Addressing the Council, Al Zaabi thanked Zeid Ra'ad Al-Hussein, Higher Commissioner for Human Rights on his valuable report on human rights situation in some countries.

He called for continuous efforts to put an end to the Israeli occupation, atrocities and systematic violations of the rights of Palestinian people, citing terrorism, starvation, siege and collective punishment. Regarding the humanitarian level, he said the Commissioner referred to the recent UAE contribution to the general budget of UNRWA to enable the UN agency to implement various programmes in the field of education, and ensure the beginning of the academic year for Palestine Refugee students without delay.

Regarding the situation in Syria, he stressed his satisfaction about the UAE's continuous support to the Syrian refugees in order to alleviate their suffering and provide all their needs, including housing, food, health, education and care through the construction of camps for refugees, notably, Mrajeeb Al Fhood refugee camp in Jordan.

He noted that the UAE has received over 100,000 Syrian people and granted them work permits, bringing the number of Syrians in the UAE to 250, 000. The UAE has also provided over $530 million to Syria as humanitarian and development aid, including the allocation of additional $100 million in January 2015 in support of the Syrian refugees. It has also donated more than $72 million during the last two years for the Syrian refugees at the camps in Jordan, Lebanon, Iraq and Turkey.

Al Zaabi said the Syrian refugees crisis would not be solved without addressing the conflict through meeting demands of the people of Syria.

About Libya, he said the UAE does not spare any effort to participate in the regional and international efforts to restore stability and security to Libya.

On the situation in Yemen, he said the UAE is keen to alleviate the suffering of the people of Yemen through provision of humanitarian aid. It also backs the legitimate government of Yemen. Al Zaabi said the UAE has set up a humanitarian aid office in Yemen to ensure smooth relief aid flow to people in Yemen.

Regarding Lebanon, Al Zaabi said the UAE backs Lebanon and works with sisterly states to ensure security and stability to Lebanon.

He reiterated the UAE's preparedness to cooperate with the office of the Higher Commissioner for Human Rights.