UAE Promotes Importance of Women’s Economic Inclusion, Partnerships for Sustainable Peace on International Women’s Day

The United Arab Emirates convened the first signature event of its presidency of the United Nations Security Council, a ministerial-level open debate to promote the importance of women’s economic inclusion and public-private partnerships to advance sustainable peace on International Women’s Day. 

The debate, which was chaired by H.E. Mariam Almheiri, the UAE’s Minister of Climate Change and Environment, focused on women’s economic empowerment in conflict settings as a key to fostering inclusive dialogue and peace.

H.E. Lana Nusseibeh, Assistant Minister for Political Affairs and UAE Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the UN, also attended the meeting. UN Women Executive Director Sima Bahous, International Monetary Fund Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva, and Moussokoro Coulibaly, President of the Network of Women Economic Operators in Ségou, Mali, briefed the UN membership at the meeting. 

“Women are critical to recovery and relief efforts around the world, yet their inclusion remains undervalued, and their access to opportunities, resources, and markets remains limited,” said H.E. Mariam Almheiri, UAE Minister of Climate Change and Environment. “Women must not only benefit from sustainable post conflict recovery; they must be in the driver’s seat as planners, decisionmakers, and implementers in all sectors of society to ensure sustainable peacebuilding.”

“International Women’s Day is a day for reflection, for renewed hope, and for increased action,” said Sima Bahous, Executive Director of UN Women. “I welcome today’s focus on the role of the private sector and private-public partnerships as an underexplored area for innovation. We have the blueprint and the business case to support women’s economic inclusion.”

“Women bear disproportionately the devastation of wars, and yet women are the best hope for peace,” said Kristalina Georgieva, Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund. “Empowering women and reducing gender inequality in fragile or conflict situations can have powerful economic benefits. The IMF’s analysis shows that improving gender equality can raise economic growth, strengthen resilience, enhance financial stability, and reduce income inequality.”

“We know that without economic development, there is no lasting peace. We also know that investing in women’s empowerment generates social dividends both in the short and the long term,” said Moussokoro Coulibaly, President of the Network of Women Economic Operators in Ségou, Mali. “If you want to build peace and stability in the world, help women participate in economic recovery to make sure that the resulting peace is more inclusive and lasting.”

The Women, Peace, and Security (WPS) agenda is a key priority for the UAE during its two-year term on the UN Security Council. The UAE, Albania, Brazil, and Norway have committed to advancing the implementation of the WPS agenda during their presidencies of the Security Council. This includes women’s full, equal, and meaningful participation in Council meetings and the inclusion of gender perspectives in the Council’s deliberations and outcomes.