Palestinian Ambassador Riyad Mansour Presents Ambassador Lana Nusseibeh with the Shield of Palestine

Ambassador Lana Nusseibeh, Permanent Representative of the United Arab Emirates to the United Nations, was presented with the Shield of Palestine by Ambassador Riyad Mansour, Permanent Observer of the State of Palestine to the UN. The Shield was presented as a gesture of appreciation for Ambassador Nusseibeh’s tireless efforts throughout her tenure at the UN, particularly during the UAE’s term on the UN Security Council. 

The UAE pursued all possible diplomatic efforts, in conjunction with the Palestine Mission, the Arab Group, and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, to adopt UN Security Council Resolutions 2712 and 2720, which address challenges related to the delivery of humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip. The UAE also supported the UN General Assembly resolution that called for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, which was adopted in December 2023 by an overwhelming majority of member states.

The UAE organised a visit for Security Council members to the Rafah border crossing between Gaza and Egypt on 11 October 2023. The trip deepened Council members’ understanding of the magnitude of the enormous humanitarian needs on the ground and the difficulty of the process of delivering aid to the Palestinians in Gaza.

Ambassador Nusseibeh emphasized the strong historical relationship between the UAE and the State of Palestine, and the UAE’s firm and continuous support for the Palestinian people, particularly with regard to the devastating Israeli war on the Gaza Strip.

The UAE continues to provide humanitarian aid and relief to the people of the Gaza Strip. Since the start of war on Gaza, the UAE has provided over USD 45 million to the humanitarian response. It has provided nearly 40,000 tonnes of humanitarian aid via land, air, and sea, including 300 tonnes provided in partnership with the World Central Kitchen. The UAE has also established two hospitals—a field hospital in the southern Gaza Strip that has treated nearly 14,000 cases and a floating hospital anchored in Al-Arish Port.