New York / Information Office  / May 20  

The State of Qatar affirmed that over the past years it has made unremitting efforts, through mediation based on the United Nations Charter, to prevent and resolve conflicts on the African continent, in coordination with the Security Council.

The State of Qatar also confirmed that this came as a contribution to addressing the root causes of conflicts and achieving security, peace and development in the African continent, and within the framework of Qatar's strategic partnership with the United Nations, where Qatari diplomatic mediation efforts led to the resolution of a number of conflicts in Africa, the latest of which was the resumption of diplomatic relations between the Republic of Somalia and the Republic of Kenya, in a way that enhances stability on the African continent.

This came in a statement made by HE Qatar's Permanent Representative to the United Nations Ambassador Sheikha Alya Ahmed bin Saif Al-Thani, at the open debate of the Security Council on "Peace and Security in Africa: Addressing Root Causes of Conflict in Post-Pandemic Recovery in Africa".

Her Excellency noted that the Security Councils continued consideration of means to address the root causes of conflict reflects the extent of its effects on development in its human, economic and social dimensions, and the urgent need for a comprehensive, coordinated and effective response as an integrated approach to maintain international peace and security.

Her Excellency also indicated that the African continent is rich in great and varied potentials, yet the exacerbation and prolongation of the conflicts it faces casts a negative shadow over its ambitious plans and development and humanitarian programs, and therefore it is important for the international community to join hands to address the root causes of conflicts on the continent and help it focus on implementing the African Union's agenda 2063 and the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

Her Excellency pointed out that while African countries are working, within the framework of the African Union, to confront the dangers of armed conflicts and the challenges of sustaining security, stability and development, the Coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic constituted an additional burden and cast its effects on life. Yet it produced additional lessons and incentives towards promoting cooperation among the countries of the continent to advance the promising African agenda and achieve comprehensive recovery, through the development of sustainable development policies in its various dimensions, and strengthening the interdependence between peacekeeping and peacebuilding activities, in a way that contributes to addressing the root causes of conflict.

Her Excellency indicated that in this context, it is the responsibility of the international community at the present time to assist African countries to strengthen their health systems and institutions and obtain vaccinations, and to emphasize the importance of implementing Security Council Resolution No. 2565 of February 26 regarding a ceasefire in all conflict areas in order to provide vaccination, and support the COVAX facility to provide vaccines to the people most in need of assistance, based on the fact that the pandemic is a challenge for everyone and that the response to it must be global and with the cooperation of all.

HE the Permanent Representative of Qatar to the United Nations Sheikha Alya Ahmed bin Said Al-Thani said that, in response to the challenges facing less-developed countries including those on the African continent when it came to achieving sustainable development, the State of Qatar will host the 5th United Nations Conference on the Least Developed Countries, and support their developmental efforts for the next 10 years, in line with the Sustainable Development Agenda 2030. There is also cooperation between Qatar Fund for Development (QFFD) and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and Germany to build the world's biggest and fastest information network on developmental challenges called the UNDP Accelerator Labs. The entity is currently active in 78 country, the majority of which are among the slowest growing in Africa, and aims to deal with developmental challenges more effectively.

Her Excellency added that in the framework of international efforts to eliminate epidemics, QFFD and the World Health Organization (WHO) signed a three-year agreement that eliminates tropical diseases and other diseases in 49 African countries, benefiting close to 400 million people. Her Excellency also said that, given recovering from the pandemic in Africa can only happen with the recovery of all, the State of Qatar took the initiative and offered urged medical aid to more than 78 countries around the world to help their efforts in dealing with the pandemic. The total value of governmental and non-governmental aid reached $88 million. There was also $20 million allocated to the COVID-19 Vaccines Global Access (COVAX), in addition to QFFD signing a core contribution agreement with WHO worth $10 million, to support WHOs Thirteenth General Programme of Work (GPW 13) and for COVID-19 response through the Access to COVID-19 Tools Accelerator (ACT-A).

Her Excellency said that Qatar Airways for its part repatriated 3 million people back home in addition to shipping medical equipment, as well as signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with UNICEF to support UNICEFs Humanitarian Airfreight Initiative. Qatar Airways will also ship vaccines, medicine, medical equipment, and other supplies to ensure their fair and quick delivery everywhere including the African continent, in addition to supporting the COVAX facility.

In the conclusion of the statement, Her Excellency stressed that the State of Qatar will continue its partnership in the UN framework to deal with the core reasons leading to conflicts, and will honor its commitments aiming to maintain peace and security in the African continent and the world.