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international

the UN Human Rights Council, World “as a torchbearer for women
Health Organization, International Labour
Organization, International Committee of the around the world, i cannot express
Red Cross, International Telecommunication how proud i was to witness not
Union, World Meteorological Organization, UN
High Commissioner for Refugees, and many one, not two, but five remarkable
others. women elected to lead un agencies

A highlight of my duties was engaging with in Geneva during my tenure.”
multilateralists across different regional groups,
collaborating with over 190 countries and
international organizations to promote the
UAE’s position on global issues.

Participating in negotiations on resolutions
and agreements is integral to the work of multilateral forums increasingly challenging
multilateralists in Geneva. With my 22 years of and often resulting in gridlock on critical issues.
credible experience in international law, I was As a consequence,we multilateralists had to
well-equipped to negotiate various instruments work significantly harder to drive solutions
and resolutions that impact both the UAE and against a complex geopolitical backdrop. UN
the broader international community. Geneva, however, often demonstrated the power
and strength to achieve results while other
My role has been crucial in shaping the UAE’s multilateral venues faced paralysis.
engagement with the international community
and advancing its diplomatic objectives at the The third turning point has been the recent
UN and other international forums. crises in the Middle East. In response to
global challenges, there has been a resurgence
The landscape of multilateral diplomacy has of regional cooperation and organizations.
evolved significantly since I first arrived in 2019, Countries are increasingly turning to regional
influenced by various global events and trends. frameworks to address issues such as trade,
security, and climate change, raising questions
I was fortunate to witness firsthand three key about the future relevance and credibility of
turning points in history and their impact on UN multilateralism.
multilateral work, particularly in Geneva, which
serves as a global hub for addressing pressing The frequent recurrence of climate crises,
challenges ranging from health and human often with little or no early warning signs, has
rights to global trade, migration, humanitarian heightened the urgency of climate diplomacy.
efforts, and intellectual property. Countries now recognize the need for collective
action, with the Paris Agreement and subsequent
The first turning point was the COVID-19 COP meetings serving as focal points for
pandemic. It underscored the importance of multilateral efforts to combat climate change.
global health diplomacy, leading to a renewed For the UAE, COP28 provided the privilege of
emphasis on international collaboration to working on several initiatives out of Geneva,
address health crises, vaccine distribution, including groundbreaking efforts such as the
and pandemic preparedness. This experience first Health Day at a COP and a Trade Pavilion
highlighted both the strengths and weaknesses featuring participation from UNCTAD, WTO,
of existing multilateral health frameworks. and ITC, as well as initiatives focused on health
and peace.
The second turning point was the conflict between
Russia and Ukraine. This situation heightened As a torchbearer for women around the world,
geopolitical tensions, particularly among I cannot express how proud I was to witness
major powers, making consensus-building in not one, not two, but five remarkable women

w w w. d i va i n t e r n at i o n a l . c h