- Discussion on strengthening collective action and cooperation for peace and stability in the Middle East -

Minister of Foreign Affairs Cho Hyun chaired the Informal Interactive Dialogue between the UN Security Council and the League of Arab States at UN Headquarters in New York on September 25, in his capacity as President of the United Nations Security Council.

First convened in 2021 as part of efforts to strengthen cooperation between the United Nations and regional organizations, the Informal Interactive Dialogue has since been held annually on the margins of the UN General Assembly under the chairmanship of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Security Council Presidency for the month of September. It serves as a key platform for member states of the UN Security Council and the League of Arab States to explore ways to further strengthen cooperation in promoting peace and security in the Arab region.

This year’s Informal Interactive Dialogue brought together representatives of Security Council member states as well as the Foreign Ministers of the Arab League Troika countries – the Republic of Iraq, the Kingdom of Bahrain and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia – alongside the Secretary-General of the League of Arab States, Ahmed Aboul Gheit, and the Assistant Secretary-General of the UN Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs (DPPA).

※ Key participants

   - Fuad Mohammed Hussein, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Iraq

   - Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Bahrain

   - Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

   - Ahmed Aboul Gheit, Secretary-General of the League of Arab States

   - Mohamed Khaled Khiari, Assistant Secretary-General, UN Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs (DPPA)

   - Ahmed Attaf, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Algeria

   - Tanja Fajon, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Slovenia

   - Giorgos Gerapetritis, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Greece

   - Hugh Hilton Todd, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Guyana

Minister Cho mentioned the conflicts and crises in Gaza, Yemen, Libya, Syria, and other parts of the Middle East, noting that the instability in these areas has a significant impact on international peace and security as a whole. He urged the Security Council and the League of Arab States to contribute to the international community's efforts toward conflict prevention and peacebuilding through close communication and cooperation.

In particular, Minister Cho expressed deep concern over the severe humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip and emphasized that civilian protection must be strictly upheld in accordance with international humanitarian law. He also reaffirmed the Republic of Korea’s position that the two-state solution is the just and sustainable path to peace, pledging the country’s active participation in international efforts to realize the solution.

In the ensuing discussions, representatives of the Security Council member states and the League of Arab States agreed on the need to expand strategic cooperation between the UN Security Council and the League of Arab States to address key issues and crises in the Arab region. They also concurred on the need to strengthen cooperation with regional and international organizations such as the African Union (AU), the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), and the European Union (EU).

The Secretary-General of the League of Arab States praised Korea’s leadership as the President of the Security Council for convening this dialogue in a timely manner and expressed hope that it would deepen cooperation between the UN Security Council and the League of Arab States.

This Informal Interactive Dialogue served as a platform to explore collaborative measures for resolving conflicts and building peace in the Middle East. It was particularly recognized as an occasion that highlighted Korea’s visible efforts as the President of the Security Council to promote peace and security in the Middle East, one of the most significant global challenges.