NEW YORK (Dunya News) – Pakistan has called for stronger, mutually reinforcing cooperation between the United Nations and the League of Arab States (LAS) to address escalating crises in the Middle East and North Africa
Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, Permanent Representative of Pakistan to the United Nations, stated this while speaking at the UN Security Council high-level briefing on "Cooperation between the UN and Regional and Sub-regional Organizations: The League of Arab States".
He stressed that durable peace requires coordinated, inclusive and regionally anchored responses grounded in the UN Charter and international law.
He said that in a period of heightened geopolitical volatility, effective multilateralism and meaningful partnerships between the UN and regional organizations operating under Chapter VIII are indispensable.
He said that while the Security Council bears primary responsibility for international peace and security, the regional organizations play an important complementary role in conflict prevention, mediation and stabilization.
Ambassador Asim described the League of Arab States as one of the oldest and most prominent regional organizations and welcomed its efforts to advance peace, security and development through conflict resolution, humanitarian action and development cooperation.
He said Pakistan values its historic and deep-rooted ties with the Arab world, based on shared faith, history and values, and supports the League's efforts to foster dialogue and peaceful settlement of disputes.
He warned that ongoing conflicts, violations of the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, disregard for international humanitarian law, and attacks on critical infrastructure are fueling instability across the region and beyond, underscoring the need for stronger cooperation, preventive diplomacy and collective security mechanisms.
Ambassador Asim said a central priority for the League, the Council and Pakistan is resolving long-standing disputes linked to foreign occupation and the denial of the right to self-determination. He noted the League's role on the Question of Palestine and said the Palestinian people continue to endure illegal occupation, dispossession and denial of their inalienable rights. He expressed hope for a time-bound and irreversible political process, anchored in relevant UN resolutions, leading to the establishment of a sovereign, independent and contiguous State of Palestine based on pre-1967 borders, with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital. He said Israel must vacate its illegal occupation of all Arab territories, including in Palestine, Syria and Lebanon.
Turning to regional security, Ambassador Asim warned that the wider region is at a perilous crossroads following strikes on Iran, noting that Gulf members of the Arab League are facing direct attacks on their territory while also confronting challenges linked to restricted navigation in the Strait of Hormuz.
He said the immediate priority must be a complete cessation of hostilities and a return to dialogue. He added that Security Council resolution 2788, adopted last July, reflects the Council's commitment to preventive diplomacy and the peaceful settlement of disputes, and said its implementation remains critical.
Ambassador Asim said enhanced UN—LAS cooperation is also necessary to address shared challenges such as terrorism, organized crime, climate change, cyber threats and disinformation, including through bridging capacity gaps and ensuring sustainable financing.
He encouraged greater engagement between the LAS and other regional and cross-regional organizations, including the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, the Economic Cooperation Organization, and ASEAN.
Concluding the statement, he said that strengthening partnerships between the UN and the League of Arab States is not merely desirable but also essential, and reaffirmed Pakistan's commitment to work closely with the LAS and international partners to advance peace, stability and respect for international law.