CAIRO, 8th September, 2023 (WAM) – On the sidelines of its 160th session in Cairo, the Council of the League of Arab States adopted a resolution mandating the Arab member of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) to follow up on the implementation of UNSC Resolution 2686 on "Tolerance and International Peace and Security", in line of the longstanding Arab position that calls for tolerance, peaceful coexistence, and the rejection of hate speech and extremism.
The Arab foreign ministers commended the efforts of the United Arab Emirates, in partnership with the United Kingdom, for facilitating the adoption of the Security Council resolution. TheUNSC resolution is a first of its kind that recognizes that hate speech and extremism are directly linked to the outbreak, escalation, and recurrence of conflict.
Mandating the Arab member of the Security Council aims to build on the on the historic Security Council resolution, which requests that the UN Secretary-General to periodically brief the Security Council on developments related to its implementation. Accordingly, the Arab member of the Council would convene relevant official meetings.
Further, the Arab League Council agreed to include this item permanently on its agenda. It also mandated the Secretary-General of the Arab League to follow up on the implementation of the Arab resolution and present the results during the Council’s next regular session.
In its resolution, the Arab League Council condemned hate speech in all its forms, religious hatred, racism, and discrimination, as they destabilise security, fuel terrorism, ignite and exacerbate conflicts, and contradict the principles and values of humanity.
The Arab League Council also commended pioneering Arab efforts to promote tolerance, peaceful coexistence, and moderation, while countering hate speech and extremism.
The Arab League Council also denounced and condemned, in the strongest terms, all acts of violence directed against religions, and sacred books, symbols, and sites. In particular, the Arab League Council condemned the crimes of burning the Quran, as well as other provocative actions that fuel hatred and violence around the world. It further called on states and regional and international organizations to apply zero-tolerance policy towards such practices and implement firm measures to counter them, protect societies from extremist ideologies, and raise awareness about the importance of promoting tolerance and peaceful coexistence.