New York, September 24 (QNA) - The State of Qatar participated on Thursday in the 16th Ministerial Meeting of the UN Group of Friends of Mediation, held on the sidelines of the 81st session of the UN General Assembly (UNGA 81) in New York.

HE Minister of State at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Dr. Mohammed bin Abdulaziz bin Saleh Al Khulaifi represented the State of Qatar at the meeting.

In his remarks, His Excellency said that the meeting comes at a time when the growing diversity of actors involved in mediation presents both an opportunity and a challenge for the United Nations, requiring a coordinated and integrated approach to harness this diversity. He highlighted Qatar's role in this regard, noting that from Gaza to Afghanistan and from Lebanon to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Qatar continues to engage in mediation efforts to bridge differences between parties and keep the hope for peace alive.

HE Al Khulaifi stated that today, in partnership with the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, efforts are underway to de-escalate tensions between the Islamic Republic of Iran and the United States of America, safeguard freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, and promote peace and stability in the region. He noted that this experience had highlighted two fundamental lessons: first, that partnerships are indispensable; and second, that successful mediation requires mediators to be able to perform their roles safely, independently, and impartially, while fully respecting the confidentiality and integrity of the process.

HE the Minister of State at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs emphasized the critical importance of protecting mediation efforts and mediators in situations of armed conflict. He noted that while international humanitarian law, international human rights law, and diplomatic immunities provide important protections, these measures are spread across different legal frameworks, making them difficult to enforce in practice.

His Excellency explained that threats to mediation today extend beyond physical attacks to include interference with communications, breaches of confidentiality, cyber threats, and disinformation, all of which can undermine the integrity of a mediation process as seriously as violence. He stressed that protecting mediation means safeguarding the possibility of dialogue precisely when dialogue is most difficult. (QNA)