UN Undersecretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs Rosemary DiCarlo (front) briefs a Security Council meeting on non-proliferation at the UN headquarters in New York, on June 30, 2021. (PHOTO / XINHUA)

UNITED NATIONS - UN political chief Rosemary DiCarlo said Thursday that enhanced collaboration with the Arab League could potentially pacify conflicts in the Middle East region.

From settling the conflict in Sudan to realizing a two-state solution in Israel and Palestine, cooperation with the League of Arab States is critical to stabilizing the region, DiCarlo, UN Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs, told the Security Council on Thursday.

"Together, we can achieve what neither organization can achieve on its own," she said, presenting the UN secretary-general's latest report on the region.

Defiance of international law and the norms that bind us is making international and regional cooperation to maintain peace and security ever more difficult ... In such a fraught context, it is heartening that the relationship between the UN and the League remains robust.

Rosemary DiCarlo, UN Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs

Recent strains on multilateralism have seen trust in institutions and processes sorely tested, most recently by the uneven response to the COVID-19 crisis, she said.

"Defiance of international law and the norms that bind us is making international and regional cooperation to maintain peace and security ever more difficult," she said. "In such a fraught context, it is heartening that the relationship between the UN and the League remains robust."

Drawing attention to the latest regional developments, she underscored pressing matters of common concern, such as the ongoing crisis in Sudan, where the national army and a rival paramilitary group persist in street clashes.

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She emphasized the importance of upholding the ceasefire agreement brokered in May and stressed the need for long-term peace in the region.

"The role of the region will be key to ending the conflict," DiCarlo noted.

Shifting focus to Israel and Palestine, she highlighted the persistent tensions and frequent escalations in the occupied West Bank. The UN official emphasized that unilateral actions, including Israeli settlement expansion, undermine the collective endeavors to achieve a two-state solution.

In addition, the lack of progress in holding Palestinian elections across the West Bank, Gaza and other occupied territories must be addressed, she said.

"We share a common goal with the League of Arab States: a two-state solution," DiCarlo said. "This is the only path to sustainable peace between the two peoples."

She expressed appreciation for the advancements made in Libya and applauded the Arab League's endorsement of the United Nations' endeavors to facilitate a political resolution. With upcoming elections on the horizon, she emphasized the Libyan people's aspiration to democratically elect their leaders and end the cycle of perpetual political transitions.

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She noted that the recent regional meetings regarding the 12-year-old conflict in Syria could result in a negotiated political solution if the current momentum is maintained.

More broadly, DiCarlo said the region possesses immense potential, including the fact that 60 percent of its population is under 30. The UN supports a joint initiative reaching out to Arab youth, she said.