Topic:
Country: United Arab Emirates
Delegate Name: Charlisa Penzak
United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime
Preserving Free and Fair Elections
United Arab Emirates
Charlisa Penzak
Groves High School
The United Arab Emirates, while a federal elective monarchy, has consistently supported free and fair elections in various countries around the world and remains committed to providing countries with the necessary resources if they choose to offer elections to their citizens. The UAE is proudly ranked by the Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) as one of the largest providers of developmental aid relative to national income, and contributes to various UN organizations, including ones that provide electoral assistance such as the UNDP. Although the UAE doesn’t facilitate elections domestically, the UAE recognizes the value of elections in promoting political stability and effective governance.
Broadly, democracies face various issues that threaten the integrity of elections, such as political intimidation, electoral fraud, and voter suppression. Whether interference comes from external actors or from the government itself, there are a variety of ways that elections can be unfairly swayed: vote buying, ballot stuffing, tampering with electoral voting systems, misinformation, and structural factors that limit accessibility. It is difficult to safeguard against all possible forms of election tampering, so international support can be integral to assist national election infrastructure. The UAE believes that regional organizations are best suited to offer electoral assistance because they are best able to tailor their aid to a country or region’s specific needs. For example, the UAE has endorsed the use of local programs, such as MONUSCO (UN Stabilization Mission in the DRC), UNAMI (UN Assistance Mission for Iraq), and UNMISS (UN Mission for South Sudan), which have been empirically successful and well suited to facilitate election aid to their respective countries.
The UAE has historically emphasized the need for elections to be accessible to all – including indigenous people, former combatants, and especially women. The UAE is one of the only MENA countries where gender equality is enshrined in the constitution and women make up two-thirds of the government workforce. As a result, gender equality and ensuring women’s participation in the political process is paramount to the UAE. Countries should work to implement opportunities for women in education and employment, as well as mitigate structural barriers to participation to ensure their meaningful contribution to electoral practices.
Furthermore, in cases of conflict, the UAE encourages open dialogues between opposing parties to ensure long-term stability and prevent further marginalization. The UAE also supports measures like increasing security at voting stations to combat political intimidation and protect voters’ privacy.
Ultimately, the UAE is hopeful that this committee can develop effective solutions to safeguard the integrity of elections and ensure an inclusive electoral process.
