By Shire Abdi - Reporter
United States, 3 June 2026 Djibouti called on the international community to strengthen mediation and preventive diplomacy in response to rising armed conflicts and geopolitical tensions, the Djibouti state news agency ADI reported on Tuesday.
Speaking before the United Nations General Assembly during a debate on the role of mediation in the peaceful settlement of disputes, Djibouti’s ambassador to the UN, Mohamed-Siad Doualeh, said mediation remained one of the most important tools available to the United Nations to prevent wars.
Doualeh said the world was facing complex and prolonged conflicts, worsened by geopolitical tensions and the growing role of non-state armed groups.
“Today’s world is marked by many complex and prolonged conflicts, aggravated by increasing geopolitical tensions,” he said.
The ambassador said the UN’s mediation system, including the secretary-general’s good offices, special envoys, mediation experts and peacebuilding mechanisms, remained important but was often weakened by political divisions between states and strategic rivalries.
“Early-warning capabilities do not necessarily translate to early action,” Doualeh said.
Djibouti called for stronger political support for UN mediators, more stable funding for peace initiatives and expanded training programmes for mediation actors.
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Doualeh also urged greater participation of women in peace processes, saying progress had been made since 2016 but remained too slow.
Djibouti also called for closer cooperation between the United Nations and regional organisations, including the African Union, IGAD and ECOWAS.
The ambassador said modern conflicts involving terrorism, transnational crime, climate change and armed non-state groups required more flexible and specialised mediation tools.
Doualeh said Djibouti, under President Ismail Omar Guelleh, remained active in peace initiatives in the Horn of Africa.
“Our region has demonstrated that sustainable peace is not just the result of military victories, but is primarily based on dialogue, compromise and inclusive political processes,” he said.
He called on UN member states to show stronger political will to use mediation more consistently and effectively as conflicts continue to threaten stability in several regions.