emirates7 - Sheikh Al-Mahfoudh bin Bayyah, Secretary-General of the Abu Dhabi Forum for Peace, has met with Chaloka Beyani, UN Special Adviser of the Secretary-General for the Prevention of Genocide at the Under- Secretary-General level, to discuss ways to strengthen cooperation in combating hate speech and preventing genocide and other atrocity crimes.

During the meeting at the United Nations headquarters in New York, the two sides explored opportunities for future cooperation in Africa through the African Conference for Promoting Peace and the U3 initiative in the field of preventive dialogues and sustainable peace. The programmes aim to support national dialogue, strengthen social cohesion and address sources of tension and polarisation before they escalate into conflict or large-scale violence.

Bin Bayyah presented Beyani with the final report of the latest U3 initiative session, the London Dialogue, highlighting its key recommendations on preventive dialogue and partnerships supporting sustainable peace.

The two sides agreed to launch technical consultations between their respective teams to identify areas of joint action, particularly in early warning mechanisms, countering hate speech and strengthening the capacity of religious and community leaders to contribute to conflict prevention and the prevention of atrocity crimes.

Bin Bayyah said countering hate speech remains a key priority in preventive action, noting that wars often begin with words and that addressing rhetoric that incites hatred and exclusion is essential to protecting societies from violence, extremism and divisions that can lead to mass atrocities.