At the outset, I am pleased, on behalf of the State of Kuwait, to convey to you the greetings of His Highness the Amir, Sheikh Mishal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah (may God protect him), and his wishes for the success of the work of this session. I would also like to congratulate His Excellency Dr. Muhammad Yunus, Chief Adviser of the friendly People’s Republic of Bangladesh, on his election as President of the General Assembly for this session, affirming our support for his wise choice of the theme of this session, “A United Nations that Responds to the Demands of the Future and Manages Transformation Effectively”, and wishing His Excellency every success.
I would also like to express our appreciation to Her Excellency the President of the previous session for the commendable efforts she exerted through her initiatives and endeavors, as well as the continued efforts in addressing the multiple crises and global challenges. We also commend the efforts of the Secretary-General of the United Nations and his pursuit of strengthening multilateral action and the Pact for the Future. We hope that efforts will continue, after the end of the Secretary-General’s term, to ensure the continuity of work to improve the performance of the Organization in carrying out the responsibilities entrusted to it and to activate its role by the end of this year, including climate change, the Sustainable Development Goals, industrial development, and the development of its agencies in this regard. Here, we affirm that reform of the Security Council has become an urgent necessity to preserve international peace and security and to keep pace with the changes that have occurred in international relations since its establishment, so that the Council may become more representative and effective and more transparent in the performance of its responsibilities.
Mr. President, The State of Kuwait and the States of the Gulf Cooperation Council, as well as the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan and the sister Arab Republic of Egypt, have, since last February, been subjected to Iranian aggression involving ballistic missiles, cruise missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles, in a violation of the international legal order, international law, international humanitarian law, and the Charter of the United Nations, although they were not a party to what was taking place in the region. These attacks targeted civilian objects, including vital installations, electrical and water facilities, repeated and direct attacks on Kuwait’s oil installations, and caused severe disruption to the basic necessities of life and to vital infrastructure. These painful attacks also resulted in a number of innocent civilian martyrs and wounded, and inflicted grave material and economic damage in a hostile pattern contrary to Security Council resolutions and global trade.
the harm caused to the economies of the countries of the region and our world, and to global trade and energy security. Iran is using this paper to obstruct maritime navigation in the Strait of Hormuz and the Bab al-Mandab Strait, in a flagrant manner that is contrary to international law and the freedom of navigation guaranteed by the relevant international instruments.
The State of Kuwait expresses its great appreciation to the countries that stood by it, showed solidarity with it, and stood with it in this regard, and to the countries that supported Security Council resolution 2817 and the other resolutions issued by the Human Rights Council and the International Maritime Organization, which condemned the Iranian aggression as a threat to international peace and security and called for its cessation, and affirmed the natural right of States to self-defence in accordance with Article 51 of the Charter of the United Nations.
In this context, the State of Kuwait reiterates that the security and stability of the Gulf region are a fundamental pillar of Arab and international security, and that the continuation of Iranian violations undermines this foundation. Kuwait also renews its support for de-escalation and for reaching a solution, and for the efforts made and the mediation led by the sisterly State of Qatar and the Republic of Pakistan, the friendly one, to spare the region and its peoples the repercussions of war and attacks, in a diplomatic approach that reaffirms the necessity of reaching an immediate ceasefire without restriction or condition, so as to ensure the security and stability of the region and peace for all its peoples.
The State of Kuwait also commends the efforts of all regional and international actors aimed at building sustainable regional understandings, based on commitment to the principles of good-neighbourliness, respect for the sovereignty of States, non-interference in their internal affairs, refraining from the use or threat of force, and addressing the security concerns of the countries of the region, including the Iranian nuclear file, ballistic missiles and armed drones, while emphasizing the need to guarantee freedom of navigation and the safety of maritime passage through the Strait of Hormuz, the Bab al-Mandab Strait, and the right of transit passage through straits in accordance with international law and the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea of 1982.
The State of Kuwait remains committed in its foreign policy to the principles of the Charter of the United Nations, especially respect for the principle of good-neighbourliness and respect for the sovereignty of States, and from this standpoint, it views the Republic of Iraq as a neighbour with which we are linked by brotherly relations and as a partner in security and stability. Kuwait has been keen, since the fall of the former regime in 2003, to stand by Iraq and support it in facing security and economic challenges, with a view to restoring its role and standing at the regional and international levels, out of the conviction that a secure, stable and prosperous Iraq is a shared interest for Kuwait and for the region as a whole.
Within the framework of its foreign policy and in implementation of Security Council resolutions, the State of Kuwait looks forward to moving relations between the two countries to broader and more expansive horizons through the steps taken by Iraq under the leadership of His Excellency Mr. Ali al-Sudani, Prime Minister, to strengthen the authority of the State and to normalize Iraq’s relations with countries, and the bilateral relationship between the two countries, and to complete the demarcation of the maritime boundary in accordance with the rules of international law and the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea of 1982, signed in 2008, as a legal and practical instrument for regulating navigation and protecting maritime security.
In this regard, the President of the Republic of Iraq has adopted this path, namely enhancing relations with the neighbouring countries and drawing the maritime boundaries, in implementation of the relevant international legal obligations after the demarcation between the two countries, and also in the areas of watercourses, environmental protection, combating terrorism, drugs, and the bilateral security and technical understandings and agreements, including the Agreement on the Regulation of Navigation for 2012, the Protocol on Security Information Exchange, cooperation in the field of combating drug trafficking, and the designation of joint security coordinators.
The State of Kuwait calls upon the Republic of Iraq to continue to implement Security Council resolution 2792, and to persevere in the progress and results achieved in order to realize the hoped-for goal concerning the file of Kuwaiti and third-country nationals who are missing, as well as Kuwaiti property, including the national archives.
Mr. President: The State of Kuwait renews its principled and firm position in condemning the continuing violations by the Israeli occupation forces against the Palestinian people, who are suffering under very difficult humanitarian and living conditions, displacement, arrests, and settlement activity. We call for the full implementation of the peace plan in all its stages and of the relevant resolutions adopted by the Security Council, for the Israeli occupation forces to cease their military operations, to ensure the flow of humanitarian assistance, and for the return of the Palestinian Authority to the Gaza Strip, while emphasizing that no military operation can displace any part of the occupied Palestinian territory in its entirety, including resolution 2803.
In this context, we commend the decisions and measures taken by the Kingdom of the United Kingdom, France, and a number of States in condemning settlements, imposing a ban on the import of products and goods from the settlements, and imposing sanctions on settlers involved in acts of violence and terrorism against the Palestinian people. The State of Kuwait affirms that achieving comprehensive, just and lasting peace in the region will remain contingent upon ending the Israeli occupation of all Arab territories and enabling the Palestinian people to exercise their legitimate, inalienable and non-negotiable rights, and to establish their independent State on the 4 June 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital.
The State of Kuwait affirms that any threat targeting the Republic of Yemen and the attacks it is exposed to in this sensitive region, and in this context, ...
As a result of the military escalation taking place in a number of governorates, caused by the Houthi group's attacks on navigation in Bab al-Mandab and in the Red Sea, the State of Kuwait renews its full support for the efforts led by the United Nations aimed at reaching a lasting political settlement led by the Yemenis, in accordance with the agreed references and the relevant Security Council resolutions, in particular resolution 2216. Any political settlement should preserve the unity of Yemen, its sovereignty, its independence and the safety of its territory, put an end to the suffering of its brotherly people, and open horizons for security, stability and economic development, while preserving the security and safety of international maritime navigation in the Red Sea and the Bab al-Mandab Strait.
We also condemn the attacks by the Houthi group targeting the sisterly Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and targeting civilian and economic objects in a number of cities. We affirm in this context that the security of the Kingdom is an integral part of the security of the State of Kuwait and the security of the States members of the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf. The President of the State of Kuwait renews its standing by the side of the Syrian Arab Republic and welcomes the steps and measures that have been taken in the sisterly Syrian Arab Republic. We reaffirm the importance, in this context, of moving forward with the implementation of Security Council resolution 1974, in a manner that meets the aspirations of the Syrian people, and we stress the importance of respecting the sovereignty of the Syrian Arab Republic and its unity and territorial integrity, lifting from it its isolation and removing it from the list of States sponsors of terrorism. We also affirm our support for all efforts focused on rebuilding the institutions of the State towards a comprehensive and inclusive political process under Syrian leadership and with the effective participation of all components, in fulfilment of its legitimate aspirations for security, stability and decent living.
In this context, we condemn and reject the repeated attacks and provocations by the Israeli occupation forces inside the occupied Arab territories and what they portend of dangerous escalation; in violation of the 1974 Disengagement of Forces Agreement, and to the detriment of security and stability in the region.
With regard to the Lebanese Republic, the State of Kuwait stresses the importance of the Lebanese State’s constitutional institutions and the necessity of enabling the State of Lebanon to exercise its full sovereignty over all its territory, and of confining weapons to the hands of the State alone. We also affirm the importance, in this regard, of ensuring the full implementation of Security Council resolution 1701, including our demand that Israel withdraw from all occupied Lebanese territories.
As for developments in the Syrian Arab Republic, the Republic of the Sudan, the Federal Republic of Somalia and the State of Libya, we affirm the necessity of preserving the sovereignty, security, stability, unity and territorial integrity of these brotherly States, adhering to the settlement of disputes by peaceful means and in accordance with the rules of international law and the relevant Security Council resolutions, in a manner that guarantees the security and unity of these brotherly States.
Engaging in political dialogues to resolve conflicts peacefully, and preserving international and regional peace and security, have constituted the fundamental pillar upon which the State of Kuwait has based its foreign policy.
Since its independence, it has based its foreign policy on firm and constant foundations, namely non-alignment, moderation, commitment to the Charter of the United Nations and international law, advocacy of peaceful settlement of disputes through dialogue, and faith that respect for the sovereignty of States and non-interference in their internal affairs are among the pillars of international peace and security.
The State of Kuwait also believes in the inseparable link between security and development. There can be no security without development, and no development without security. Through its development and humanitarian diplomacy, Kuwait has embodied this vision through the role of the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development, which was established in 1961 and has, in the firm belief that development is an investment in collective security, financed development projects in countries around the world, especially in areas afflicted by conflict, for development is not achieved by humanitarian aid alone; rather, it also requires support for development paths and the building of societies more capable of resilience, stability and the provision of opportunities.
The State of Kuwait is also moving forward, through Kuwait Vision 2035, with confidence towards achieving the accelerated implementation of development projects, diversifying its economy and sources of income, continuing digital transformation, empowering women and youth, developing its educational system and legislative structure, and enhancing institutional efficiency in governance and transparency, in a manner that strengthens the State of Kuwait’s position as a regional financial and commercial centre and as a cultural leader in the region.
In conclusion, my country has experienced, like many countries of the world, the bitterness of aggression and the harshness of occupation, and our region has suffered for four decades from the wars and conflicts that have swept through it. This lived experience has led us to become ever more convinced that peace is not a luxury but a necessity, and that dialogue does not diminish rights but preserves them and protects them, and that security is not safeguarded by force alone, but rather by justice, which creates it and sustains it.
As we have come to understand the importance of adherence to international legality and the principles of international law, which protect the sovereignty of States and preserve the rights of peoples, the State of Kuwait, which has believed in them in word and deed, will continue to be a voice in support of peace, a path to stability, and a partner in upholding the authority of the law and recourse to it for the settlement of disputes.
That is because just peace and adherence to international law remain the safety valve for the stability of States and the prosperity of their peoples. This conviction has become firmly established in us through the experiences we have had. Respect for sovereignty and non-interference in internal affairs is not merely a legal principle; it is the foundation of a just international order.
The State of Kuwait will remain, as it has always been, a voice in support of wisdom, dialogue, cooperation, openness to all, moderation, partnerships, shared interests and benefits, and support for what is right in a way that makes it a trustworthy partner. It does so out of its belief that peace is the way to entrench the values of coexistence and to a future in which homelands are stable, rights are protected, and generations enjoy security and prosperity.
Peace, mercy and the blessings of God be upon you.