KUWAIT: Kuwait has underscored the urgent need for the international community to renew its faith in diplomacy and multilateral cooperation, stressing that adherence to international law and respect for human rights remain the only viable paths to achieving global peace and security. This came in a statement delivered by Diplomatic Attaché at Kuwait’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations in New York, Abeer Al-Mithen, before the Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian and Cultural) of the UN General Assembly during discussions on the promotion and protection of human rights as part of the 80th session of the General Assembly.
Al-Mithen said Kuwait has followed with great interest the broad and in-depth deliberations held during the session, expressing appreciation for the reports and briefings presented by General Assembly President Annalena Baerbock, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk, and other experts, noting that such discussions enrich dialogue and enhance mutual understanding of the challenges facing the global human rights system. She cautioned that “the world stands at a critical crossroads amid growing violations and a decline in respect for international conventions,” emphasizing that recent UN reports highlight the pressing need to strengthen international solidarity as a means to confront humanitarian crises, promote sustainable development, and advance just and lasting peace.
Al-Mithen reaffirmed Kuwait’s pioneering role in humanitarian action through its ongoing relief and development initiatives in numerous affected countries. She pointed to Kuwait’s operation of 19 relief air bridges to Palestine as a clear embodiment of the nation’s foreign policy principles — supporting afflicted peoples and alleviating their suffering. Welcoming the recent ceasefire announcement in the Gaza Strip, she expressed Kuwait’s hope that it would pave the way for an end to the prolonged humanitarian crisis. Al-Mithen reiterated that a just and lasting solution lies in the establishment of an independent Palestinian state within the June 4, 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital, in line with international resolutions and the Arab Peace Initiative.
She further stressed the importance of respecting the sovereignty of Lebanon and the occupied Syrian Golan Heights, reaffirming Kuwait’s firm stance against any actions that violate international law or threaten regional peace and stability. Al-Mithen concluded by affirming Kuwait’s unwavering commitment to remain, as the world has long recognized it, “a nation of humanity and generosity,” steadfast in raising the voice of truth, aiding the needy, and promoting the values of cooperation and humanitarian solidarity among nations.
First strategic dialogue
In a related development, Kuwait’s Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Ambassador Sheikh Jarrah Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah and UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell co-chaired the first Kuwait–UNICEF Strategic Dialogue in New York. The meeting highlighted the enduring partnership between Kuwait and UNICEF as a model of global solidarity dedicated to serving children and humanity. It also reaffirmed Kuwait’s historic role in supporting UNICEF projects across key development areas, including education, health, nutrition, water, and sanitation.
The discussions focused on strengthening cooperation in the face of current global challenges, conflicts, and natural disasters that directly impact children’s wellbeing and safety. On the sidelines of the meeting, a grant agreement was signed between the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development (KFAED) and UNICEF to support the response to the cholera outbreak in Sudan. The agreement was signed by Sheikh Jarrah Al-Sabah and Russell, marking another milestone in Kuwait’s humanitarian partnership with UNICEF. – KUNA
