YouSaid · the spoken record

Alotaibi

lines on the record: 2,145
first: 2010-04-14
most recent: 2022-07-26
sittings or episodes: 301
sources: un-security-council

Every line below is reproduced as it was said and linked to the record it came from. Nothing here is summarised or generated. Directory · Search · Corrections

“The State of Kuwait is aware that Libya is facing tremendous security challenges that affect the ability of court experts to conduct the necessary investigations. However, we commend the significant cooperation by Libyan authorities with the ICC and the Prosecutor in line with resolution 2174 (2014). We welcome the cooperation by a great number of States and international, regional and civil society organizations, as well as the support provided by UNSMIL to the Prosecutor's Office. That will improve the effectiveness of the Office in carrying out investigations, and thereby help it fulfil its mandate. We call upon the international community to continue supporting the Libyan Government in its efforts to establish a comprehensive strategy to combat crimes and flagrant violations of international humanitarian law.”
2018-11-02 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8388 (2018) · source
“That had a tangible impact on preventing a further deterioration of the security situation. We also express our concern about the reported serious violations against migrants and detention centres, including killing and torture. That is a blatant violation of international humanitarian law. Once again, we condemn those practices in the strongest terms. There is no doubt that Libyan authorities have the primary responsibility for administering justice throughout Libyan territories by exercising their jurisdiction and sovereignty. According to article 1 of the Rome Statute, the ICC is complementary to national criminaljurisdictions in cases being addressed in Libyan courts. The ICC will complement the Libyan national criminal jurisdiction.”
2018-11-02 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8388 (2018) · source
“We commend the progress achieved by the Prosecutor's Office, in spite of the tremendous challenges it is facing in shouldering its responsibility, namely, pursuing and bringing to justice the perpetrators of crimes and violations, especially in the light of the current sensitive and difficult security situation in Libya, including the proliferation of arms and armed militias and the increasing presence of terrorist groups. We share Ms. Bensouda's concern about the recent escalation of armed clashes in the Libyan capital Tripoli, which have claimed the lives of many victims. In that regard, we cannot but to commend the significant role of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) represented by Mr. Ghassan Salame, Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of UNSMIL, in reaching a ceasefire agreement.”
2018-11-02 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8388 (2018) · source
“Mr. Alotaibi (Kuwait) (spoke in Arabic): We congratulate you, Mr. President, on assuming the presidency of the Security Council for this month and we wish you every success in carrying out the Council's work. We also thank our colleague the Permanent Representative of Bolivia and the Bolivian delegation for wisely conducting the work of the Council last month. I want as well to thank Ms. Fatou Bensouda, Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC), for her valuable briefing on the sixteenth report of the ICC submitted to the Security Council in accordance with resolution 1970 (2011). Once again, the State of Kuwait welcomes the efforts ofthe ICC to administerjustice and combat impunity in line with international law.”
2018-11-02 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8388 (2018) · source
“We welcome the acceptance by all relevant parties of the invitation to participate in the round-table meeting without preconditions and in good faith. We renew our full support for the Moroccan initiative pertaining to the autonomy of Western Sahara, which represents a constructive choice aimed at achieving a solution acceptable to all parties. We underscore the need to respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Morocco. We also welcome Morocco's credible and serious measures and initiatives, as well as its positive interaction with the special procedures of the Human Rights Council.”
2018-10-31 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8387 (2018) · source
“Mr. Alotaibi (Kuwait) (spoke in Arabic): Kuwait voted in favour of resolution 2440 (2018), extending the mandate of the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO) until 30 April 2019. We had hoped for the mandate to be extended for a full year, in line with the recommendation of the Secretary-General. We stress the importance of the role undertaken by MINURSO and the complete fulfilment of its mandate. We also express our support for the efforts of the Secretary-General and his Personal Envoy for Western Sahara, Mr. Horst Kohler, to implement the Security Council's resolutions with a view to achieving a just, lasting, practical and realistic political solution acceptable by both sides. We support the upcoming negotiations called for by the Personal Envoy, to be held in Geneva on 5 and 6 December.”
2018-10-31 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8387 (2018) · source
“In conclusion, we call for a peaceful solution to the crisis in eastern Ukraine, in line with the relevant Security Council resolutions and the agreements signed by the parties involved, including the Minsk agreements, which are the appropriate way to settle the crisis in the region, along with the mediation efforts of the stakeholders who enjoy the respect and appreciation of the two parties to the conflict and the international community as a whole.”
2018-10-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8386 (2018) · source
“In that regard, any steps that could hinder progress in implementing the Minsk agreements must be avoided. Following the briefing given by Ms. Mueller, we note that the humanitarian situation is still bad, owing to the many obstacles to the relief work and the lack of funding for the response plan. The hostilities continue in eastern Ukraine, despite a relative improvement in the situation. Shelling, light weapons and landmines still represent a deadly threat to civilians, who continue to be killed and maimed. In that regard, we stress the importance of ensuring the delivery of humanitarian assistance to all the areas affected in order to improve residents' living conditions.”
2018-10-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8386 (2018) · source
“We hope that they will seek a comprehensive and balanced solution to this issue through dialogue, especially in line with the Normandy format and the Trilateral Contact Group, in order to achieve immediate progress on the implementation of the Minsk Agreements. We also urge both Ukraine and the Russian Federation to reach a peaceful solution to the crisis and to show greater political will not only to strengthen the ceasefire and implement previous agreements, but also to revitalize a lasting and comprehensive negotiation process. The announcement of so-called early elections in the regions of Donetsk and Luhansk on 11 November contradicts the spirit and letter of the Minsk agreements for peace, which include specific provisions on holding local elections in those areas.”
2018-10-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8386 (2018) · source
“Mr. Alotaibi (Kuwait) (spoke in Arabic): We would like to thank you, Mr. President, for convening this meeting, as well as Ms. Rosemary DiCarlo, Under- Secretary-General for Political Affairs, and Ms. Ursula Mueller, Assistant Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, for their useful briefings on the situation in eastern Ukraine. At the outset, we renew our commitment to respecting the unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine within its internationally recognized borders, without interference in its internal affairs. We hope that all relevant stakeholders will fully implement resolution 2202 (2015) and the Minsk agreements for peace, as well as presidential statement S/PRST/2018/12 of 6 June.”
2018-10-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8386 (2018) · source
“As co-penholders of the Syria humanitarian file and some of the largest donors to the Syrian humanitarian response plan, Sweden and Kuwait will ensure that the Council closely follows the humanitarian developments in Syria. Thirteen million Syrians still need humanitarian assistance; more than 5 million of them are children. Regrettably, it pains us to know that the humanitarian catastrophe will continue in the near and medium term. The humanitarian situation and suffering will be alleviated only by achieving progress on the political track through a political solution based on resolution 2254 (2015) and the Geneva communique (S/2012/522, annex).”
2018-10-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8384 (2018) · source
“In that connection, we must recall what the Secretary General stated in his report - that cross-border humanitarian assistance provides an indispensable lifeline for hundreds of thousands of people across Syria. Cross-border aid is a vital and important part of the humanitarian response in Syria, as evidenced by its reach of 620,000 people in September. We would also like to express our deep concern about the horrible situation in Rukban, where more than 45,000 people are suffering acute shortages of food and humanitarian and medical supplies. Let us heed the calls from the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs and the United Nations system. We call on all parties to facilitate immediate delivery to Rukban. Anything short of delivery is unacceptable.”
2018-10-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8384 (2018) · source
“Only about 30 per cent of the population with acute needs in those hard-to-reach areas are today assisted by needs-based, principled and sustained humanitarian assistance. A major reason for that is non-approval by Syrian authorities ofrequests for permission for access. We emphasize the need for humanitarian assistance to reach those in need in accordance with humanitarian principles, including the principles of impartiality and non-discrimination. In that context, we welcome the reference in the recent joint statement agreed by Turkey, Russia, France and Germany, which underscored the need to ensure the rapid, safe and unhindered access of humanitarian organizations throughout Syria and immediate humanitarian assistance to reach all people in need in order to alleviate the suffering of the Syrian people.”
2018-10-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8384 (2018) · source
“The report also refers to a number of cases where schools have been targeted, resulting in the suspension of school activity. We remind the parties of their obligations under international law, the need to comply with resolution 2427 (2015), on children and armed conflict, and not to target schools. There are still significant challenges for the delivery of humanitarian assistance in Syria, as stated in the Secretary-General's report. Although 1.5 million people remain in hard-to-reach areas, inter-agency convoys have not been approved since 16 August. We call upon the Syrian authorities to cooperate with the United Nations to ensure that humanitarian assistance reaches those most in need 4 especially in the areas that have come back under Government control - through the various humanitarian modalities.”
2018-10-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8384 (2018) · source
“We express our concern about the continuing danger of explosives - including mines and improvised explosive devices - in Raqqa, especially for the 152,000 people who have returned there. Fourthly, unfortunately, the reporting period witnessed a continuation of one of the most egregious violations of international law, namely, the continued targeting of hospitals and health facilities. We condemn attacks against hospitals, as well as attacks targeting critical civilian facilities, and remind all parties of resolution 2286 (2016) and the specific obligations under international humanitarian law to respect and protect medical and humanitarian personnel exclusively engaged in medical duties, as well as their means of transport and equipment, and hospitals and other medical facilities.”
2018-10-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8384 (2018) · source
“We applaud the pre-positioning measures taken by the United Nations and its humanitarian partners of humanitarian assistance and food to places in Idlib in preparation for the worst possible situation. In that regard, we stress the importance of the sustainability of the ceasefire in Idlib, and throughout Syria, to enable access to humanitarian assistance and the evacuation of injured persons, in accordance with international law and as stipulated in resolution 2401 (2018). Thirdly, we are also concerned with developments in other parts of Syria. In Deir ez-Zor there are thousands of civilians affected by military operations. In that context, we call upon all parties to strengthen the protection of civilians during military operations against the terrorist group Da'esh.”
2018-10-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8384 (2018) · source
“First, we reaffirm that all parties must respect and ensure respect for international humanitarian law in all circumstances, including by protecting civilians and civilian infrastructure. We also call on all parties to respect international human rights law. The period covered by the Secretary-General's report (S/2018/947) witnessed killings, arbitrary arrests and detentions, the deprivation of liberty, abduction, torture and inhumane, cruel and degrading treatment. We condemn in the strongest terms those practices against civilians by any party. Secondly, we welcome the Russian-Turkish agreement on the ceasefire in Idlib - whose population is around 3 million, including 1 million children - which averted the immediate threat of a humanitarian catastrophe there.”
2018-10-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8384 (2018) · source
“Mr. Alotaibi (Kuwait) (spoke in Arabic): Before I begin, I wish to express our condolences to the families of the victims of the plane crash in Indonesia, which claimed the lives of 189 civilians. (spoke in English) At the outset, I would like to thank Mr. Mark Lowcock for his valuable briefing, which confirms the continuing dire humanitarian situation in Syria. We support his five asks and call upon all Security Council members to work vigorously to that end. I would like to pay tribute to all medical and humanitarian workers for their efforts in the field to alleviate the suffering in Syria. I will present this statement on behalf of the co-penholders of the Syrian humanitarian file, namely, Sweden and Kuwait. I will focus on two points: the protection of civilians and civilian infrastructure and humanitarian access.”
2018-10-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8384 (2018) · source
“It is also important to improve economic conditions, because that would give Malians greater hope for job opportunities and a better future. We welcome the new strategic framework of the Government, which is based on achieving the Sustainable Development Goals and the vision for Mali 2040.”
2018-10-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8376 (2018) · source
“Thirdly and lastly, with regard to the next steps, we are aware that the Malian Government is in need of time and resources to achieve security and stability and restore the rule oflaw in Mali. After the latest presidential elections and the reappointment of Prime Minister Maiga, who has facilitated progress since the beginning of his term, we look forward to a more focused approach by the Government to ensure the implementation of the Agreement on Peace and Reconciliation in Mali. Kuwait stands ready to cooperate with all Council members to take the necessary measures in order to facilitate that process. We urge all parties to build on the progress attained so far. Achieving sustainable development is essential to the realization of peace and stability in Mali and the region.”
2018-10-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8376 (2018) · source
“We are also concerned about the increasing threats targeting humanitarian workers, who are undertaking efforts to alleviate the suffering of the Malian people. We have seen an increase in the use of improvised explosive devices in 2018, rising to almost 130 incidents. However, the number of related casualties has decreased. We apreciate the efforts of MINUSMA in training and awareness-raising, and we encourage it to pursue those efforts in the future. We also underscore the importance of ensuring coordination among the different active forces in Mali. We commend the continuous support of MINUSMA to the Group of Five for the Sahel (G-5 Sahel) Joint Force, which plays an essential role in combating the threats in the Sahel region. We look forward to strengthening it to the fullest.”
2018-10-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8376 (2018) · source
“Secondly, concerning the security and humanitarian situations, we are still concerned about the unstable security situation in some regions of Mali. The threats posed by terrorist groups still exist, and we have seen their impact on the most recent electoral process. We value the efforts of the Malian forces and MINUSMA to contain those threats and prevent the security situation from deteriorating further. However, the terrorist groups are not only a threat to all military forces, but are increasingly threateningcivilians. We deeply regret the killing of 287 civilians during the reporting period. Terrorist threats also led to the displacement of large numbers of Malians. The number of those in need of humanitarian aid amounts to nearly 5.2 million people.”
2018-10-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8376 (2018) · source
“With regard to the presidential elections held in July, we commend the efforts of the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) and Special Representative Annadif for their efforts during and after the election process, including the provision of technical, logistical and security support with a view to reducing tensions between the various parties. We urge everyone to respect the election results and prepare for the upcoming parliamentary elections, which were postponed until next year with the approval of all stakeholders. We hope that the postponement will allow enough time to implement the necessary reforms in the country, pursuant to the Peace and Reconciliation Agreement, and with the participation of all political parties.”
2018-10-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8376 (2018) · source
“He recently visited central Mali, a region that is suffering from instability and an absence of State authority. He is also working to expedite the implementation of the disarmament, demobilization and reintegration programme. We welcomed the signing last Monday of the pact for peace between the United Nations, the Government, the Platform Platform coalition of armed groups and the Coordination des mouvements de l'Azawad, renewing the commitment of all parties to the implementation of the 2015 Agreement on Peace and Reconciliation, in implemention of paragraph 5 of resolution 2423 (2018). We want to emphasize the important role played by the international mediation team, under the leadership of Algeria, in monitoring developments and making tangible progress.”
2018-10-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8376 (2018) · source
“First, with respect to the political situation, we have closely followed recent political developments in Mali and also listened to the address delivered by the President of the Republic of Mali to the General Assembly during the general debate last month (see A/73/PV.8), in which he presented his Government's priorities for the upcoming period, including its focus on the implementation of the Agreement on Peace and Reconciliation in Mali and the serious steps taken by his Government in that regard. Kuwait welcomes this positive development. During the past few months we have witnessed the restoration of Government authority in northern and central Mali, and we also note that the Government has prepared a national strategy for security sector reform. We further commend the efforts of Prime Minister Maiga to achieve stability.”
2018-10-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8376 (2018) · source
“Mr. Alotaibi (Kuwait) (spoke in Arabic): I would first like to thank Mr. Jean-Pierre Lacroix, Under- Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations, for his useful briefing on recent developments in Mali, particularly in the wake of the presidential elections held in July. Since Ambassador Issa Konfourou, Permanent Representative of Mali, is here with us today, I take this opportunity to congratulate President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita on his re-election as Mali's Head of State. I also express my country's satisfaction regarding the fact that the electoral process was transparent and credible, and commend the efforts of the Government and all political stakeholders, as well as international partners, to that end. I would like to address three aspects of the subject under discussion today.”
2018-10-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8376 (2018) · source
“In conclusion, we want to emphasize the strategic option, which is to arrive at a just, lasting and comprehensive solution to the Palestinian question in accordance with the relevant Security Council resolutions, the principle of land for peace, the Quartet road map and the Arab Peace Initiative, adopted by all Arab States at the 2002 Beirut summit. This solution would be based on Israel's withdrawal from all occupied Palestinian territories to the borders of4 June 1967, and it includes dealing with all final status issues in a way that can enable the Palestinian people to enjoy all of their legitimate political rights, including the right to self-determination and to establish an independent State on their territory with East Jerusalem as its capital.”
2018-10-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8375 (2018) · source
“The resolutions have not been implemented because of the obstinacy of Israel, the occupying State, and because of its explicit and blatant refusal to implement resolutions of international legitimacy and its deliberately mocking disregard of those resolutions. The time has come to make sure that the members of the Security Council give this issue, like others, its fair share of attention, as Israel continues its attacks and acts of aggression, which could be considered the inevitable result of the absence of any serious call from the Security Council to Israel to end that continued aggression and to fulfil its obligations as the occupying Power, in accordance with the Fourth Geneva Convention of 1949.”
2018-10-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8375 (2018) · source
“Nevertheless, the Security Council unfortunately remains incapable of compelling the occupying Power to implement its resolutions, thus giving Israel a green light to continue its practices and entrench its occupation and thereby undermining any chance for a genuine peace that would guarantee the Palestinian people their legitimate rights, including their right to independence, sovereignty and a dignified and free life, the most basic of human rights. Many decades have gone by since the Palestinian question was put on the United Nations agenda. It is constantly being discussed, and many resolutions have been adopted about it. However, the question remains unanswered, and no solutions have been found.”
2018-10-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8375 (2018) · source
“It also states that Israel should immediately and completely end all settlement activity in the occupied Palestinian territory, including East Jerusalem, and also affirms that the international community will not recognize any changes to the pre-1967 borders, including those pertaining to Jerusalem, except those changes that are agreed to by the two parties through negotiations. Arrests, the demolition of homes, the destruction of property, the unprecedented expansion in the construction of illegal settlements in the occupied Palestinian territory, including East Jerusalem, the forced displacement of Palestinian civilians, the targeting of civilians and the siege of the Gaza Strip, which has gone on for nearly 12 years, have all become part of the Palestinian people's daily routine for years.”
2018-10-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8375 (2018) · source
“We also strongly condemn the Israeli Government's recent endorsement of a decision to build a new Jewish settlement neighbourhood in the city of Hebron, where more than 200,000 Palestinians live, south of occupied Jerusalem, reportedly the first such endorsement in Hebron since 2002. We can add that to the record of unjust Israeli settlement decisions that clearly violate Security Council resolutions, including resolution 2334 (2016), which among other things confirms that Israeli settlement activity constitutes a clear violation of international law and is an obstacle to peace.”
2018-10-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8375 (2018) · source
“These events resulted in injuries to many of the community residents and those who stood in solidarity with them, including an Israeli citizen, as they were severely beaten while defending their homes and property. We reiterate our rejection of Israel's aggressive and systematic policies targeting unarmed Palestinians, which are all part of an illegal plan to annex these lands and impose a policy of fait accompli that aims to partition the West Bank, undermine its geographic continuity, negatively affect the possibility of a two-State solution and maintain the foundations for a racist regime against the Palestinian people.”
2018-10-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8375 (2018) · source
“Before she was killed, she had been preparing for the forthcoming wedding of her daughter Salam. The Council no doubt agrees with me on the need to condemn this heinous crime. These actions, which constitute war crimes and crimes against humanity, are the responsibility of the Israeli occupation authorities alone. In that regard, we join our voice to that of Special Coordinator Mladenov in demanding that those who killed this Palestinian mother be quickly brought to trial. We also want to note the impending danger of the implementation of the unjust decision to raze the town of Khan Al-Ahmar and forcibly move its Bedouin residents away from the demolition site as bulldozers and demolition machines, accompanied by large numbers of Israeli troops, drew nearer.”
2018-10-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8375 (2018) · source
“Mladenov, those forces have continued to use live ammunition against demonstrators, raising the number of those killed to more than 205 and of the injured to more than 20,000. In the past two weeks alone, we have witnessed the deaths of 10 Palestinian martyrs, including three children, and 882 Palestinians have been injured. And Friday, 28 September, saw the highest number of casualties in a single day since May, when seven martyrs were killed. This killing and terror spree did not simply stop there. Attacks have continued to dominate the stage in the occupied territories. Aisha Al-Rabi, a mother of eight, died a martyr from a head injury received during an attack by settlers who threw rocks at the car that her husband was driving as they were returning home from a family visit in Hebron.”
2018-10-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8375 (2018) · source
“Based on its commitment to supporting UNRWA so that it can continue to offer its vital services to refugees, last month Kuwait decided to donate an additional $42 million to the UNRWA budget. Unfortunately, despite the resonance of these messages, they have produced no results, because the Israeli occupying forces have continued their grievous systemic violations of international humanitarian law and international human rights law in the occupied Palestinian territory. The Israeli occupation forces have continued to use excessive force against Palestinian civilians taking part in the Great March of Return, which was a peaceful demonstration. As we heard earlier from Mr.”
2018-10-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8375 (2018) · source
“Unfortunately, these rights remain but a dream for our brothers and sisters in Palestine. The echo of this message did not simply stop at the General Assembly but spread to many other meetings held during the high-level week, as well as the meeting of the Ad Hoc Liaison Committee on Palestine and the ministerial meeting of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA). Those two meetings reaffirmed the priority that a large number of States give to these issues with a view to alleviating the Palestinian people's suffering as a result of the crises they are facing, especially on the humanitarian and economic fronts. Those States are also trying to maintain the dignity of Palestine's 5 million refugees and not to disappoint the more than 500,000 male and female students among those refugees.”
2018-10-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8375 (2018) · source
“We are meeting today a few weeks after the conclusion of the general debate of the General Assembly at its seventy-third session, whose echo continues to resound. The strong support given to the Palestinian people by Heads of State and Government in their statements sent a clear message about the way in which Member States have addressed the Palestinian question for the past seven decades, namely, that Israel, the occupying Power, must be compelled to stop its violations of the most basic rules of international law and that it must implement its legal obligations as stipulated by international conventions and treaties, notably the Charter of the United Nations, which we have all adopted as our guiding light and which embodies our belief in basic human rights, the dignity and worth of the individual and the equal rights of men and women and of nations large and small.”
2018-10-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8375 (2018) · source
“Mr. Alotaibi (Kuwait) (spoke in Arabic): We would first like to thank Mr. Nickolay Mladenov, Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, for his valuable briefing on the most recent developments in the occupied Palestinian territory, which remind us of the gravity of the situation there. We commend his endeavours and reiterate our full support for his efforts to ease tensions and avoid a confrontation. We would like also to thank Mr. Hagai El-Ad, Executive Director of B'Tselem. We commend him for his courage in participating in this meeting to discuss the violations by the Israeli occupation authorities of the human rights of Palestinians, who are living in very difficult economic and social conditions because of these practices.”
2018-10-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8375 (2018) · source
“The State of Kuwait reaffirms today, and every day, that there is no solution to the crisis in Syria other than a political one that is agreed by all segments of the Syrian population, achieves their legitimate aspirations and preserves the unity, independence and sovereignty of Syria. In closing, as I mentioned earlier, we are at a crossroads, and the next few days will determine the path that the political process will take. There is an urgent need for international political will and intensified diplomatic efforts by all parties at the highest levels over the next few days in order to achieve a political settlement and to put an end to the suffering of the Syrian people and the repercussions of that destructive crisis on the stability and security of the region and the entire world.”
2018-10-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8373 (2018) · source
“The Council, which has adopted a policy of preventive diplomacy, played an important role in shining a spotlight on Idlib by holding a series of meetings dealing with the possibility of a humanitarian crisis in the event of a military escalation in Idlib. We all followed the agreement that was reached in the Russian-Turkish memorandum of understanding, which helped de-escalate the situation and averted what we had most feared. As the deadline for that memorandum of understanding draws near, we call for intensifying efforts to sustain the ceasefire, not just in the province of Idlib but throughout Syria, pursuant to resolution 2401 (2018), which was unanimously adopted by the Council in February to protect civilians and guarantee unimpeded humanitarian access to those in need throughout Syria.”
2018-10-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8373 (2018) · source
“We believe that this would constitute an important landmark in the Syrian political process and would push it forward. It is a first step in a political transition that would include drafting a constitution and holding free and fair elections in accordance with such a new constitution, under the supervision of the United Nations and in line with the highest international standards of transparency and accountability. We hope that all Syrians, including members ofthe diaspora, will participate in the elections, in keeping with resolution 2254 (2015). We were on the brink of a humanitarian disaster a month and a half ago because of a potential military escalation in the province of Idlib, which is home to approximately 3 million people, most of whom are innocent civilians.”
2018-10-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8373 (2018) · source
“Nine months after an agreement was reached in Sochi to form a constitutional committee, and after many rounds of negotiations over the three lists with the relevant parties, we had hoped to see a launching of the committee's work. However, it is clear, as we have just heard from the Special Envoy, that no progress has been made. In that context, we hope that the visit of Special Envoy De Mistura to Damascus next week, which he just announced in his statement, will lead to results that will facilitate the launch of the committee's work. We look forward to hearing his briefing on the outcome of his visit soon. We call for an intensification of efforts aimed at an early launch of the work of a credible constitutional committee that is inclusive of all segments of Syrian society.”
2018-10-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8373 (2018) · source
“The international community finds itself at an important and sensitive stage of the political process to resolve the Syrian crisis. As my colleague the Ambassador of France has said, we are now at a crossroads. On one side, we see a bright and illuminated path with clearly defined landmarks, in accordance with the 2012 Geneva communique (S/2012/522, annex) and Security Council resolution 2254 (2015). That path gives us hope that we can put an end to the crisis that Syria has been enduring for the past eight years. On the other side of that crossroads, we find a dark and difficult path riddled with obstacles and fabricated impediments, which could take us back to square one.”
2018-10-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8373 (2018) · source
“Mr. Alotaibi (Kuwait) (spoke in Arabic): At the outset, we would like to thank you, Madam President, for holding this meeting. We also thank Mr. Staffan de Mistura for his detailed and comprehensive briefing, and we renew our appreciation and support for all the efforts that he is making to activate and advance a political settlement, especially his most recent efforts to establish a constitutional committee. I would like to join Ambassador Karen Pierce of the United Kingdom in taking this opportunity to express our deep appreciation for the intensive and earnest efforts that Mr. Staffan de Mistura has made over the past four years in his very difficult task. We also commend his commitment to continue working until the very last day of his mandate.”
2018-10-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8373 (2018) · source
“Finally, we want to emphasize that every State has the sovereign and genuine right to control and to exploit its own natural resources according to the Charter of the United Nations and international law. Clearly, natural resources, if used well, can be a basic factor for long- term economic growth and sustainable development. The State of Kuwait believes that natural resources are a divine blessing for many States. They must be the driver of sustainable development, the prosperity of countries and the well-being of their people. Managing natural resources in a legal, transparent and sustainable way at the national level is a priority for Kuwait. We preserve our natural resources and exploit them in the right way, while maintaining the security of our State and its national economy in accordance with the Constitution.”
2018-10-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8372 (2018) · source
“We must look into the common factors that lead to tensions and cause the outbreak of conflicts. There are three economic indicators that we should consider: first, per capita income levels; secondly, the rate of economic growth; and thirdly, the structure of the economy. There are fundamentals for building a stable State. It is important to implement the Sustainable Development Goals in line with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. We must strengthen our national capacities and manage our economies effectively, using comprehensive strategies to fight corruption, build institutions, strengthen the rule of law and diversify the economy. The United Nations can assist States and establish partnerships with them in that regard.”
2018-10-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8372 (2018) · source
“The State of Kuwait believes that such resources and the environment must not be used during armed conflict. For that reason, we proposed a draft resolution, which was subsequently adopted by the General Assembly (resolution 56/4), for the annual observance of 6 November as the International Day for Preventing the Exploitation of the Environment in War and Armed Conflict. Kuwait will also call for an Arria Formula meeting on 7 November in order to address preventing the use of the environment in armed conflict, as well as strengthening the international legal framework in that regard. Poverty, hunger, inequality and the absence of good governance are among the most important reasons for the outbreak of conflicts, as mentioned by United Nations reports.”
2018-10-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8372 (2018) · source
“History is full of examples of armed conflicts and civil wars resulting from the legal and illegal exploitation of natural resources, which fuelled them and were a reason for prolonging them. It is often the case that the exploitation of natural resources is the main reason for such conflicts and wars breaking out again. Natural resources are a divine blessing to be preserved but they can be used as weapons of war with serious consequences for the environment, the economy and public health at both local and regional level. We have learned lessons from the environmental catastrophe that resulted from the Iraqi occupying forces setting fire to more than 1,000 Kuwaiti oil wells. That is an example of the misuse of natural resources and the environment during armed conflict.”
2018-10-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8372 (2018) · source
“Nevertheless, preventive diplomacy based on dialogue and mediation, as well as arbitration, remains the best means to prevent conflicts, including those linked to claims pertaining to natural resources. My country has been blessed with natural resources, and we know well that they can be linked to conflict. We experienced first-hand the catastrophic consequences of the disastrous occupation in 1990 on Kuwait and the countries of the world. Natural resources are not by themselves the only reason for conflicts and civil wars. The appropriate exploitation of natural resources could be the most important means for societies and countries to recover in the post-conflict period, leading to reconstruction and development.”
2018-10-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8372 (2018) · source
“I will mention the most prominent of them: first, strengthening the role of peacekeeping troops by implementing adequate mandates to enable peacekeeping operations to help the Governments concerned prevent natural resources from being exploited illicitly; secondly, supporting regional initiatives to limit the dangers related to the exploitation of natural resources, such as the Protocol against the Illegal Exploitation of Natural Resources in the Great Lakes region, the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative and the 2000 Kimberley Process, relating to blood diamonds, which has been a paradigm of cooperation; and thirdly, strengthening sanctions regimes by the Council, which must adopt explicit mandates with specific terms of reference for its panels of experts and monitoring teams so as to prevent the trafficking and illegal exploitation of natural resources.”
2018-10-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8372 (2018) · source