Kuwait, 2009

It

is my pleasure, Sir, to convey to you on behalf of the

State of Kuwait and on my own account our most

sincere congratulations on your election as President of

the General Assembly at its sixty-fourth session.

Undoubtedly, your long regional and international

experience will be an important asset in achieving the

success we desire in the work of this important session

of the General Assembly. I also wish to pay tribute to

the presidency of your predecessor, His Excellency

Father Miguel d’Escoto Brockmann, former Minister

for Foreign Affairs of Nicaragua, during the sixty-third

session. I cannot fail to express also our appreciation for

the efforts and good offices of His Excellency

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and of the entire

Secretariat staff. We thank them for all their efforts in

the service of peace and security and in improving the

performance and the programmes of United Nations

bodies with a view to enhancing and developing their

capacities to keep pace with new developments on the

international scene and to respond effectively to the

challenges and dangers of today’s world.

Never before has the world been in such need of a

strong, effective global organization. The diversity and

complexity of the challenges, crises and new

developments which confront our world today, in

addition to regional and international questions that

have remained unresolved for a long time, require

Member States to shoulder their responsibilities in

supporting this Organization, providing it with the

financial resources it needs to perform its duties and

discharge its responsibilities effectively and with

innovative methodology. Also, the United Nations

itself has a responsibility to improve its own

administrative structure and its performance in the

field, and to enhance its capacity to detect and monitor

developing challenges. This must be commensurate

with the current dangers, which require bold initiatives,

quick action and effective treatment.

Combating terrorism; eradicating poverty and

hunger; combating dangerous diseases such as

HIV/AIDS, malaria and the A (H1N1) influenza virus,

which of late has spread in a frightful manner all over

the world; and dealing with the spread of the scourge

of illegal drugs: these are all challenges that require

from our Organization innovative joint action that

recognizes the dangers, diagnoses the crises, prepares

the resources and intervenes effectively in a radical and

collective fashion. Also, mobilizing specialized

regional organizations to act in a concerted and

organized effort is an important element in addressing

these challenges.

Moreover, there are other challenges and threats

from which the international community still suffers,

the most prominent being the financial and economic

crisis and the phenomenon of climate change. The

financial crisis has had a negative impact on the

economies of the developing countries and has

impeded their efforts to attain the Millennium

Development Goals (MDGs). This has resulted in the

emergence of economic and social problems such as a

high rate of unemployment, deceleration in the rate of

economic growth, the collapse of financial markets and

an obvious contraction in regional and world trade.

In this regard, we welcome the Outcome

Document adopted by the high-level meeting convened

by the President of the General Assembly last June (see

resolution 63/303), where commitments were made to

help developing countries overcome the effects of the

financial crisis, through an increase in official

development assistance, and to improve the

international trade system. It also emphasized the need

to continue the reform of the international financial

institutions to ensure equitable representation on their

executive boards and to enhance their oversight role, as

well as to improve the conditions for providing

financial and technical assistance for the developing

and least developed countries.

37 09-52463

That effort, along with joint arrangements, led to

the emergence of signs of global economic recovery

during the last few weeks. It is our hope that such

action will continue in order to address a no less

dangerous crisis, that of climate change and the

degradation of the environment. This problem requires

an urgent global response. In this regard, we look

forward to the success of the important Climate

Change Conference, to be held in December in

Copenhagen, Denmark.

Kuwait will be honoured to host in

mid-December their Majesties and Highnesses, the

leaders of the Cooperation Council for the Arab States

of the Gulf, at their thirtieth Summit Conference,

where they will have a full agenda. Foremost of the

many issues before them will be a project of vital

importance: the electric grid linking their States. We

hope that this strategic step will be the first of many,

including the monetary unification project and the

issuance of a unified Gulf currency.

The State of Kuwait is proud to top the list of

Arab States, and to hold thirty-third position overall, in

human development. As indicated in the Arab Human

Development Report 2009, “Challenges to Human

Security in the Arab Countries”, issued by the United

Nations Development Programme, Kuwait scored the

highest marks among the Arab States in the fields of

education, health and general freedoms. Let there be no

doubt that the Government of Kuwait will continue its

efforts to improve economic and social conditions, and

to achieve all the Millennium Development Goals even

before the target date, which will provide a better life

for its citizens and residents.

Kuwait is proud, too, that the United Nations

Office on Drugs and Crime, located in Vienna, has

listed Kuwait as first among Arab States, and third

globally, in combating illegal drugs and drug

trafficking. That was possible only through a focused

national effort and broad regional cooperation, which

achieved outstanding results.

The State of Kuwait will continue steadily to

meet all its financial commitments to international and

regional institutes, funds and programmes in the field

of development assistance as well as to support

infrastructure projects in the developing and least

developed countries. Kuwait will also continue to

contribute to development projects through the Kuwait

Fund for Arab Economic Development, which since its

establishment in 1961 has provided assistance

amounting to more than $14.5 billion to more than a

hundred countries.

The State of Kuwait has also taken initiatives to

stimulate economic growth, raise living standards and

reduce poverty in States suffering from the increase in

prices of basic food commodities. For this purpose,

Kuwait has established the Decent Living Fund, with

$100 million capital, and has allocated $300 million to

fight poverty in Africa through the Islamic

Development Bank.

Although Kuwait is a developing country, the

percentage of humanitarian development aid that it

provides exceeds the target adopted at international

conferences, reaching 1.31 per cent of its gross

national product, compared with 0.45 per cent of the

gross national product of States members of the

Organization for Economic Cooperation and

Development (OECD).

Based on the State of Kuwait’s realization of the

importance of economic cooperation and trade in

consolidating relations between States, His Highness

the Emir of the State of Kuwait, Sheikh Sabah

Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, convened the first Arab

Economic Summit, focusing on development, which

Kuwait hosted last January. The Conference adopted a

number of important and ambitious economic projects

aimed at reaching new horizons of partnership and

cooperation. Also adopted was the proposal by the

State of Kuwait to establish a $1 billion fund, to which

we will contribute $500 million, to support and finance

small and medium-size development projects, which

will help raise the standards of living of Arab citizens.

The June parliamentary elections in my country

represented a qualitative transformation in Kuwaiti

parliamentary life, with four women obtaining the trust

and support of the Kuwaiti voters. They now join their

brothers in representing the Kuwaiti people and

expressing their ambitions under the dome of the

National Assembly. This civilized accomplishment

comes after Kuwaiti women have achieved success in

the fields of private and public enterprise, as well as

government work, including holding ministerial

positions in the Kuwaiti Cabinet. We express our pride

in, and appreciation of, the significant achievements of

Kuwaiti women and will continue to support their role

as active partners in the political, economic and social

fields.

09-52463 38

We express much sorrow and pain that the

question of Palestine has remained unresolved for over

six decades, despite numerous international efforts and

initiatives by a number of international and regional

parties. A source of major concern is the deteriorating

political, economic, social and humanitarian situation

in the occupied Palestinian territories, including

Jerusalem, as a result of the continued exercise by

Israel, the occupying Power, of its illegal policies and

practices, contrary to international law and relevant

United Nations resolutions.

In this regard, we renew our condemnation of

repeated Israeli aggression against the occupied

territories, in particular, the military aggression against

Gaza last December, in which more than

1,400 Palestinians, among them women, children and

the elderly, were killed. That aggression also resulted

in the unjustifiable destruction of homes, property and

civilian infrastructure.

We call upon the international community, the

Security Council in particular, to assume its

responsibilities and take all necessary measures to stop

Israel’s violation of international humanitarian law and

its settlement activities as well as the policy of

collective punishment it imposes on the Palestinian

people. That policy is applied through its blockade of

Gaza and its restriction of the freedom of access and

movement of persons in all areas, including in the

occupied territories. We also call for an immediate halt

to Israel’s settlement activities, which are carried out

under unacceptable pretexts.

The State of Kuwait also wishes to refer to the

report (A/HRC/12/48) of the United Nations Fact

Finding Mission on the Gaza Conflict, which clearly

proves that the Israeli forces committed war crimes

during the brutal aggression against Gaza last year.

This represents a grave violation of international

humanitarian law. Therefore, it is incumbent upon the

Security Council and the broader United Nations to

assume their responsibility to stop these crimes against

humanity and to punish the perpetrators in accordance

with international law.

Because of its moral and national responsibilities,

as well as its steady support for the Palestinian cause,

the State of Kuwait, in addition to supporting

international efforts to improve living conditions in

Gaza and to rebuild what the Israeli aggression against

Gaza destroyed, has voluntarily pledged to donate

$500 million, $200 million of which is to rebuild Gaza.

This is a portion of its commitments within the context

of the League of Arab States to support the Palestinian

Authority.

Kuwait also took the initiative of responding to

the appeal that the United Nations Relief and Works

Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East

(UNRWA) launched last December by donating the

entire amount sought, $34 million, to cover the cost of

urgently needed relief aid.

In this context, we believe that the suffering of

the Palestinian people will continue until there is a

permanent, just and comprehensive peace, which must

mean ending the Israeli occupation of the Palestinian

territories, the establishment of a Palestinian State,

with Jerusalem as its capital, and total Israeli

withdrawal from all Arab territories it has occupied

since 4 June 1967, in implementation of relevant

Security Council resolutions, the Road Map and the

Arab Peace Initiative.

As for Iraq, the State of Kuwait commends the

speedy efforts of the Iraqi Government to achieve

peace, security, stability and prosperity for the Iraqi

people. Kuwait supports every action that will preserve

the sovereignty, national unity and territorial integrity

of brotherly Iraq and ensure non-interference in its

internal affairs. The State of Kuwait also condemns all

acts of terrorism in Iraq aimed at destabilizing its

security and stability and instigating detestable violent

sectarianism.

To put an end to the so-called sectarian violence,

it is important to resume the policy of dialogue and

national reconciliation in order to ensure ample

participation by all sectors of society in all phases of

the political process, including the parliamentary

elections to be held next January. The State of Kuwait

will continue to support every effort to assist brotherly

Iraq to regain its standing and natural position in its

regional and international environment, in order to

build a democratic, unified and peaceful Iraq, living in

peace internally and with its neighbours, committed to

fulfil its obligations as laid down in resolutions of

international legitimacy.

The State of Kuwait hopes that the conflict over

the occupied United Arab Emirates islands will be

resolved by peaceful means. It calls upon the friendly

Islamic Republic of Iran to settle the question through

39 09-52463

direct brotherly negotiations or by recourse to the

International Court of Justice.

The resolution of conflicts and the settlement of

differences between States, particularly in our region,

must depend on a set of firm principles, deeply rooted

in international relations, and emanating from

resolutions of international legitimacy and the rules of

international law. If necessary, a decision of the

International Court of Justice must be sought to

preserve good-neighbourly relations. That basis and

those legal principles cannot be sidestepped to achieve

the self-interests of one side at the expense of the other.

In no case would that serve good-neighbourly relations

or the building of mutual trust, and therefore it would

affect the peace and stability of the parties, as well as

international peace and security.

We followed with great interest yesterday’s

Security Council summit (see S/PV.6191) addressing

one of the most important matters affecting

international peace and security, nuclear disarmament,

in order to create a world free of nuclear weapons. We

noted with satisfaction the unanimous adoption of

Security Council resolution 1887 (2009), which sets

the stage for a world free of nuclear weapons and

weapons of mass destruction, a world that fulfils the

hopes of humanity and ensures the safety and

prosperity of the world’s peoples.

While Kuwait supports the right of all States to

use nuclear energy for peaceful purposes, it reiterates

its deep-rooted belief in the important need for

disarmament of all weapons of mass destruction and

for declaring the Middle East region a zone free from

nuclear weapons. We renew our call to deal seriously

with Israel, the only country in the region that did not

adhere to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, and

call upon Israel to adhere to the Treaty and subject all

its facilities to comprehensive International Atomic

Energy Agency (IAEA) safeguards.

Kuwait also hopes that negotiations between the

friendly Islamic Republic of Iran, the IAEA and other

countries concerned will continue, with a view to

reaching a peaceful solution to the Iranian nuclear

issue in order to dispel the fears and doubts

surrounding the nature and purpose of its programme.

In conclusion, it is our hope that joint political

will can be mustered to achieve the noble purposes and

principles of the Charter and to confront the serious

challenges facing our world today.

There is also an urgent need to redouble our

efforts to reject fanaticism and xenophobia, and to

continue strengthening the dialogue between different

civilizations and religions as the ideal mode for

achieving understanding between cultures. This will

create an appropriate environment to consolidate the

principle of mutual respect and build bridges between

societies.