KUWAIT: UN Secretary General's Representative and Resident Coordinator to Kuwait Tareq Al-Sheikh said Thursday Kuwait is an exemplary model for promoting world security and peace, building regional and global partnerships and pursuing peace and preventive diplomacy. This came in a joint press statement issued by the UN official and Kuwaiti Assistant Foreign Minister for International Organizations Nasser Al-Hayyen, marking the International Day of Multilateralism and Diplomacy for Peace, which was observed Friday.

Kuwait strongly believes in international multilateralism and its significance to this unprecedented global response to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), Sheikh said. He commended the efforts and effective political stance of the Kuwaiti Foreign Ministry and government as a reflection of the approach of His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah as a Humanitarian Leader.

"In the UN, we always welcome the Kuwaiti role in supporting international multilateralism on all levels for promoting security and peace as well as multilateral partnerships," the UN official added. He regarded that the State of Kuwait has played a key part in the domain of multilateral partnerships and peace diplomacy, citing, in this regard, its fervent efforts and relentless work during its first 1978-1979 UN Security Council membership.

Kuwait, in fact, has spared no effort to take decisions regarding Arab issues, and to keep international peace and security, he remarked. Kuwait's UNSC membership was based on four priorities: adopting Arab issues, primarily the Palestinian cause, along with humanitarian issues, thwarting conflicts, pursuing preventive diplomacy and mediation, and overhauling UNSC mechanisms, Sheikh pointed out.

As for the International Day of Multilateralism and Diplomacy for Peace, the UN official said this international day is deemed a reaffirmation of the UN Charter and its principles pertinent to the resolution of conflicts among countries by peace means. In this regard, he underlined the significance of this occasion amid the current circumstances of the coronavirus, unresolved conflicts, climate change, growing inequality and humanitarian tragedies.

No buts, all this shows the importance of concerted work and peace diplomacy on both regional and international levels, he said, urging closer cooperation among countries, businesses, individuals and all segments of society, and partnerships with international organizations to address regional and global challenges.

More cooperation
Echoing the UN official's views, Kuwaiti Assistant Foreign Minister for International Organizations Nasser Al-Hayyen said it is essential to use this opportunity to push for more international cooperation to fight the COVID-19 pandemic, speaking highly of UN organizations' response to the globally spreading virus. He said Kuwait attaches much significance to the vital role of the UN, pointing out cooperation between Kuwait and the UN and its resident coordinator Sheikh as well as other specialized bodies' chiefs.

He boasted that the UN had picked His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah as a Humanitarian Leader and the State of Kuwait as a Humanitarian Center, thanks to donors' conferences hosted by Kuwait to alleviate the humanitarian situation in Syria. Kuwait also played host to UN-sponsored inter-Yemen peace negotiations for three months, and provided bountiful aid to affected people worldwide, the official reminded.

During its UNSC membership, Kuwait kept its humanitarian approach and wise and moderate policy, he said, citing UNSC Resolution 2472 suggested by the State of Kuwait for missing people during armed conflicts. He also reminded of Resolution 2449 jointly proposed by Kuwait and Sweden for humanitarian aid to Syria and Resolution 2401 on a ceasefire in, and aid access to, Syria.

The Kuwaiti official noted his country's efforts to back Iraq on all levels, including the hosting of an international reconstruction conference on Iraq, while commending its endeavor to settle inter-Gulf disagreements. Finally, Kuwait has promoted its concept of multilateralism by contributing $60 million to the World Health Organization (WHO) to support its fight against the Covid-19, he concluded. - KUNA