Second Secretary at the Permanent Mission to the UN Fahad Hajji

NEW YORK: The State of Kuwait said Friday it shared the UN's concern over the growing phenomena of child abuse; emerging from online social media. In a speech delivered at the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child, Second Secretary at the Permanent Mission to the UN Fahad Hajji stressed Kuwait's keenness to sustain children's rights and adhering to implementation of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child so that children all over the world are protected.

Although 192 countries have signed the UN agreement, many children all over the world continue to live in poor social and economic conditions, and fall victims to armed conflicts, sexual exploitation, poverty, disease and AIDS.

In his speech, Hajji cited measures taken by the State of Kuwait in improving children's statuses. He said that Kuwait also included an item in its 2030 sustainable development agenda regarding children protection.

According to Hajji, Kuwait have provided children with a number of educational, health and cultural services to promote their wellbeing, adding that Kuwait has also established a Supreme Committee for the Child and Family which was set up by the Council of Ministers and is made up of government and private sector. Kuwait is a signatory of the International Child Right Protection Agreement which was signed in 1991.

The Kuwaiti government issued the Child Law No. 22/2015 as a step towards activating and approving more social, health and education rights for children in line with the child rights of the United Nations and to guarantee dignified lifestyle.

Supporting Africa

Separately, Kuwait called on the international community to move forward with backing the requirements of attaining the aspirations of African people in achieving development and reviving economies in their countries.

Supporting Africa is an essential part of the historic ties and cultural heritage that links the continent with the rest of the world, in addition to joint interests, hopes, and destiny, Kuwait's Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador Mansour Al-Otaibi, said in his speech at the UN General Assembly (UNGA) 71st session while discussing the New Partnership for Africa's Development.

Since its establishment, Kuwait has always sought to work faithfully on extending bridges of cooperation with various African countries in development and economic growth fields, the Kuwaiti diplomat said, adding that his country had never spared any effort in providing development aid to developing countries, particularly African nations, through its state and private institutions. Kuwait is also proud of its historic ties with a number of African countries, Otaibi said, pointing out Kuwait's current observer status at the African Union.

In November 2013, Kuwait hosted the third Arab-African Summit, held under the theme "Partners in Development and Investment," during which an initiative by His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah was announced to grant $1 billion easy loans to African countries, of which $700 million have been cashed via the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development (KFAED), he noted.

Otaibi also added that his country is currently planning to invest $1 billion, via the Public Investment Authority (PIA) in cooperation with the World Bank and its affiliated institutions, and the China-Africa Development Fund, in the infrastructure of the African continent.

Kuwait is also scheduled to hold an international donors conference to back up education in Somalia during the forthcoming month of November, which aims at increasing the education level and combating illiteracy in Somalia, he said, pointing out the conference's importance as a step toward renewing the Somali people's ambitions to receive an education opportunity, and be able to cope with modern-day changes. - KUNA