Saudi Arabia

In the name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

Your Majesties, Highnesses, and Excellencies, Your Excellency the President of the General Assembly of the United Nations, Your Excellency the Secretary-General of the United Nations, Distinguished attendees,

Peace, mercy, and blessings of God be upon you.

At the outset, we would like to congratulate His Excellency Mr. Philemon Yang on his election as President of the seventy-ninth session of the General Assembly of the United Nations, and to thank His Excellency Mr. Dennis Francis for his efforts during his presidency of the previous session.

We also take this opportunity to express our deep gratitude and appreciation to His Excellency the Secretary-General of the United Nations, Mr. António Guterres, for his tireless efforts in realizing the principles and objectives of the Charter of the United Nations.

Mr. President,

Since its participation in the founding of this Organization, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has been keen to exert every possible effort to translate the Charter of the United Nations into tangible reality, by consolidating respect for international law, preserving international peace and security, and supporting multilateral international cooperation channels in all fields.

In this context, the Kingdom participated effectively in the drafting of the Pact for the Future, which was adopted by world leaders this week. The Kingdom considers the Pact and the Summit of the Future to be an opportunity to reaffirm shared principles, enhance cooperation to confront challenges, achieve peace and security, and support sustainable development for future generations. The Kingdom is also keen to activate the role of international financial institutions to ensure the continuity of economic recovery and reduce risks.

Mr. President,

Our world today is witnessing numerous crises that have been exacerbated due to mere crisis management without finding practical solutions to address them. This is due to the laxity of effective international efforts, and selectivity in the application of international law and international humanitarian law. This has resulted in an expansion of the circle of violence and conflicts, and a threat to the principles of international legitimacy. This compels us to commit to the principles and foundations established by the Charter of the United Nations, and to work jointly and seriously to focus on long-term peaceful solutions that ensure the protection of civilians, end fighting and wars, and provide security and prosperity regionally and internationally.

Amid the tensions prevailing among states, the Kingdom adopts an approach of distancing itself from political polarization in the international community, and seeks to promote dialogue, understanding, and rapprochement among states in a manner that strengthens global security and peace.

In this regard, the Kingdom reiterates its rejection and condemnation of all the heinous Israeli crimes committed against the brotherly Palestinian people. The recent crimes committed against defenseless civilians in the Gaza Strip are but another chapter in the suffering of this brotherly people, which has continued for decades. Since last year, Israeli brutal practices have claimed the lives of tens of thousands of Palestinian civilians, most of them women and children, as a result of systematic bombing, killing, destruction, and starvation, amid a great humanitarian catastrophe that worsens day by day.

Stemming from our categorical rejection of this bitter reality, and the necessity of taking action to end it, the Kingdom hosted the Extraordinary Joint Arab-Islamic Summit in Riyadh on November 11, 2023, attended by leaders and heads of government of the member states of the League of Arab States and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation. The Summit issued resolutions representing the will of all Arab and Islamic peoples, calling for an end to the bloodshed, the delivery of assistance without restrictions, and the fulfillment of the legitimate demands of the brotherly Palestinian people to restore their occupied land and establish their independent state.

The Kingdom chaired the Ministerial Committee tasked by the Extraordinary Joint Arab-Islamic Summit with conducting visits to a number of countries in order to call on the international community to assume its responsibilities, halt the Israeli aggression, and protect civilians. In this vein, the Kingdom welcomes the adoption by the United Nations General Assembly, on May 10, 2024, of a resolution stipulating that the State of Palestine is qualified for full membership in the United Nations. The Kingdom also welcomes the positive decision taken by the Kingdom of Norway, the Kingdom of Spain, the Republic of Ireland, the Republic of Slovenia, and the Republic of Armenia to recognize the brotherly State of Palestine, and calls upon the remaining states to proceed with bilateral recognition. Sensing our shared responsibility to take serious action toward realizing the recognition of the independent Palestinian state, the Kingdom, together with its partners members of the Joint Arab-Islamic Ministerial Committee, the Kingdom of Norway, and the European Union, announced the launch of the International Alliance for the Implementation of the Two-State Solution.

Mr. President,

The Kingdom has provided more than 5 billion US dollars in assistance to the brotherly Palestinian people. Since the beginning of the current crisis in the Gaza Strip, the Kingdom has provided, through the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center, relief and humanitarian assistance amounting to nearly 185 million US dollars. Agreements have been signed with a number of UN and international humanitarian organizations to implement humanitarian projects, amounting to more than 106 million US dollars. The Kingdom will continue to support UNRWA to enable it to provide its relief services and supply food, medicine, and humanitarian needs to the brotherly Palestinian refugees, as the Kingdom's total support to UNRWA has exceeded one billion US dollars.

The Kingdom welcomes the advisory opinion issued by the International Court of Justice regarding Israel's policies and practices in the occupied Palestinian territories, and its affirmation of the illegality of the Israeli presence in the occupied Palestinian territories for 57 years. The Kingdom affirms the necessity of taking practical and credible steps to reach a just and comprehensive solution to the Palestinian question based on international legitimacy resolutions and the Arab Peace Initiative, in a manner that guarantees the right of the brotherly Palestinian people to establish their independent state on the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital.

The absence of accountability and punishment, despite the continuation of Israeli violations of international law and international humanitarian law, encourages further escalation, as we witness the escalating attacks and violations to which Lebanon is being subjected. This escalation will not achieve security and stability for any party, and portends serious consequences, expanding the scope of violence and wars, and further threatening the security and stability of the region. The Kingdom affirms the necessity of preserving Lebanon's stability and respecting its sovereignty, in accordance with international law and relevant Security Council resolutions. It joins international efforts aimed at establishing an immediate ceasefire that would allow room to reach a sustainable diplomatic settlement. We also call upon all parties to exercise wisdom and utmost restraint to spare the region and its peoples the dangers and tragedies of wars.

Mr. President,

The Kingdom has taken clear steps to push toward calm and development at the regional level. An agreement was reached with the Islamic Republic of Iran to resume diplomatic relations between the two countries on the basis of respect for the sovereignty of states, non-interference in their internal affairs, and respect for the Charters of the United Nations and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, in a manner that positively reflects on consolidating security and stability, and advancing the wheel of regional development and prosperity. We look forward to its cooperation with the international community regarding the nuclear program and ballistic missiles. The Kingdom has also resumed its diplomatic relations with the Syrian Arab Republic, to enhance cooperation and coordination between the two brotherly countries on common issues, out of the Kingdom's belief that resolving the Syrian crisis will contribute to the development and stability of the region, while affirming the importance of preserving Syria's unity, security, stability, and territorial integrity, in a manner that achieves the good of its brotherly people.

The Kingdom is keen on the return of peace to brotherly Yemen, and supports all efforts aimed at resolving the crisis and lifting the humanitarian suffering of the brotherly Yemeni people, and pushing toward reaching political solutions to restore security and stability to Yemen and the region. It reaffirms its initiative to end the war in Yemen, and reach a comprehensive political solution.

Amid the tensions witnessed in the Red Sea region that affect the security and safety of international navigation routes and global trade, the Kingdom reiterates its call for wisdom and avoidance of escalation, and for enhancing joint efforts to preserve the security and stability of the Red Sea region, whose freedom of maritime navigation is an international demand that affects the interests of the entire world.

On the Sudanese issue, the Kingdom affirms its firm positions regarding preserving the security, safety, and stability of Sudan, the cohesion of the state and its institutions and preventing its collapse, and supporting it in confronting the developments and repercussions of the current crisis. The Kingdom hosted the Sudanese peace talks in the Governorate of Jeddah, to affirm the necessity of calm, halting military operations, and delivering humanitarian and relief assistance. Work is underway to resume Jeddah talks 3 for this purpose.

The Kingdom affirms its keenness on the security, stability, and territorial unity of Afghanistan, and that Afghanistan cannot live in isolation from its regional and international surroundings, especially in light of the danger posed by the presence of terrorist groups in Afghanistan. We affirm the importance of limiting the deterioration of humanitarian, security, and economic conditions, which gives extremist groups and militias the opportunity to strengthen their presence in Afghanistan. We affirm that economic and developmental stability can only be achieved in an environment characterized by political and social stability.

Regarding the Russian-Ukrainian crisis, the Kingdom reiterates its call to end the crisis and reduce its negative effects and repercussions on global security and stability. His Royal Highness the Crown Prince and Prime Minister – may God preserve him – has exerted his good offices to secure the release of a number of prisoners of various nationalities. The Kingdom hosted last year a meeting of national security advisors and representatives from more than 40 countries and international organizations. The Kingdom affirms the necessity of exerting all possible efforts toward ending the crisis, resolving disputes peacefully, respecting the principles of international law, and seeking to preserve the security and interests of all. The Kingdom also affirms its readiness to continue exerting mediation efforts between the two parties to the crisis.

Mr. President,

The Kingdom, in line with its Vision 2030, aims to meet the aspirations of future generations, empower women and youth, develop creativity and innovation, consolidate the values of tolerance, and build bridges of communication with the world. Through its developmental approach, it aims to achieve a comprehensive and sustainable renaissance that focuses on human beings, preserving their rights, enhancing their dignity, and fulfilling their aspirations.

Mr. President,

The Kingdom is committed, in the field of energy, to achieving a balance between three pillars: energy security, providing affordable energy for all, and reducing the effects of climate change. The Kingdom is keen on the stability, reliability, and sustainability of global oil markets, and on meeting needs in a manner that enhances the availability of energy, ease of access to it, and the security and safety of supplies, to ensure a thriving global economy that benefits producers and consumers alike.

The Kingdom is committed to contributing to reducing the effects of climate change, through adopting a comprehensive approach to energy transitions based on a logical, organized, and just foundation, so that the goals of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Paris Agreement are achieved, by benefiting from all technologies that contribute to addressing greenhouse gas emissions from all sources, including oil and gas, which will continue to be a pivotal part of the global energy mix for decades to come. In addition to the Kingdom's possession of technologies that have enabled it to be among the lowest countries in the carbon and methane emissions intensity index in oil and gas operations, it continues to develop other low-emission energy products. In this regard, the Kingdom is working on building a carbon capture, transport, and storage hub in Jubail Industrial City, with a capture and storage capacity of up to 9 million tons annually of carbon dioxide by 2027, and a maximum capacity of up to 44 million tons annually by 2035.

Mr. President,

The Kingdom supports the Sustainable Development Goals and international cooperation to confront the challenges of climate change. The Kingdom announced, at the Saudi-African Summit in Riyadh, the allocation of nearly 50 billion US dollars to support these efforts, and launched several pioneering initiatives based on the circular carbon economy approach, such as the Saudi Green Initiative and the Middle East Green Initiative, in addition to investing in the best carbon intensity reduction technologies, and increasing renewable energy sources in the optimal energy mix for electricity production, and producing clean hydrogen, aspiring to become a major producer and exporter of both in the world. The Kingdom also supports numerous projects concerned with rationalizing consumption, raising energy efficiency, and preserving wildlife and the sustainability of marine and aquatic life.

In this vein, the Kingdom hosted World Environment Day 2024, sponsored by the United Nations Environment Programme, and will host the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (COP16) at the end of this year, to affirm its commitment to protecting the environment, and resisting and combating drought and desertification. The Kingdom has taken up the file of hosting the eleventh World Water Forum in 2027. In this regard, I note the announcement by His Royal Highness the Crown Prince and Prime Minister – may God preserve him – of the establishment of the Global Water Organization in September of last year, which aims to develop and integrate the efforts of states and organizations to address water challenges in a comprehensive manner.

Mr. President,

The Kingdom is keen to work toward a world free of nuclear weapons, and a stable Middle East. In this regard, the Kingdom stresses the necessity for all states to commit to preserving the non-proliferation system, while preserving the right of states to the peaceful use of nuclear energy.

Mr. President,

The Kingdom supports the efforts made to confront terrorist organizations, and affirms the importance of enhancing joint action and continuing coordination among international partners to confront the threat posed by these groups to our countries and peoples. We stress the necessity of exerting more efforts to reduce the impact of propaganda campaigns launched by terrorist groups. We also affirm the importance of continuing international efforts to combat the financing of terrorism, and the necessity of exchanging information related to this matter.

Mr. President,

The Kingdom has gained the trust of the international community through being chosen to host Expo 2030, under the theme "The Era of Change: Together for a Foresighted Tomorrow," to achieve the idea of the exhibition represented in envisioning the future of the planet and beneficial technological developments, with a focus on the Sustainable Development Goals. The exhibition represents an opportunity to enhance work on projects of global impact, and cooperation to find global solutions through innovation, sustainability, and inclusiveness, as a commitment from us toward developing countries. The Kingdom expresses its thanks and appreciation to the countries that supported its hosting of this global event.

In conclusion, we look forward to our efforts contributing to conveying our message, values, and principles to the world, in an atmosphere prevailed by respect and partnership, to build a better future for all humanity.

Peace, mercy, and blessings of God be upon you.