Kuwait: UN Strength Measured by Implementation of Its Resolutions and Translation into Tangible Results

Kuwait confirmed on Thursday that the strength of the United Nations is not measured solely by the number of resolutions adopted by its organs, but by the extent to which those resolutions are respected and implemented, and by the system’s ability to translate the consensus of member states into tangible results on the ground.

This statement was made in Kuwait’s address, delivered by Third Secretary of its Permanent Mission to the UN, Abdulaziz Al-Saadi, during a general debate of the UN General Assembly on the agenda item titled “Implementation of United Nations resolutions.”

Al-Saadi said that the purpose of adopting resolutions is not fully realized merely by approving their texts, but by achieving the objectives for which they were issued. He emphasized the need to strengthen systematic follow-up mechanisms for implementing resolutions of UN organs, particularly the Security Council, to enable an assessment of implementation levels, identify cases of non-compliance, and address them.

In this context, he recalled Kuwait’s experience during the brutal Iraqi invasion in 1990, citing it as a prominent example of the effectiveness of multilateral international action when resolutions of international legitimacy are coupled with serious political will to implement them.

He noted that Security Council resolutions – from Resolution 660, which demanded the immediate and unconditional withdrawal of Iraqi forces from Kuwait, to Resolution 687 – contributed to restoring the country’s freedom, independence, and territorial integrity.

He affirmed that this experience demonstrated the UN’s capacity to protect state sovereignty, deter aggression, restore rights, and safeguard international peace and security, calling for this model to remain the rule rather than the exception in the history of international action.

In a related context, Al-Saadi reiterated Kuwait’s strong condemnation of Iranian attacks carried out against it since February last year using ballistic and cruise missiles and drones, despite Kuwait’s non-involvement in the ongoing regional conflict and its refusal to allow the use of its territory, airspace, or territorial waters for any military operations against Iran.

He referred to the adoption of Security Council Resolution 2817, which affirmed the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Kuwait, the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, and Jordan, noting that attacks continued after its adoption by Iran and its affiliated militias in Iraq.

He added that Kuwait has been keen to document these attacks and keep the Security Council informed through successive official letters, reaffirming its commitment to the full implementation of Resolution 2817 and the necessity of adopting a uniform and consistent standard in respecting and implementing resolutions of international legitimacy without selectivity.

On the Yemeni issue, Al-Saadi affirmed Kuwait’s support for the legitimate Yemeni government, as well as Yemen’s sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity. He reiterated Kuwait’s full solidarity with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in the face of Houthi militia attacks on its territory, targeting civilians, civilian objects, and navigation in the Red Sea and the Bab al-Mandab strait.

He stressed that the security of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is an integral part of the security of Kuwait and the GCC countries, calling on the Security Council to ensure the full implementation of its relevant resolutions, particularly Resolutions 2216 and 2722, to put an end to these attacks and preserve the security and stability of the region.

Regarding the Palestinian issue, Al-Saadi stated that the continued failure to implement resolutions of international legitimacy is a clear example of the gap between the adoption and application of resolutions, despite decades having passed since their issuance.

He affirmed the Palestinian people’s right to self-determination and the establishment of an independent state on the June 4, 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital. He pointed to the continued non-implementation of Security Council Resolution 2334, which demanded the immediate and complete cessation of all settlement activities in the occupied Palestinian territory.

He called for the consistent and non-selective implementation of United Nations resolutions, applying the same standards to all issues and countries, thereby enhancing the credibility of international legitimacy and safeguarding the legitimate rights of peoples.

He emphasized that the challenge facing the United Nations does not lie in its ability to adopt more resolutions, but rather in bridging the gap between the adoption of resolutions and their implementation, thereby strengthening the confidence of states and peoples in the UN system and its capacity to uphold international peace and security.