Kuwait: Respect for International Court of Justice Rulings and State Sovereignty

Kuwait affirmed, on the evening of yesterday, the importance of respecting the rulings of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) and complying with international legal obligations, calling for the application of international law rules without selectivity or double standards in criteria, thereby enhancing the credibility of the international system and consolidating the principles of justice.

This was stated in Kuwait’s address delivered by Diplomatic Attaché Ilaf Al-Subaih to the United Nations General Assembly during the discussion of Agenda Item 72 concerning the ICJ report.

Al-Subaih said that the Court, as the principal judicial organ of the United Nations, plays a pivotal role in settling legal disputes between states and providing advisory opinions, contributing to the entrenchment of the rule of law and the peaceful settlement of disputes.

She emphasized that the true value of international justice lies not only in issuing judgments and advisory opinions but also in respecting them and complying with the legal obligations arising therefrom.

Regarding the Palestinian issue, Al-Subaih stressed the importance of the recommendations issued by the Court concerning the practices of the occupying Israeli entity in the occupied Palestinian territory, particularly the advisory opinion issued in July 2024, which affirmed the illegality of the continued Israeli presence there.

She welcomed the advisory opinion issued in October 2025 concerning the obligations of the occupying entity toward the United Nations and international organizations operating in the occupied Palestinian territories, including facilitating humanitarian relief and cooperating with UN agencies, particularly the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA).

In another field, Kuwait stressed the necessity of respecting state sovereignty and taking national practices into account when codifying and progressively developing international law rules, emphasizing the need to rely on a precise analysis of relevant international practices and legal evidence to enhance legal certainty and the rule of law at the international level.

Jassim Al-Amiri, Second Secretary of Kuwait’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations, expressed Kuwait’s appreciation for the efforts undertaken by the International Law Commission in codifying and progressively developing international law rules, while stressing the importance of continued constructive interaction between it and the Sixth Committee, and the due consideration of states’ views and national practices when examining the Commission’s outputs.

Regarding the issue of sea-level rise in the context of international law, Al-Amiri affirmed Kuwait’s awareness of the severity of the challenges posed by this phenomenon to coastal and island states, along with its associated environmental, economic, social, and legal repercussions, calling for continued international cooperation to address climate change and mitigate its effects.

In another area, Kuwait affirmed the necessity of keeping outer space a domain for peace, scientific progress, and international cooperation, accessible to all states without discrimination regardless of their levels of scientific or economic advancement, calling for ensuring the peaceful and sustainable use of space to serve the common interests of all humanity.

Diplomatic Attaché Mohammed Al-Mulla, addressing the UN General Assembly, renewed Kuwait’s commitment to the principles of the UN Charter and the 1967 Outer Space Treaty, particularly the principle that the exploration and use of outer space must be carried out for the benefit and in the interests of all countries. He affirmed Kuwait’s keenness to support the Committee’s efforts to enhance international cooperation and the peaceful and sustainable use of space.