Kuwait: Starving Civilians in Conflicts Threatens International Peace and Security
Kuwait has affirmed that food insecurity linked to conflicts is no longer solely a humanitarian issue, but is directly connected to the preservation of international peace and security. It stressed the necessity of implementing existing international commitments and preventing the starvation of civilians as a method of warfare. This was stated in a statement delivered by Kuwait’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Tariq Al-Banna, during a high-level open debate of the UN Security Council titled “Food Under Fire: The Role of the Security Council in Mitigating Global and Local Food Crises.”
Ambassador Al-Banna noted that the Security Council recognized early on the close link between conflict and food insecurity through its unanimous adoption of Resolution 2417 in 2018, pointing out that Kuwait, during its tenure on the Council at that time, had the honor of co-sponsoring the resolution and advancing the issue to the core of the Council’s work and responsibilities. He clarified that the significance of the resolution lies in establishing a clear international understanding of the relationship between conflict and hunger, and in condemning the starvation of civilians and the unlawful denial of humanitarian assistance. He emphasized that with eight years having passed since its adoption, the priority today is to implement existing commitments and transform the Council’s resolutions and early warning mechanisms into tools that prevent famine before it is too late.
In this context, Ambassador Al-Banna also affirmed that the Gaza Strip today represents a stark example of the repercussions of targeting the human right to food and restricting access to it. He noted that the Israeli blockade and restrictions on the entry of aid and goods, along with the widespread destruction of civilian infrastructure and production facilities, have led to famine in parts of the Strip. He strongly condemned “the use of the occupying Israeli entity—the occupying Power—as a method of warfare to starve civilians,” denouncing the placement of innocent civilians in a dilemma of “starvation or surrender” as a blatant violation of international law, international humanitarian law, and the most basic elements of human dignity.
On regional matters, Ambassador Al-Banna stated that recent developments in the Arab region have demonstrated that the repercussions of conflicts do not stop at their borders but extend to global supply chains and markets. He expressed Kuwait’s strongest condemnation of Iran’s continued closure of the Strait of Hormuz, given that it poses a direct threat to the security and stability of global supply chains. He clarified that the danger of this action is not limited to energy security but extends to global food security by disrupting trade flows and increasing the costs of shipping, fuel, and fertilizers, leading to food price inflation, with the brunt of these consequences borne by the most fragile and import-dependent countries.
