Kuwait calls on Iraq to take serious steps to complete commitments regarding the missing and the national archive

The State of Kuwait called on the Republic of Iraq on Monday evening to take serious and tangible steps to fulfill its commitments regarding the disclosure of the fate of Kuwaiti prisoners and missing persons, as well as nationals of third countries, and the recovery of Kuwaiti property, including the National Archives. Kuwait emphasized that continued “delay in implementing these commitments necessitates effective measures and tangible results.” This was stated in a statement by the State of Kuwait delivered by Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs for Prisoners and Missing Persons Affairs, Ambassador Rabee Al-Adwani, at a session held by the UN Security Council concerning the situation between Kuwait and Iraq.

Ambassador Al-Adwani said that the first report of the UN Secretary-General, issued on October 1 of this year, confirmed that no progress had been made during the period covered by the report, and that 315 individuals remained missing, including 308 persons listed on the list submitted by the State of Kuwait. He clarified that the challenge, more than 35 years later, is not limited to the scarcity of new information, but also includes the failure to fully follow up on known information and testimonies, and the delay in implementing measures and commitments agreed upon years ago.

He pointed out that repeated Iraqi commitments had been received to facilitate interviews with witnesses and former officials believed to possess important information about the fate of the missing, yet none of these commitments had been translated into effective action. He added that among these commitments was one enabling the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) to interview nine detained officers from the former Iraqi regime, interviews that have not yet been conducted.

He noted that one former official of the Iraqi regime, who held the position of what was called “Director of Kuwait Security” during the Iraqi invasion, was supposed to be interviewed to obtain information he might have regarding detainees, the missing, and the National Archives. However, his execution in February 2026 prevented the interview, despite the Iraqi side’s approval.

Ambassador Al-Adwani warned that delaying interviews with known witnesses leads to the permanent loss of potential information sources, stressing the necessity of carrying out agreed-upon interviews and removing administrative obstacles that prevent their completion.

Regarding the Al-Khamisiyah site, he said that available information and testimonies indicate the possibility that the remains of between 150 and 180 Kuwaiti missing persons are located in several potential burial sites. He explained that one Iraqi witness provided documented testimonies containing information about potential burial locations, coordinates, and names of individuals inside and outside Iraq who might possess additional information. However, follow-up on these testimonies has not been completed to date.

He added that a joint technical assessment of one potential site in the Al-Khamisiyah area was completed with the participation of the Iraqi side and the ICRC, but the Iraqi side requested further study, despite its technical team participating in the site inspection since early September 2026. He also stressed the need for safety requirements and permits to lead to clear implementation measures, rather than continuing to suspend work without a fixed date, thereby allowing technical teams to complete their tasks.

Regarding missing Kuwaiti property, including the National Archives, Ambassador Al-Adwani expressed Kuwait’s concern over the continued lack of any substantive progress in this file, emphasizing that important sovereign and historical documents remain missing. He called on the Iraqi government to establish a clear plan and a specific timeline for the actual search for these properties and documents, by tracing their transfer routes during the invasion, identifying the entities and individuals responsible for their custody or transport, and verifying potential locations where they might be found.

In this context, he noted that the United States of America has returned the archives of the former Iraqi regime to Iraq on two occasions, one of which was last year in digital format. He considered that this provides an opportunity to utilize advanced digital search and analysis tools, including artificial intelligence technologies, to verify whether these materials contain information that could help trace Kuwaiti property or identify entities that dealt with it. He emphasized that the primary responsibility for searching for Kuwaiti property taken during the invasion, determining its location, and returning it lies with the Iraqi government, in accordance with relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions.

As part of supporting search efforts, Ambassador Al-Adwani clarified that the State of Kuwait, in cooperation with the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), has provided necessary information, documents, satellite imagery, and technical assessments, including an annual contribution of one million dollars to assist the ICRC in this field. He highlighted Kuwait’s readiness to provide any additional assistance required by the relevant Iraqi authorities, which would contribute to accelerating the search and fulfilling remaining obligations.

Regarding international follow-up, Ambassador Al-Adwani called for a shift from merely recording activities and commitments to measuring the level of implementation and results. He noted that Kuwait had previously submitted a proposal comprising 13 performance indicators aimed at monitoring existing commitments, identifying bottlenecks, and determining their causes. He stressed the importance of future reports clarifying what was agreed upon, what has been actually implemented, what has not been implemented, the reasons for delays, and the entities responsible for completing the required procedures.

He pointed out the significance of this matter as the scheduled review approaches in June 2028, which will rely on only four substantive reports under the mandate of the High-Level Representative, instead of five as stipulated in the timeline set by Security Council Resolution 2792 (2025).

Kuwait expressed its appreciation for the pivotal role played by the Security Council over the past decades in following up on humanitarian files concerning the fate of the missing and the return of Kuwaiti property, emphasizing the importance of continued collective attention by Council members to these files. He also reaffirmed Kuwait’s full support for the mandate of the High-Level Representative of the Secretary-General, Mari Yamashta, tasked with implementing Resolution 2792, expressing hope that her efforts will help address existing obstacles and achieve tangible progress before the review deadline.

Ambassador Al-Adwani affirmed that Kuwait attaches great importance to its relations with brotherly Iraq and is keen to strengthen bilateral cooperation based on mutual respect, good neighborliness, respect for sovereignty, and non-interference in internal affairs. He clarified that Kuwait’s primary objective is not to prolong these files or keep them open indefinitely, but rather to close them successfully and as quickly as possible by revealing the fate of all the missing and recovering Kuwaiti property, including the national archives.

Concluding Kuwait’s statement, Al-Adwani emphasized that this file is, above all, a humanitarian issue affecting the lives of Kuwaiti families who have been waiting for more than 35 years to learn the fate of their sons and fathers. He stated that some families still hold onto hope of learning the truth, and the least that can be offered to them is to ensure that opportunities to uncover the fate of their loved ones are not lost, and to work diligently to end their suffering. He affirmed, “It is their right to know, and it is our duty not to stop until they know.”