Kuwait to Iraq at the Security Council: Take Serious Steps to Reveal the Fate of the Missing and Recover Property

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

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 remain missing, including 308 persons listed on the register submitted by 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, as well as the delayed implementation of measures and commitments agreed upon years ago.

He pointed to repeated Iraqi commitments to facilitate interviews with witnesses and former officials believed to possess important information about the fate of the missing, noting that none of these commitments have been translated into effective actions. Among these commitments was an agreement to allow the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) to interview nine officers detained from the former Iraqi regime, interviews that have not yet been conducted.

Al-Adwani noted that a 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 Iraqi approval.

Ambassador Al-Adwani warned that delaying interviews with known witnesses leads to the permanent loss of potential information sources, stressing the need to carry out agreed-upon interviews and remove administrative obstacles hindering 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 an Iraqi witness provided documented testimonies containing information about potential burial sites, coordinates, and names of individuals inside and outside Iraq who might possess additional information. However, follow-up on these testimonies has not been completed.

He added that a joint technical assessment of one potential site in the Al-Khamisiyah region 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 enabling 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 to Iraq the archives of the former Iraqi regime on two occasions, one of which was last year in digital format, considering that this provides an opportunity to leverage 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 the entities that dealt with it. He emphasized that the primary responsibility for searching for Kuwaiti property taken during the invasion, determining its whereabouts, and returning it lies with the Iraqi government, in accordance with relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions.

In the framework of supporting search efforts, Al-Adwani clarified that Kuwait, in cooperation with the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), has provided the necessary information, documents, satellite imagery, and technical assessments, including an annual contribution of one million dollars to assist the Committee in this field. He pointed out 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.

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

Al-Adwani concluded by emphasizing that this file, before being an obligation under Security Council resolutions, is 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 not to allow opportunities to uncover the fate of their loved ones to be lost, and to work diligently to end their suffering. He stressed, “It is their right to know, and it is our duty not to stop until they know.”