Kuwait calls on Iraq for concrete steps to reveal the fate of the missing and restore the national archive

The State of Kuwait has called on Iraq to take serious and concrete 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 restitution of Kuwaiti property, including the National Archives. Kuwait emphasized that continued delays necessitate actual measures and tangible results to end the suffering of families who have been waiting to learn the fate of their loved ones for more than 35 years.

This statement was made by Ambassador Rabee Al-Adwani, Assistant Undersecretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for Prisoners and Missing Persons, during a session of the UN Security Council dedicated to discussing the situation between Kuwait and Iraq. He stressed the need to move beyond recording activities and commitments to measuring the level of implementation and achieving clear results on the ground.

Al-Adwani stated 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. He noted the continued existence of 315 missing persons, including 308 individuals listed on the list submitted by the State of Kuwait.

He clarified that the challenges remaining, after more than 35 years, are not limited to the scarcity of new information, but also include the failure to fully follow up on known information and testimonies, as well as delays in implementing measures and commitments agreed upon years ago.

He added that Iraq had repeatedly pledged to facilitate interviews with witnesses and former officials believed to possess important information about the fate of the missing. However, not all these pledges have translated into practical steps. He pointed out that interviews that were supposed to be conducted by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) with nine officers detained from the former Iraqi regime have not yet been carried out.

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

Al-Adwani warned that delaying interviews with known witnesses leads to the permanent loss of potential information sources, emphasizing the necessity of implementing agreed-upon interviews and removing administrative obstacles hindering their completion.

Al-Khamisiya.. Potential Burial Sites

Regarding the Al-Khamisiya site, Al-Adwani clarified that available information and testimonies indicate the probable presence of remains of between 150 and 180 Kuwaiti missing persons at several potential burial sites.

He mentioned that one 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, the follow-up on these testimonies has not yet been completed.

He added that a joint technical assessment of one potential site in the Al-Khamisiya area was completed with the participation of the Iraqi side and the ICRC. However, the Iraqi side requested further study, despite its technical team participating in the site inspection since early September 2026.

He stressed the need to convert safety requirements and permits into clear implementation procedures that allow technical teams to complete their tasks, rather than continuing to suspend work without a specified date.

The National Archives..

Calls for a Clear Timeline

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

He noted that the United States had returned archives of the former Iraqi regime to Iraq on two occasions, one of which was in digital format last year, considering that this provides an opportunity to leverage advanced digital research and analysis tools, including artificial intelligence technologies, to verify whether these materials contain information that could help track Kuwaiti property or identify the entities that handled them.

He affirmed 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 support of search efforts, he clarified that Kuwait, in cooperation with the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), had provided the necessary information, documents, satellite imagery, and technical assessments, along with an annual contribution of one million dollars to assist the Committee in this field. He reaffirmed Kuwait’s readiness to provide any additional support required by the relevant Iraqi authorities to accelerate work and fulfill remaining commitments.

13 Indicators for Monitoring Implementation

Regarding UN follow-up, Al-Adwani called for future reports to clarify what has been agreed upon and what has actually been implemented, what remains unimplemented and the reasons for delays, and the entities responsible for completing the required procedures.

He noted that Kuwait had previously submitted a proposal comprising 13 performance indicators aimed at monitoring existing commitments, identifying bottlenecks and their causes. He emphasized the importance of adopting an approach focused on actual results rather than merely recording activities and commitments.

He highlighted the significance of this as the scheduled review approaches in June 2028, which will be based on four objective reports instead of five, according to the timeline stipulated in Security Council Resolution 2792 (2025).

Al-Adwani expressed Kuwait’s appreciation for the role played by the Security Council over the past decades in following up on humanitarian files related to uncovering the fate of the missing and recovering Kuwaiti property. He reiterated his country’s full support for the mandate of the Secretary-General’s High Representative for implementing the resolution, Marie Yamashita, and expressed hope that her efforts would help address existing obstacles and achieve tangible progress before the review deadline.

Closing Files as a Humanitarian Priority

Al-Adwani affirmed that Kuwait places great importance on its relations with fraternal Iraq and strives to enhance bilateral cooperation based on mutual respect, good neighborliness, respect for sovereignty, and non-interference in internal affairs. He stressed that Kuwait’s goal is not to prolong these files or keep them open, but to successfully close them as soon as possible by uncovering the fate of all missing persons and recovering Kuwaiti property, including the National Archives.

He concluded his speech by emphasizing that this issue, before being a commitment under Security Council resolutions, is a humanitarian matter affecting Kuwaiti families who have been waiting for more than 35 years to learn the fate of their sons and fathers. He stressed the necessity of not allowing opportunities to uncover their fate to be missed and working diligently to end their suffering, affirming that “it is their right to know, and it is our duty not to...”

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