Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al-Saud, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Saudi Arabia, said her country is proud to be a founding UN member and “is doing everything in its power to translate the principles of the Charter into a tangible reality.”  The country encourages respect for international law, promoting international peace and security, and supporting multilateralism. It also remains loyal to the UN Charter’s objectives by responding to calls for humanitarian aid and “extending a helping hand” and has provided aid subsidies great than $141 billion benefitting 174 countries.  As the Organization reaches its eightieth year, it must become more capable and efficient in keeping pace with world developments and finding essential approaches to ending conflicts, she stressed.

He then turned to the “unprecedented suffering of the Palestinian people and the unprecedented humanitarian crisis in Gaza,” which has been officially classified as famine, stressing this situation runs contrary to the Charter’s principles, international law and international humanitarian law.  The “brutal and unchecked practices carried out by the occupation authorities,” completely disregard the historical and legal rights of the Palestinian people in their land, and obliterate their legitimate rights, he said.  The international community’s failure to take decisive measures to stop Israeli aggressions and violations will only contribute to destabilizing the region.

“It is time to find a just and lasting solution to the Palestinian issue, as military escalation will not achieve security and peace,” he said, advocating for the two-State solution.  He called on all countries to recognize the State of Palestine. He condemned aggressive Israeli attacks in the region, including attacks on Qatar.  Saudi Arabia holds a firm conviction for peace in the region and throughout the world, he stressed, urging dialogue to achieve a ceasefire in Sudan, a Libyan-led solution to Libya’s crisis and a peaceful settlement of the Ukraine conflict.  On the domestic front, he cited the success of the country’ Vision 2030 programme, noting women’s participation in the workforce has reached more than 36 per cent.  The country aims to strengthen global cooperation to curb climate change, “working within international treaties.”