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NEW YORK: The world is facing \u201cunprecedented challenges,\u201d Saudi Arabia\u2019s foreign minister told the UN General Assembly on Saturday, as he condemned \u201cflagrant\u201d Iranian and Houthi attacks on his country and warned the world to take Gulf security seriously.<\/p>\n
Prince Faisal bin Farhan\u2019s address came amid a period of significant regional turbulence, with months of bruising conflict between the US, Israel and Iran earlier this year and the Gulf states subject to thousands of Iranian missile and drone attacks. Yemen\u2019s Houthi militia have also attacked Saudi Arabia.<\/p>\n
Any attempt to build sustainable relations among countries in the region \u201ccan\u2019t be based on domination, influence or the exploitation of crises,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cRather, they must be founded on mutual respect, common interests, good neighborliness, respect for the sovereignty of states, and full compliance with international law and international humanitarian law.\u201d<\/p>\n
The world and the multilateral system are \u201cfacing rapidly evolving and unprecedented challenges,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Yet crises are surfacing not due to an absence of resources, but \u201cfrom a lack of commitment to the principles agreed upon by the international community,\u201d which must \u201cshoulder its responsibilities in confronting all threats to international peace and security.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Middle East is of critical importance to the world, Prince Faisal said, adding: \u201cThe stability of this vital region is directly linked to global energy security, the steadiness of international trade and the resilience of global supply chains.<\/p>\n
\u201cSafeguarding international navigation and the resilience of global supply chains is a shared responsibility that requires serious international cooperation to prevent risks that could affect the global economy.\u201d<\/p>\n
Prince Faisal called for the upholding of freedom of navigation in the world\u2019s key waterways, naming the Strait of Hormuz, the Bab Al-Mandab Strait, the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden.<\/p>\n
He rejected any attempt by Iran to impose fees or transit conditions on civilian vessels transiting Hormuz, a response to months of proposals by Tehran to implement tolls there.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Kingdom rejects the use by any party of these vital waterways as an instrument of pressure, threat or harm to the interests of states in accordance with international law and relevant UN resolutions,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Prince Faisal highlighted Saudi support for attempts at de-escalation and mediation in the region, highlighting efforts by Qatar and Pakistan.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis would contribute to restoring stability to the region and creating conditions conducive to dialogue and diplomacy,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe stress the importance of ensuring that any arrangements on regional security must be comprehensive, effective and sustainable. They must clearly address the root causes of threats and instability.\u201d<\/p>\n
The region must be free of weapons of mass destruction, while civil nuclear programs should be subject to international oversight and safeguard mechanisms, he said.<\/p>\n
Saudi-led efforts to bring about peace in Gaza have proven a major fixture at the UNGA, and the Palestinian issue featured prominently in Prince Faisal\u2019s address.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe continued suffering of the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, and the targeting of civilians by the Israeli occupation, the obstruction of humanitarian assistance, attempts at forced displacement, and the continued expansion of illegal settlements all constitute serious violations of international law and international humanitarian law,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Prince Faisal reiterated Saudi Arabia\u2019s rejection of any Israeli attempt to displace the Palestinian people from their land, as well as the Kingdom\u2019s belief in the two-state solution as the only mechanism able to bring an end to the conflict.<\/p>\n
He also highlighted the plight of Yemenis, and aid efforts by the Kingdom to its neighbor that have brought assistance to hundreds of thousands of people.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve provided humanitarian and development assistance to the Republic of Yemen amounting to more than $29 billion; we were the first among humanitarian donors to the Republic of Yemen,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Prince Faisal welcomed Friday\u2019s UN Security Council condemnation of Houthi missile and drone attacks against Saudi Arabia.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Kingdom calls upon the international community to reject and condemn all the Houthi terrorist militias, aggressions and criminal acts that threaten the security of navigation in the Red Sea and Bab Al-Mandab Strait,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n
Regarding Sudan, which has witnessed years of bloody civil war and atrocities, only an intra-national solution can resolve the conflict, the Saudi foreign minister said.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt must be based on supporting Sudanese state institutions, thus fulfilling the aspirations of the Sudanese people, alleviating their humanitarian suffering and enhancing their security and stability,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n
Prince Faisal also welcomed the US removal of sanctions on the Syrian Arab Republic, and praised the country\u2019s efforts toward stability, reconstruction and development.<\/p>\n
A state monopoly on arms should be implemented in Lebanon and Iraq, he said, praising Baghdad\u2019s efforts to achieve this.<\/p>\n
Prince Faisal lauded the achievements of the Kingdom\u2019s Vision 2030, 10 years after the landmark national transformation agenda was launched.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe vision has contributed to strengthening the Kingdom\u2019s position as a regional and international hub for business investment, tourism, industry, technology and logistics,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Prince Faisal highlighted the vulnerability of global energy security, which \u201crests on its capacity to withstand and adapt to disruptions, ensure the stability of energy supplies, protect critical infrastructure, diversify supply routes and safeguard freedom of navigation.\u201d<\/p>\n
These tasks are a \u201cshared responsibility that requires sustained international cooperation,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
During the Iran war and subsequent closure of the Strait of Hormuz, Saudi Arabia has demonstrated its commitment to energy security by \u201cmaintaining the continuity of supplies through long-term investments in infrastructure,\u201d he added, highlighting the importance of the East-West Pipeline to global stability.<\/p>\n
Petroleum reserves sourced from the Kingdom have also helped \u201cmitigate the effects of those disruptions and enhance the reliability of supplies to global markets,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Prince Faisal highlighted Saudi Arabia as \u201cone of the countries with the lowest carbon and methane emissions globally from hydrocarbon resource production operations.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Kingdom continues to develop a more efficient and sustainable energy system through the deployment of emissions-reduction technologies, including carbon capture, utilization and storage, and carbon dioxide removal,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve also expanded the use of renewable energy, the application of innovation and the production of sustainable fuels, including clean hydrogen.<\/p>\n
\u201cThese efforts support energy security, enhance resource efficiency and contribute to achieving sustainability.\u201d<\/p>\n
The reliability of global trade must be maintained as this will \u201cnot only support the Kingdom but also the world at large,\u201d Prince Faisal said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve provided logistic support to neighboring countries during the current crisis by opening up our ports for the transport of goods and people. This reflects our responsibility toward the region and the world.\u201d<\/p>\n
Amid mounting public debate over the future of artificial intelligence, Saudi Arabia supports harnessing AI \u201cin the service of humanity and development,\u201d Prince Faisal said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Kingdom has taken a leading role in establishing the international network of artificial intelligence capacity-building centers … The Kingdom also hosts the International Center for AI Research and Ethics in Riyadh under the auspices of UNESCO, thereby strengthening international cooperation in this field.\u201d<\/p>\n
Confronting the world\u2019s \u201cunprecedented challenges\u201d requires \u201cthe greatest possible measure of wisdom, responsibility and cooperation,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe challenges confronting us can\u2019t be addressed by any state on its own; security can only be consolidated and sustained through adherence to the principles upon which the UN Charter is founded, as well as through a respect for international law.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Kingdom will continue to work with its partners in the international community to advance sustainable development, peaceful solutions to crises, and every pathway that reinforces stability and builds confidence based on mutual respect, with a view to building a safer and more prosperous future for the region and the world.\u201d<\/p>\n
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