May 25, 2011 - Bali, Indonesia
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, His Excellency Dr. Mohammad Sabah AlSalem AlSabah, emphasized that he recalls with great pride and honor the 50th anniversary of the establishment of the Non-Aligned Movement and the challenges and obstacles it faced, which make it more determined to achieve the aspirations of all.
This came in the speech delivered by Dr. Mohammad AlSabah during the ministerial meeting of the Non-Aligned Movement here today, coinciding with the 50th anniversary of the Movement's establishment.
Dr. Mohammad said, "This anniversary makes us more determined to meet the hopes and aspirations of our founding fathers to enhance cooperation among Movement countries and push them to occupy the desired position among nations, given the challenges and successive developments witnessed by the international community."
He added, "While Kuwait commends the performance of the Movement and its achievements in enhancing its role on the international scene and preserving the principles and goals for which it was established, we renew our commitment to these principles and continue to work and cooperate with everyone to coordinate positions on international issues and the immense challenges facing the international community in the fields of peace and international security, development, and respect for human rights."
"We affirm our support and full support for the ongoing review process of the Movement's role in light of international changes and the necessary improvements in its structures, working methods, and mechanisms to ensure the enhancement of its status and its ability to achieve the aspirations and hopes of the peoples of the Movement countries, who aspire to a free and dignified life characterized by justice, equality, and everyone enjoying security, stability, and prosperity," he explained.
Dr. Mohammad pointed out that "the world is closely monitoring the rapid and successive developments in the Arab region in particular, represented in the emergence of demands that call on us all to contemplate and ponder their implications and causes, as well as to draw successful policies and present effective initiatives to achieve legitimate demands to improve economic, social, and developmental conditions."
He considered that "there is no doubt that the global financial and economic crisis, the rise in food prices, and the effects of climate change have led to the deterioration of the economic situation of many countries, especially developing countries." And Mohammad added, "Despite the signs of global economic recovery, the challenges and risks facing Movement countries are still significant, and there are indications that many countries will not be able to achieve the Millennium Development Goals by 2015."
He stressed that "out of its keenness to strengthen its relations with developing countries within the framework of partnership and cooperation and continuing its approach to providing development assistance, the State of Kuwait, through the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development, has continued to provide loans and grants to finance infrastructure projects in a large number of countries exceeding 100 countries, with a total value exceeding $15 billion, and Movement countries have received the lion's share in sectors such as agriculture, energy, education, and health."
Dr. Mohammad also pointed out that "the State of Kuwait has initiated efforts aimed at promoting economic growth and improving the standard of living of poor countries affected by the rise in prices of basic foodstuffs, where it established the Fund for Dignified Life with a capital of $100 million to develop and improve agricultural production in developing countries."
He mentioned that in the same context, "Kuwait donated $150 million in 2008 to support funding for scientific research related to energy, the environment, and climate change, payable over three years."
Dr. Mohammad added that during the 31st meeting of the Board of Governors of the Islamic Development Bank, held in Kuwait in May 2006, a decision was made to establish the Islamic Solidarity Fund for Development with the aim of combating poverty in member countries with a capital of $10 billion, and Kuwait announced its donation of $300 million.
He added that one of the most prominent initiatives taken by Kuwait was the initiative adopted by the Economic, Social, and Development Summit for Arab States held in 2009 when it established a fund with a capital of $2 billion to finance medium and small development projects in Arab countries, and Kuwait contributed $500 million.
Dr. Mohammad stressed, "We all agree that the Palestinian issue is the core of the Arab-Israeli conflict, and the failure to reach successful solutions to it is the cause of the disturbances and instability in the Middle East region, and Israel continues to reject all voices calling for peace and persists in ignoring and contemptuously rejecting all international decisions and initiatives, including the Arab Peace Initiative in 2002."
He considered that Israel's continued expansionist settlement policy and its seizure of more occupied Palestinian territories and its ongoing inhumane blockade of Gaza make mere contemplation of the peaceful option a far-fetched idea because Israel still defiantly challenges the will of international legitimacy and refuses to comply with it.
He considered that in light of this Israeli obstinacy and the ongoing suffering of the Palestinian people, the international community has a great responsibility to compel the Israeli regime to comply with international decisions and to completely withdraw from all occupied Arab lands in Palestine, Lebanon, and the Syrian Golan Heights to pre-June 4, 1967 lines.
In conclusion of his speech, Dr. Mohammad said, "Fifty years ago, the Non-Aligned Movement emerged to reaffirm the principles of justice, equality, respect for human rights, and the strengthening of mutual cooperation among member states, and Kuwait is pleased to reaffirm its commitment to these principles and express its readiness to make every effort to enhance the work of the Movement and elevate its performance to broad horizons that resonate with our aspirations and hopes to strengthen the role of the Movement in expressing the opinions of its members and confronting the rapid challenges facing the international arena."