This came in a statement by Kuwait’s Mission to the UN, read by Consul Mohammad Faisal Al-Mutairi before the General Assembly’s Social, Humanitarian and Cultural Affairs Committee (Third Committee) in its 64th session. The committee was discussing the elimination of racism, racial discrimination, and xenophobia.
The consul recounted the speech of His Highness the Amir of Kuwait Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah to the General Assembly November of last year on inter-cultural dialogue, when he called for transforming the global culture of hate and extremism into one of dialogue and co-existence, and eliminating all forms of extremism, racism and discrimination.
Al-Mutairi reiterated Kuwait’s political and legal stance on this matter, saying that it reflected the values of the society which was built on the principles of Islam which rejected discrimination and racism.
He added that Kuwait delved from the principles of Islam and international conventions, and worked to instill the pillars of equality between individuals in the society and to guarantee them their basic rights.
Moreover, he said the Gulf state took several legal and practical measures to counter and eliminate discrimination, adding that Kuwait emphasized equality of all people and that this had been stipulated in its constitution.
Al-Mutairi also highlighted Kuwait’s keenness for international cooperation in the field of human rights and the elimination of racial discrimination, and its firm belief in these rights, as well as its membership in international agreements related to human rights, eliminating discrimination and slavery, human trafficking, and genocides, among others.
He said that despite the fact that the UN had condemned colonization, slavery and discrimination, and had issued a declaration to put an end to mass injustices and racial discrimination against people living under occupation, what was happening in some places in the world were still a cause for concern.
Kuwait condemned Israel’s violation of the rights of Palestinians in the occupied territories, and reaffirms the importance of placing the necessary mechanisms to protect them from political discrimination and isolation, he said.
He said that the separation wall built by Israel was just one form of isolation and instigation of hate, adding that the report issued by the Human Rights Council on the Goldstone Report affirmed that Israel was violating the human rights of Palestinians and was executing crimes against humanity.
Al-Mutairi concluded his address by saying that Kuwait aspired to further cooperate with nations in order to bring justice and equality in the world.