The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah, headed the Kingdom's delegation today, participating in the 55th session of the Human Rights Council held at the UN headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs delivered a speech in which he stressed the Kingdom's interest in continuing its close cooperation with the UN human rights mechanisms, which approach the concept of human rights from a comprehensive perspective based on protecting the individual and society, improving the quality of life, and empowering the factors of comprehensive development and renaissance.
He stressed the importance of respecting different values, not seeking to impose selected values on everyone, and taking into account differences between countries and societies. He said: 'Although we believe in the existence of common global values and principles, this does not negate the right of countries and societies to follow the value system that is compatible with the cultural and social diversity in the international community'.
He emphasized the Kingdom's commitment to enhancing its comprehensive human rights concept through its ambitious development vision for 2030. This commitment is evident in the evolution of the legal and institutional structure of the national human rights system, undertaken within the broader context of developing the legislative system as a whole. This includes improvements to labor and expatriate systems and policies, advancements in women's rights and empowerment, and initiatives in other areas that significantly impact the daily lives of both citizens and residents.
He added: 'Any institutional dialogue on human rights cannot be taken seriously if it ignores the tragic situation in Palestine. What rights are we talking about while Gaza is under the ashes? How can the international community remain silent while the people of Gaza are displaced and suffering from the ugliest forms of human rights violations?'
He pointed out that the Kingdom has repeatedly called on the international community to assume its responsibilities in stopping the war and irresponsible escalation, protect innocent civilians, and pave the way for a clear and credible peace process that is committed by all parties, warning of the catastrophic repercussions of threats to storm the city of Rafah, which has become the last refuge for hundreds of thousands of civilians, as a result of forced displacement by the Israeli occupation army.
He pointed out that 30,000 deaths, the starvation of more than two million people, the lack of security, and the interruption of basic services such as water, electricity, and medicine in the Gaza Strip and its environs, and despite this, the Security Council still ends its meetings without results, expressing the Kingdom's rejection of double standards and selectivity in their application.
He reiterated the Kingdom's demand to implement Security Council Resolution No. (2720) and activate the humanitarian mechanism accordingly, and lift restrictions on the entry of relief trucks and humanitarian aid, to alleviate unjustified human suffering. He renewed the Kingdom's call for an immediate ceasefire, paving the way for a serious, just, and comprehensive peace process.
The Kingdom's delegation included the Head of the Human Rights Commission, Dr. Hala bint Mazyad Al-Tuwaijri, the Undersecretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for Political Affairs, Dr. Saud Al-Sati, and the Kingdom's Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador Abdulmohsen Majed bin Khothaila.
