Kuwait Joins UN Security Council in 2018

The United Nations Security Council. (Reuters)
The United Nations Security Council. (Reuters)
TT

Kuwait Joins UN Security Council in 2018

The United Nations Security Council. (Reuters)
The United Nations Security Council. (Reuters)

Kuwait will join the United Nations Security Council as a non-permanent member in January.

The Gulf state will also chair the council in February.

Kuwait won its place at the council after a vote. It now replaces Egypt as the only Arab member at the council.

Kuwait will be joined by the Ivory Coast, Equatorial Guinea, Peru and Poland, succeeding Japan, Egypt, Senegal, Ukraine and Uruguay after their two-year temporary membership expired.

The Security Council is made up of 10 non-permanent members elected to two-year terms and five permanent powers: Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States.

The elected countries -- all of which were put forward by their regional grouping -- will begin their term on January 1.

Kuwait first joined the UN in 1963 and was granted membership at the Security Council in 1978 and 1979.

While pursuing a seat at the council, Kuwait vowed to follow up on the implementation of resolutions related to the region. It will persuade the other members to avert conflict and rely instead on diplomacy.



Saudi Arabia Reiterates Need to Reach Just Solution to Palestinian-Israeli Conflict

Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud chairs the cabinet meeting in Jeddah. (SPA)
Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud chairs the cabinet meeting in Jeddah. (SPA)
TT

Saudi Arabia Reiterates Need to Reach Just Solution to Palestinian-Israeli Conflict

Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud chairs the cabinet meeting in Jeddah. (SPA)
Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud chairs the cabinet meeting in Jeddah. (SPA)

The Saudi government reiterated on Tuesday its welcoming of the International Court of Justice’s (ICJ) advisory opinion on Israel’s policies and practices in the occupied Palestinian territories and the court’s confirmation of the illegality of the Israeli presence in the territories over the past 57 years.

Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud chaired the cabinet meeting that was held in Jeddah.

The government renewed the Kingdom’s position on the need for practical and credible steps to be taken to reach a just and comprehensive solution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict according to the 2002 Arab peace initiative and international resolutions.

The cabinet was briefed on the telephone talks held between Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, with French President Emmanuel Macron, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani.

The calls focused on joint relations and ways to boost and develop them.

The cabinet reviewed the latest regional and international developments and Saudi Arabia’s ongoing efforts to end the war on Gaza and support peace in Yemen to achieve regional security and stability.

It urged the international community, particularly active and influential parties, to assume its responsibilities and stop tensions in the region.

At the domestic level, the cabinet reviewed the latest economic developments and key indicators, including the stabilization of inflation in recent months due to the robustness of the Kingdom's economy and the effective measures and policies implemented to address the ramifications of rising global prices.