Amir’s UN humanitarian leader award well-deserved: UNGA chief

KUWAIT: Newly-elected United Nations General Assembly President Tijjani Muhammad-Bande said His Highness the Amir of Kuwait’s UN humanitarian leader accolade was “well-deserved” due to the country’s “remarkable” global humanitarian record. Discussions he held with officials, amid a visit to Kuwait, focused on how the country could support countries in need, individually or through collective efforts with other nations, he told KTV at UN House. The UN official’s discussions with His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Sabah Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah also touched on support Kuwait extends to UN agencies.

Kuwait has “taken the lead” for many years on humanitarian issues worldwide, particularly through the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development initiatives, said the Nigerian diplomat, who was elected UNGA President in June, this year. As a current member of the UN Security Council, Kuwait’s efforts are “important for all of us,” he pointed out, particularly its “engagement” with other member countries on crucial issues. His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber AlSabah was handed the honor for his “exemplary humanitarian leadership” by former UN chief Ban Ki-moon at a ceremony in New York in 2014.

Meanwhile, Muhammad-Bunde’s visit to Kuwait saw him giving a speech at the Kuwait Diplomatic Institute, where the UN official listed several matters he viewed as priorities amid his one-year term. The peaceful settlement of disputes through conflict prevention and cooperation, the inclusion of women, youth and the disabled, poverty eradication and urging nations to commit to climate action were amongst the topics of his address. Speaking to KTV, he also alluded to the importance of “partnerships” between nations to solve shortages one nation might face compared to others. Where one nation lacks resources, another, with an abundance, may provide, he suggested.