The Saudi Foreign Minister participates in a multilateral meeting on navigation security in Hormuz and Bab al-Mandab on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly

Prince Faisal bin Farhan, the Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs, participated on Tuesday in a multilateral meeting at the invitation of the President of the United States, Donald Trump, and in the presence of the heads of delegations of the Gulf Cooperation Council countries, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, and Turkey, on the sidelines of the work of the high-level week of the United Nations General Assembly in its eighty-first session.

During the meeting, the latest developments in the situation in the Middle East were discussed, most notably the regional escalation and its repercussions on the security and stability of the region, and the challenges related to the security and freedom of navigation in the Straits of Hormuz and Bab al-Mandab.

The meeting also reviewed efforts to contain tensions, prevent the expansion of conflict in the region, and strengthen political and diplomatic paths to address the existing crises.

Saudi Arabia stressed the importance of protecting sailors stranded in the Strait of Hormuz, in light of the harsh humanitarian conditions they face and the risks affecting their basic rights, stressing that their protection is closely linked to ensuring safe and unhindered maritime navigation, in accordance with the provisions of international law, including the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.

This came in a joint statement delivered by Ambassador Abdul Mohsen bin Khathila, the Kingdom’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations in Geneva, on behalf of a group of countries representing various regional regions, during the general discussion under item four within the work of the 63rd session of the Human Rights Council.

In the statement, the Ambassador expressed deep concern about the continued exposure of sailors to insecurity and difficult living conditions, noting the casualties and injuries resulting from attacks on civilian ships among their crew members, at a time when a number of sailors are still facing challenges in obtaining food, drinking water, fuel, medicines and medical care.

He pointed to Human Rights Council Resolution No. 56/18, which states that seafarers represent a category of workers requiring protection, and that they do not bear responsibility for the conditions in which they find themselves, stressing the need to ensure the protection of their lives, health, safety and dignity in accordance with international law.

The statement welcomed the efforts made by the concerned parties to protect sailors, valuing in particular the humanitarian initiatives undertaken by some Arab Gulf states through their port and maritime affairs authorities, including search and rescue operations, providing basic supplies and medical assistance, showing flexibility in administrative procedures, and facilitating the process of changing ship crews.

At the conclusion of the joint statement, and on behalf of the group, Saudi Arabia called on countries to ensure the protection of sailors in Hormuz, and this comes as international calls continue to protect commercial ships and sailors and ensure the safety of navigation in the strait.

Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad, Emir of the State of Qatar, confirmed on Tuesday that the region is going through one of its most dangerous stages, indicating that the way to resolve differences is through dialogue and negotiation to reach just solutions on the basis of international law.

The Emir of Qatar said during his speech before the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly, in New York, that “closing an international waterway (the Strait of Hormuz) through which a quarter of the world’s energy trade passes, and turning the arteries of the global economy into pressure and bargaining chips, the price of which will be paid by people on every continent.”

He pointed out that Qatar “has remained a reliable mediator who warns that time does not resolve outstanding disputes without a just settlement, but rather doubles their cost,” noting that it “is not satisfied with the role of mediation and facilitating dialogue between parties to conflicts, but rather makes efforts in the humanitarian response to people’s suffering as a result of wars and natural disasters.”

Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad added: “It is not right to talk about a just international system as long as Palestine is a blind spot in it,” considering that “what happened in Gaza was genocide in every sense of the word, and a disgrace on the forehead of all humanity.”

He pointed out that Qatar “did not stop making mediation efforts to stop the bloodshed, alleviate the suffering of civilians, and release prisoners and detainees until a ceasefire was achieved,” noting that “the Israeli aggression has extended to include neighboring countries and the security of the region, including Syria.”

The Emir of Qatar renewed his country’s support for the state institutions in Lebanon and its sovereignty over its entire territory, expressing its condemnation of the Israeli attacks on it, and stressing the necessity of adhering to the ceasefire and the Security Council resolution.

He continued: “At a time when we are doing everything in our power to remedy the situation through diplomatic efforts, we have strengthened our steadfastness in defense of our sovereignty, our land, our people, and the components of our normal lives, and we have designed flexible economic plans.”

Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad continued: “Our choice in every crisis is to combine steadfastness, flexibility, and upholding the interests of our nation, our people, and those residing on our land. Our values ​​are not a slogan we raise, but rather a reality we live and an approach we practice.”

He stressed that his country will continue “investing in development, education, health, security and economic diversification in line with Qatar National Vision 2030,” pointing out that it “remains an open space for dialogue and cultural interaction between peoples and the exchange of opinions and experiences.”