NEW YORK: Kuwait on Tuesday affirmed the importance of the prominent role of the United Nations through multilateral action to help and support afflicted peoples in all ways, which translates collective humanitarian action in its most beautiful form. The Permanent Delegation of Kuwait made the remarks in a speech to the United Nations, which was delivered by Diplomatic Attache Abdullah Bu Abbas before the Second Committee of the United Nations for Economic and Financial Affairs under the item (Eradicating Poverty and Development Issues).
Bu Abbas said, "Today we are addressing sensitive issues related to eradicating poverty, agricultural development, food security, and nutrition, due to their great importance in the lives of people and their sustainability,” in light of the tragedies witnessed by the world. Bu Abbas referred to the reports issued by the United Nations regarding the water crisis, which indicate that 40 percent of the world’s population today suffers from water scarcity and that up to 700 million people will be at risk of displacement due to severe water scarcity by 2030.
He added that the report warned that 80 percent of sewage is pumped untreated into the environment, and water-related disasters represent 90 percent of the most destructive natural disasters since 1990. The diplomatic attaché also referred to the report issued by the International Committee of the Red Cross, which stated that there are about 346 million people in Africa suffering from severe food insecurity, meaning that a quarter of the continent’s population does not have enough food.
Bu Abbas stated that about 96 percent of the population of Gaza (2.1 million people) face high levels of severe food insecurity, according to a report issued by the United Nations on the high risks of famine in the State of Palestine. In this context, the diplomatic attaché pointed to the role of the State of Kuwait and its efforts to help affected countries by establishing external mechanisms to help those countries and alleviate their suffering. The diplomatic attaché cited the prominent role of the Kuwait Fund for Economic Development, which provides grants and soft loans without regard to any political or religious considerations to 105 countries around the world, so that the humanitarian concern is the highest and the fixed line on which it proceeds. — KUNA