Ambassador Mansour Al-Otaibi

NEW YORK: The 76th UN General Assembly will focus on the ramifications of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic on the world as well as finding balanced means to distribute vaccines globally, said a Kuwait diplomat yesterday. Arab officials would focus in their participation on trying to solve crises and issues pertaining to the Middle East especially the plight of the Palestinian people Kuwait's Permanent Representative to the UN headquarters in New York Ambassador Mansour Al-Otaibi indicated in a statement to the press.

World leaders will bring upon the most important current issues namely the developments in Afghanistan in addition to the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference in Glasgow, Scotland, in November, said the Ambassador. This year's General Assembly will allow leaders and top figures to return to meetings on September 21-27 in person or pre-record their speeches as was the case last year, indicated Ambassador Otaibi.

He revealed that the General Assembly, presided over by the President of the current sessions the Maldives, would be held under the theme "Building resilience through hope - to recover from COVID-19, rebuild sustainability, respond to the needs of the planet, respect the rights of people, and revitalize the United Nations". He added that an estimated 70 to 90 heads of states and governments as well as foreign ministers would be taking part in the meetings.

He pointed out that the Kuwaiti delegation will be headed by His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Sabah Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah and will include Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs and Foreign Minister Sheikh Dr. Ahmad Nasser Al-Mohammad amongst others.

Kuwait's speech, to be delivered by the Prime Minister, will be on September 24th and it will touch on issues of multifaceted themes, the Ambassador affirmed that the Kuwaiti delegation will be holding a multitude of sideline meetings including heading the consultative meeting for the Arab foreign ministers at the headquarters of the Kuwaiti mission. He said that the UN General Secretariat would announce the schedule for meetings and participation soon. - KUNA