Checked Against Delivery
Thank you, Madam President,
Let me also thank Senior Representative Yamashita for her briefing. Denmark welcomes her appointment to this position and thanks her for the work undertaken so far. I also welcome the presence of the representatives of Iraq and Kuwait in this meeting.
Madam President,
Just over one year ago, this Council unanimously adopted resolution 2792 establishing a follow-up mechanism to promote, support, and facilitate efforts towards the repatriation or return of Kuwaiti missing persons and property.
This mechanism represents a useful instrument to ensure continuity and sustained UN engagement on this humanitarian issue. We underscore the importance of continued cooperation between Iraq and Kuwait and echo the call for both parties to resolve outstanding issues.
Denmark regrets that no progress has been recorded during the reporting period in the search for missing Kuwaiti citizens, third country nationals and missing Kuwaiti property, and that 315 people remain unaccounted for. However, we recognise the efforts undertaken by Iraq, Kuwait and the ICRC to pursue available leads while acknowledging that the scarcity of credible new information remains a key challenge.
We urge both countries to maintain political commitment and take concrete measures to strengthen trust in cooperation with the international community. This remains essential to clarify the fate of the missing persons as well as to make progress on missing Kuwaiti property, including national archives.
Madam President, in closing,
The relatives of missing persons deserve closure. They deserve certainty about their loved ones. We call on both sides to sustain their commitment and work towards this goal in good faith, to resolve these important and longstanding humanitarian issues.
Thank you.
