At the outset. I congratulate His Excellency Mr. Dennis Francis on assuming the presidency of the General Assembly at its seventy-eighth session. I wish him every success. I also express my appreciation to His Excellency Mr. Csaba Korosi for his efforts in presiding over the General Assembly at its seventy-seventh session. I commend the efforts of the Secretary-General. His Excellency Mr. Antonio Guterres, and the staff of the United Nations for fulfilling its noble goals.
I would like first of all to offer my sincere condolences to my brother His Majesty King Mohammed VI and to the brotherly people of Morocco for the victims of the devastating earthquake. I also extend my condolences to the Government and people of the sisterly State of Libya for the victims of the floods there. We ask Almighty God for a speedy recovery for the injured and mercy for the deceased. I affirm our full solidarity with them in that ordeal.
God has bestowed a favour on us by allowing us to live in an era of unprecedented accelerating progress, in which an innovative spirit prevails in the fields of medicine, technology and science in general, and wherein the human ability to use resources has multiplied, enabling the provision of a decent life for all of humanity. The sequent innovations have brought about productivity, prosperity and a level of communication between humans in a way close to realizing the visions of science fiction.
Although this evolution has enabled us to realize many wishes, it has come at a cost for the people of the world, our planet and its resources. The average life expectancy and standard of living for the majority of humanity have risen, and this has clearly manifested itself in population growth. Nevertheless, poverty and unemployment rates have also increased, and there is a growing awareness of the lack of justice in wealth distribution, in addition to the dire consequences for the environment. In areas such as genetics and artificial intelligence, the possibilities for realizing the well-being of all humanity are increasing. But the gap between possibility and reality is also widening. However, as those possibilities are unfolding in the same era. there are peoples who are grappling with child labour, starvation, unemployment and civil wars, while developed countries guard their borders against the influx of refugees fleeing this suffering, as if the peoples of the earth are living in two different eras.
Rapid technological development and the growing reliance on it open up unprecedented prospects for humanity to develop for the better. Undoubtedly, science and technology are crucial for increasing productivity and improving the quality of human life. But celebrating the means without responsible thinking about the ends for which they are used has led to major disasters such
as the use of nuclear weapons, dangerous experiments on humans and genocide in concentration camps.
It is incumbent on us to keep pace with scientific and technological development, encourage it in our countries and encourage barriers between countries in this field to be removed. At the same time, it is not plausible to ignore the worsening risks in terms of reality falsification, invasion of personal privacy, educational process disruption through the facilitation of plagiarism, and the spiralling effect of disinformation and ploys aimed at deception.
Therefore, in addition to the necessity of cooperation and investment in developing those technologies, we reiterate the call for unifying efforts to prevent the misuse of cyberspace and regulate this vital aspect, based on the provisions of international law.
In that context. Web Summit 2024 will take place in Doha. The convening of that event constitutes an important opportunity to review development in the field of technology and create new cooperation opportunities in the realm of technology for the benefit of all humankind. It is also an occasion to welcome everyone to Doha.
We must not forget that there are peoples around the world, especially in our region, who are directly affected by the current tragedies and who consider their involvement in the issues I have mentioned as a sort of luxury. If we are truly an international community and not merely diverse entities, it is our duty to strive towards ending the injustice afflicting them, at least in accordance with what is required by the resolutions of this body and by international law.
It is not acceptable for the Palestinian people to remain prisoners of the arbitrariness of the Israeli settler occupation and the rejection by successive Israeli Governments of any just political solution in line with the principles of international legitimacy. We have to bear in mind that the failure of the international organization to take action against the occupation provided and continues to provide the opportunity for Israel to undermine the foundations of the two- State solution by means of settlement expansion until the occupation has taken the form of an apartheid regime in the broad daylight of the twenty-first century. Even some of Israel’s close friends have taken notice of that. Israel also responds to Arab peace and normalization initiatives with more intransigence and national ultra-orthodox extremism that are reflected in government coalitions, further settlement expansion, the Judaization of Jerusalem and attacks on holy sites, besides using heavy-handed means against those languishing under the occupation and tightening the noose on the Gaza Strip.
Qatar provides political, humanitarian and development support to the brotherly Palestinian people and contributes towards rebuilding the Gaza Strip, which is reeling under the siege, in addition to its continuous contribution to funding the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East. It also continues its adherence to the principled stance regarding the fairness of the Palestinian question, which has become a credibility test for world politicians in relation to the Middle Eastern region.
In the case of Syria, it is not permissible to condone the gross injustice that has befallen the brotherly Syrian people as if it is destiny. The crisis is still awaiting a comprehensive settlement through a political process leading to a political transition, in accordance with the Geneva communique and Security Council resolution 2254 (2015). in a way that meets the Syrian people’s aspirations while maintaining Syria’s integrity, sovereignty and independence.
It is regrettable to witness the outbreak of violence in the Sudan this year, which has had a dire impact on the brotherly Sudanese people and exacerbated the refugee crisis. We condemn the crimes perpetrated against civilians in the capital. Khartoum, and in the Darfur region, and we call for holding perpetrators to account. We also call for the cessation of hostilities and recourse to the voice of reason, and that civilians be spared the consequences of the fighting. We affirm our support for all regional and international efforts to facilitate reaching a ceasefire and hold a dialogue among Sudanese political forces about the future of the Sudan, with only one army charged with protecting, rather than ruling, the country.
In brotherly Lebanon, where danger hangs over the State’s institutions, we stress the need to find a sustainable solution to the political vacuum, while introducing mechanisms that thwart its recurrence, and form a Government capable of addressing the aspirations of the Lebanese people and getting them out of their economic and development crises. The prolonged suffering of that brotherly people, caused by political and personal interests, is regrettable.
In Yemen, we call for the crisis to be resolved in accordance with the decisions of the National Dialogue Conference, the Gulf Cooperation Council Initiative and the relevant Security Council resolutions.
With regard to the Libyan issue, we reiterate our unwavering support for the efforts of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya and his efforts to achieve tangible results to resolve Libyan crisis.
It is clear that the solution in all sisterly countries that I mentioned lies in reaching consensus on the State’s entity and citizenship.
Regarding the situation in Afghanistan, we continue to coordinate international efforts and facilitate dialogue among the United Nations, the countries concerned and the caretaker Government of Afghanistan to ensure compliance with the Doha agreement in a way that ensures the non-recurrence of past mistakes in order to prevent Afghanistan from sliding into a humanitarian crisis that is difficult to manage. It must also be ensured that Afghanistan does not become a haven for terrorist individuals and groups and that the Afghan people receive the international support and assistance that they need and enjoy human rights, including minority rights and women’s rights to education and work.
In the context of talking about our region, we reiterate our appreciation for the detente witnessed this year, as represented by the constructive dialogue and re-establishment of ties between the sisterly countries the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Islamic Republic of Iran, as well as between the Arab Republic of Egypt and the Republic of Türkiye.
The war in Europe drags on. Along with Russia and Ukraine, it has consumed the entire Europe and has been affecting the whole world in vital areas such as energy and food. In the absence of the prospect of a permanent political solution, and due to the ability to keep the war raging indefinitely by major international blocs engaging directly or indirectly in the war. a longterm truce has become the aspiration most sought by people in Europe and all over the world. However, that cannot be the basis for long-term stability. Based on the harm that has befallen the peoples of the two countries and the peoples of the world, and because such a status quo cannot be accepted, we reiterate our call on all parties to comply with the Charter of the United Nations and international law. respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of States and resort to a radical peaceful solution that is based on those principles.
Our region is awash with tremendous potential and opportunities, and our peoples are tolerant and peace-loving, a fact that has been distorted by stereotypes and preconceptions. During the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, there was an opportunity for interaction among peoples, and for the world to see our people as they are and to learn about some aspects of our culture and values, besides Qatar’s stature as a global destination and nexus between East and West. We emphasized the role that sport plays in building bridges of communication and rapprochement among peoples and cultures. I hope that we have contributed, through that tournament, to breaking the stereotypes and have presented a new exciting and safe tournaments’ formula to the world.
In Qatar, we have had a dream that our country will be one of the prosperous nations whose people enjoy well-being and prosperity, and we have invested decades of planning and comprehensive development work to make that dream come true. We have achieved a great deal, thanks to God and the solidarity of everyone in Qatar.
While investing in liquefied gas was a leverage to realize that dream, our investment has enabled us to play an important role in addressing the energy challenge around the world with a realistic vision that takes into account the world needs for a diverse mix of different energy sources by using the highest levels of advanced technology that is. at the same time, environmentally friendly. We realize that energy export imposes obligations on us. as a reliable partner, towards the countries of the world, while, at the same time, imposing obligations on us towards our people and the future generations as well. Hence Qatar continues to develop its sovereign fund and diversify the sources of its income, including investment in clean energy. The State of Qatar pursues environmentally friendly policies and supports various projects for protecting them. In that context, we are going to host the Qatar Horticultural Expo next month.
State responsibility also prompts Qatar to strengthen its role in providing humanitarian aid. exerting mediation efforts and resolving conflicts that affect our region. The road to resolve conflicts through
peaceful means is a long and strenuous path, but it is less costly than wars. Our commitment to continuing our efforts in facilitating and making peace is a principled commitment deeply rooted in the core of our foreign policy.
We reaffirm that we are proud of our partnership with the international Organization, and there is no clearer evidence of that than the opening of the United Nations House, which so far includes 12 United Nations offices, in the presence of the Secretary- General of the United Nations in Doha last March. In March, my country also hosted the fifth United Nations Conference on the Least Developed Countries, which is considered one of the most prominent international forums. It galvanized efforts to achieve the ambitious goals of the Programme of Action for the Least Developed Countries for the Decade 2022-2031. While we affirm that the State of Qatar is a major and active partner in the efforts to respond to the priorities and needs of those countries, we welcome the Sustainable Development Goals Summit held yesterday. We are pleased that the State of Qatar is once again playing a leading role in major debates under the umbrella of the United Nations, the most recent of which is working with Ireland to facilitate governmental negotiations on the political declaration adopted by the Sustainable Development Goals Summit yesterday.
We believe that cooperation in those areas contributes to preventing the waves of refugees that have become a real problem for Europe as well as for African and Asian countries.
Allow me to pinpoint the need to combat racism and campaigns of incitement against entire peoples, religions and civilizations. On this occasion. I would say to my Muslim brethren that it is implausible for us to get distracted by an idiot or a biased person whenever it occurs to them to provoke us by burning the Holy Qur’an or by other trivial means. The Qur’an is too holy to be desecrated by a witless person. God Almighty said: “Embrace forgiveness, enjoin what is right and turn away from the ignorant” (The Holy Qur’an, VII: 199). At the same time. I would say to all those who seek to justify those hideous acts as freedom of expression that compromising the sanctity of others deliberately should not be seen as an example of the freedom of expression.
In conclusion, it is the duty of leaders to empower their peoples with the means to live in peace and security and to look forward to a better future for upcoming generations. There are obstacles at the level of the international community, primarily seen in the failure to subject contradictions and competition among major countries on cross-cutting issues to the minimum binding principles owing to variations in governance systems. Such issues, which concern all humankind, include climate change, environmental matters in general, poverty and the blatant injustice represented by occupation, racism and war crimes. That is the consensus that must take place here in this international Organization in order for it not to become bogged down in details and to safeguard the future of entire peoples from loss owing to the unwillingness of such countries to cooperate in implementing international law. May peace, mercy and blessings of God be upon members.