00:00In the name of God, the most gracious, the most merciful, Your Majesties, Excellencies and Highnesses, Mr. President of the
00:07United Nations General Assembly, Mr. Secretary General, distinguished guests, peace, mercy and blessings of God be upon you.
00:15At the outset, we wish to congratulate His Excellency, Mr. Khalil al-Rahman, on his election as President of the
00:2181st Session of the United Nations General Assembly.
00:24We wish him every success in guiding the work of this session. We also wish to express our thanks to
00:31Mrs. Annalena Baerbock for her efforts during her presidency of the 81st Session of the G.A.
00:36We further express our profound thanks and appreciation to His Excellency, Mr. Antonio Guterres, Secretary General of the United Nations,
00:43for his continued effort in furthering the purposes of the UN.
00:46Mr. President, the work of this session is taking place at a time when the world and the multilateral system
00:51are facing rapidly evolving and unprecedented challenges.
00:55While crises and conflicts continue in many parts of the world, there is an increasing need to uphold the principles
01:03of the UN Charter, respect international law,
01:06and strengthen the effectiveness of international institutions in maintaining international peace and security and advancing sustainable development.
01:14Crises arise not so much from an absence of resources and opportunities, but rather from a lack of commitment to
01:20the principles agreed upon by the international community.
01:23The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the countries of the region have been subjected to flagrant Iranian attacks targeting their
01:29security, resources, and civilian and economic facilities.
01:32The Kingdom reiterates its full right to protect its security and sovereignty, its citizens and residents, and its national resources.
01:40We call upon the international community to shoulder its responsibilities in confronting all threats to international peace and security.
01:47The security of the Gulf region is part and parcel of the security of the region and the world at
01:52large.
01:52The stability of this vital region is directly linked to global energy security, the steadiness of international trade, and the
01:59resilience of global supply chains.
02:01Mr. President, safeguarding international navigation and the resilience of global supply chains is a shared responsibility that requires serious international
02:11cooperation to prevent risks that could affect the global economy.
02:18In this regard, the Kingdom stresses the importance of ensuring freedom of navigation in all international waterways.
02:25For most among them, the Strait of Hormuz, the Babel-Mendab Strait, the Red Sea, and the Gulf of Aden.
02:30We must restore the situation in the Strait of Hormuz to its pre-28th of February status without the imposition
02:36of any fees or restrictions.
02:37The Kingdom rejects the use by any party of these vital waterways as an instrument of pressure, threat, or harm
02:43to the interests of states in accordance with international law and relevant UN resolutions.
02:48Mr. President, efforts to restore security and stability in the region and to build sustainable relations among its countries cannot
02:55be based on domination, influence, or exploitation of crises.
02:59Rather, they must be founded on mutual respect, common interests, good neighborliness, respect for the sovereignty of states, and full
03:07compliance with international law and international humanitarian law.
03:11In this vein, the Kingdom supports efforts and initiatives that contribute to de-escalation, for most among them the efforts
03:18of Qatar, Pakistan, and other sisterly and friendly countries.
03:21This would contribute to restoring stability to the region and creating conditions conducive to dialogue and diplomacy.
03:26We stress the importance of ensuring that any arrangements on the regional security must be comprehensively effective and sustainable.
03:34They must clearly address the root causes of threat and instability.
03:38We stress the need to ensure that the entire region is free of weapons of mass destruction and that peaceful
03:44nuclear programs are subject to international oversight, verification, and safeguards.
03:49As such, we would enhance confidence and safeguard regional and international security.
03:53The continued suffering of the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank and the targeting of civilians
03:59by Israeli occupation,
04:01the obstruction of humanitarian assistance, attempts at forced displacement, and the continued expansion of illegal settlements all constitute serious violations
04:10of international law and international humanitarian law.
04:14The Kingdom rejects any attempts at forced displacement or changing the status quo of the Palestinian territories.
04:22We stress that a just and lasting peace can only be achieved through the implementation of the two-state solution
04:27and the establishment of an independent Palestinian state on the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital.
04:33The Kingdom stresses the need to support effort aimed at reaching a comprehensive political solution that will ensure the stability
04:42of Yemen and alleviate the suffering of those brotherly people.
04:47We have provided humanitarian and development assistance to the Republic of Yemen, amounting to more than $29 billion.
04:52We were the first among humanitarian donors to the Republic of Yemen in 2025.
04:59The Kingdom in this regard welcomes the statement issued by the members of the Security Council, including the condemnation of
05:05the missile and drone attacks carried out by the Houthi terrorist militia against the Kingdom and against commercial vessels.
05:12The Kingdom calls upon the international community to reject and condemn all the Houthi terrorist militias, aggressions, and criminal acts
05:23that threaten the security of navigation in the Red Sea and Babylon and the Abstraight.
05:27With regard to Sudan, the Kingdom stresses the importance of Sudan's stability, territorial integrity, and unity while maintaining its national
05:36resources and institutions.
05:37The solution to the crisis must be an intra-Sudanese political solution that respects the sovereignty and unity of Sudan.
05:43It must be based on supporting Sudanese state institutions, thus fulfilling the aspirations of the Sudanese people, alleviating their humanitarian
05:51suffering, and enhancing their security and stability.
05:53The Kingdom supports all efforts aimed at strengthening Syria's security and stability and preserving its territorial integrity.
05:59The Kingdom welcomes the U.S.A.'s announcement of removing Syria from the list of states sponsoring of terrorism in
06:05view of its contribution to strengthening stability and reconstruction and development.
06:11And we have to condemn and reject any undermining effort to restore security and stability within Syria.
06:19In Lebanon, the Kingdom reiterates its support for the Lebanese state and its illegitimate institutions, the implementation of the Ta
06:26'af Agreement, the restriction of arms to the state, and the preservation of its sovereignty, security, and stability.
06:30We also attach importance to Iraq's role in promoting cooperation and stability in the region and support all efforts to
06:36contribute to achieving security and stability and prosperity.
06:40And we have to ensure that weapons will only be restricted to the state to ensure security and stability in
06:47Iraq.
06:48We have to ensure that the Iraqi territory will not become a source of attack against other neighboring countries.
06:52Mr. President, the achievements made through Saudi Vision 2030, 10 years after its launch, represent a model of comprehensive national
07:01transformation.
07:02The latter is based on economic diversification, investment in human capital, promotion of innovation, empowerment of youth and women, development
07:11of the private sector, and consolidation of sustainability.
07:13The vision has contributed to strengthening the Kingdom's position as a regional and international hub for business investment, tourism, industry,
07:20technology, and logistics.
07:22Thus, non-oil activities accounted for 55 percent of non-oil GDP.
07:28The level of unemployment among Saudis has declined, reaching 6.4 percent in 2026 compared with 12.3 percent in
07:382016.
07:40Mr. President, energy security rests on the strength and resilience of the energy system and its capacity to withstand and
07:46adapt to disruptions,
07:48ensuring the stability of energy supplies, protecting critical infrastructure, diversifying supply routes, and safeguarding freedom of navigation
07:56are all a shared responsibility that requires sustained international cooperation.
08:01The Kingdom demonstrated this commitment in practice during the disruptions affecting maritime navigation through the Strait of Hormuz,
08:08maintaining the continuity of energy supplies through its long-term investments in infrastructure.
08:15The East-West Pipeline, together with its petroleum reserves outside the region, also contributed to mitigating the effects of those
08:23disruptions
08:23and enhancing the reliability of supplies to global markets.
08:27The Kingdom affirms that energy security and climate action are mutually reinforcing objectives.
08:33In this context, we stress the importance of not excluding any source of energy and of pursuing realistic and comprehensive
08:40transition pathways
08:41that achieve energy security, protect the climate, and support economic development.
08:46This approach has contributed to making the Kingdom one of the countries with the lowest carbon and methane emissions globally
08:52from hydrocarbon resource production operations.
08:55The Kingdom continues to develop a more efficient and sustainable energy system through the deployment of emissions reduction technologies,
09:04including carbon capture, utilization and storage, and carbon dioxide removal.
09:09We've also expanded the use of renewable energy, the application of innovation, and the production of sustainable fuels, including clean
09:15hydrogen.
09:16These efforts support energy security, enhance resource efficiency, and contribute to achieving sustainability.
09:22Mr. President, in light of the rapid developments the world is witnessing in the field of regional and international trade,
09:34there is need for ensuring continuous trade influx, especially from the East to the West.
09:43This will not only be in the support of the Kingdom, but the world at large.
09:48We have provided logistics support to the neighboring countries during the current crisis by opening up our ports for the
09:55transport of goods and people.
09:57This reflects our responsibility towards the region and the world.
10:03In light of the rapid developments the world is witnessing in the field of artificial intelligence,
10:08the Kingdom stresses the importance of harnessing these technologies on the surface of humanity and development
10:12and enhancing international cooperation to ensure the responsible use.
10:17The Kingdom has taken a leading role in establishing the international network of artificial intelligence capacity building centers,
10:24one of the recommendations emanating from the Pact for the Future.
10:27The Kingdom also hosts the International Center for Research and Ethics in AI in Riyadh under the auspices of UNESCO,
10:34thereby strengthening international cooperation in this field and contributing to the consolidation of ethical principles
10:40governing the development and use of AI applications.
10:43In conclusion, our world today is in need of the greatest possible measure of wisdom, responsibility and cooperation.
10:52The challenges confronting us cannot be addressed by any state on its own.
10:57Security can only be consolidated and sustained through adherence to the principles upon which the UN Charter is founded,
11:04as well as through a respect for international law.
11:06The Kingdom will continue to work with its partners in the international community to advance sustainable development,
11:12peaceful solutions to crises and every pathway that reinforces stability and builds confidence based on mutual respect
11:19with a view to building a safer and more prosperous future for the region and the world.
11:24Peace, mercy and blessings of God be upon you.
11:28I thank the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Saudi Arabia.
11:31I thank the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Saudi Arabia.
11:31I thank the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Saudi Arabia.
11:31I thank the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Saudi Arabia.
11:34I thank the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Saudi Arabia.
