KUWAIT CITY, Sept 21, (KUNA): His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Nasser Al-Mohammad Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah is to preside over the Kuwaiti delegation at the 66th session of the United Nations General Assembly and address the session on Thursday to express the state’s stances on main current issues. His Highness’ speech is also to touch on the role of the United Nations at present and in view of current challenges and state of affairs in the world and stress the need for even more cooperation, coordination, and joint effort.

The premier and the accompanying delegation arrived in New York Sept 17, and his agenda includes meetings with a host of senior officials, including UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon, with whom he discussed Kuwaiti cooperation on all UN bodies. His Highness expressed Kuwaiti readiness to host UN bodies’ headquarters or branches if that would facilitate their performance in the region.
His Highness also met with the President of Eritrea, Premier of Bangladesh, Premier of Bhutan, Premier of Kosovo, Premier of Albania, Secretary-General of Organization of Islamic Cooperation, President of Sierra Leone, Premier of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Premier of Vanuatu, and the president of Togo.
This would be the fourth time Sheikh Nasser addresses the UN General Assembly since assuming his post. The first time was in 2008, followed by 2009, and then in 2010.

The last time he addressed the assembly, the premier announced the state of Kuwait’s increase of its annual voluntary contribution to the organization’s budgets almost five-fold.
Kuwait is an active state in all UN initiatives and cooperates closely with all UN bodies, and has been since its independence in 1961.
The Deputy Premier and Foreign Minister Sheikh Dr Mohammad Sabah Al-Salem Al-Sabah had in 2008 inaugurated the United Nations Programme for Human Settlements Regional Office in Kuwait, at its permanent HQ at the Arab Towns Organization building. The establishment of the center was virtue of a Kuwaiti donation and the office houses representation for all UN bodies active in Kuwait.
In 2009, in presence of both the premier and the UN secretary General, along with the foreign minister, a celebration was hosted upon the inauguration of the new UN House, in Meshred Area. The five-story building was a gift from the state of Kuwait and includes offices for five UN bodies and international organizations. The building came at a cost of KD 10 million.

The state of Kuwait has a proud UN record, with no violations of any UN resolutions.
Meanwhile, the Chief of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) has dubbed as significant the talks he held with the Representative of His Highness the Amir (of Kuwait), His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Nasser Al-Mohammad Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah late on Tuesday.
“I have benefited from these talks” with HH the Prime Minister, said the OIC Secretary General Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu in a statement to KUNA, noting that the discussions with Sheikh Nasser dealt with issues concerning the Muslim nation.
The OIC chairman indicated that the Representative of HH the Amir affirmed during the meeting significance of implementing basic principles, namely democracy, freedoms, sovereignty of the law and human rights, as a means of resolving current crises across the Arab world. “I was pleased that His Highness emphasized these concepts, and that there is no option other than implementing these values,” he added.

The Islamic organization has expressed support for the Arab peoples’ struggle for freedom, democracy and “wise leadership,” the OIC chief added in the remarks to the Kuwaiti news agency. “We have been looking forward for specific stances from the member states of the OIC regarding aspired action mechanisms (vis a vis these events),” he added.
He added that he had also discussed with Sheikh Nasser various other issues, namely the humanitarian crisis in Somalia, calling for more aid for the Somalis to help them cope with famine. He also praised Kuwait’s support for the OIC.
In the meantime, Kuwait’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Dr Mohammad Sabah Al-Salem Al-Sabah attended on Tuesday the annual Ministerial meeting of counterparts and officials of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) to coordinate their position on regional and international issues.

Sheikh Mohammad arrived here earlier this week as part of the Kuwaiti delegation headed by Prime Minister HH Sheikh Nasser Al-Mohammad Al Ahmad Al Sabah who represents HH the Amir to the UN General Assembly meetings during its 66th session.
The GCC Foreign Ministers, including Sheikh Mohammad, later attended a working luncheon hosted by British Foreign Secretary William Hague to discuss regional issues and to strengthen ties between the UK and GCC, according to diplomats.
Sheikh Mohammad also attended the high-level meeting on Libya attended by a number of heads of State and government, including the head of the Libyan National Transitional Council Mustafa Abdul Jalil and US President Barack Obama.