Madam President,
Let me begin by thanking Mari Yamashita for her briefing. We welcome her appointment as Senior Representative supporting efforts to locate and return missing Kuwaiti and third-country nationals, and recover missing Kuwaiti property. We commend her swift assumption of duties and early engagement with stakeholders, and wish her every success in this important mandate.
We also welcome the participation of the Assistant Foreign Minister for Kuwaiti Prisoners and Missing Persons H.E. Mr Rabea Saad Al-Adsani, and the Permanent Representative of Iraq in today’s meeting.
Latvia firmly supports the follow-up mechanism for the repatriation or return of Kuwaiti missing persons and property, established with the Security Council resolution 2792 (2025). This mechanism reinforces the Council’s resolve to see this important humanitarian file through to resolution.
We welcome the reaffirmed commitment of Iraq and Kuwait, at the highest level, to respect each other’s sovereignty and advance the full implementation of resolution 2792 (2025). We commend their continued engagement in the Tripartite Commission, chaired by the ICRC. We recognize the valuable work and progress achieved throughout the Commission’s longstanding efforts.
While no new identifications of missing Kuwaiti and third-country nationals were made during the reporting period and 315 individuals remain unaccounted for, we welcome the ongoing efforts, such as the gathering and analysis of information, the development of digital information management and analytical tools, the sharing of genetic profiles, and the conduct of recovery and forensic examinations.
At the same time, we take note of the growing challenges, as also highlighted in the Secretary-General’s report. First-hand witnesses are becoming fewer, credible new leads are harder to find, and potential search sites have changed considerably. These obstacles call for renewed determination and the effective use of modern analytical, forensic and digital tools.
The same determination is needed to address missing Kuwaiti property and the national archives. We encourage Iraq and Kuwait to apply that spirit to the swift reactivation of the joint committee on property and archives. Agreeing on a documented inventory process would be a practical starting point for restoring momentum.
To conclude, Madame President,
Determining the fate and whereabouts of missing is a humanitarian responsibility that must be pursued in accordance with international humanitarian law. Behind every unresolved case is a family still waiting for answers. Their needs must remain at the heart of our efforts.
Latvia believes that continued engagement between Iraq and Kuwait is key to resolving these longstanding issues. In order to expect tangible results, it is essential to preserve the momentum in this file, ensure that commitments are honoured in practice, and the engagement remains consistent.
We also encourage the Senior Representative to build on her early engagement by further efforts to strengthen confidence between Iraq and Kuwait, promote practical cooperation on the humanitarian files within her mandate, and help bring these unresolved issues to a definitive close.
I thank you.