Kuwait’s permanent rep lauds SVG’s contribution to UNSC

ST VINCENT AND THE Grenadines (SVG) joined the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) this month and already, the country’s contribution is being praised.

“St Vincent and the Grenadines is just two weeks in the council and already doing a good job,” Kuwait’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations (UN), Mansour al-Otaibi said on January 17 at a function at the Prime Minister’s residence.

The Kuwaiti diplomat was speaking to international delegates who gathered here for a UNSC retreat. The retreat saw work being done by the Security Council’s Informal Working Group on Documentation and Other Procedural Questions (IWG).

The retreat was hosted by SVG and Kuwait and is part of this country’s first contribution to the UNSC.

Ambassador al-Otaibi said SVG is the smallest country ever to sit on the council and a first-time member but the persons attached to the group should not be intimidated.

“…and the best thing is that you don’t have any agenda, so we know that you are the right person for the IWG,”.

The IWG was established in June 1993 to improve the process by which the Security Council addresses issues concerning its documentation and other procedural questions. The Working Group meets as agreed by members of the Security Council, and makes recommendations, proposals and suggestions concerning the Council’s documentation and other procedural questions.

“You (SVG) have a good team and I know that you would do a good job. You have a vision, experience as a coordinator on the L.69, and we have listened to

your statements and negotiations,” said al-Otaibi.

The L.69 Group of Developing Countries is a cross regional grouping of 42 developing countries from Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean, Asia and the Pacific, focused on achieving lasting and comprehensive reforms of the UN Security Council.

The ambassador said that those who are not new to the UNSC are there to assist SVG as they work together to improve the working methods of the Security Council.

“I wish the members would assist St. Vincent and the Grenadines and be open and flexible because you do not have any agenda. You are a small peaceful country,” said al-Otaibi, adding that Kuwait is also a small country and it is important for small countries to be involved in networking.

The retreat ran from January 17- 19. SVG is one of five new members elected to the UNSC. The others are Estonia, Niger, Tunisia and Vietnam.

The 15-member Security Council has five permanent members in China, France, the Russian Federation, the United Kingdom (UK) and the United States of America (USA). Ten non-permanent members are elected for two-year terms by the General Assembly.