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In the name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
Your Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen,
It is my pleasure to extend my sincere thanks to His Excellency the French Minister of Foreign Affairs and to the Excellencies, the heads of working groups, for their great efforts over the past months in participating in the preparation of this important conference. This conference represents a pivotal moment towards activating the two-state solution, ending the occupation, and embodying a just and sustainable vision for peace in the Middle East.
In this context, we appreciate the announcement by His Excellency the French President, Emmanuel Macron, of his country's determination to recognize the State of Palestine. This is a historic step that reflects the growing international support for the Palestinian people's right to establish their independent state and contributes to preparing the international atmosphere for the realization of the two-state solution.
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia believes that achieving security, stability, and prosperity for all peoples of the region begins with the justice afforded to the Palestinian people and empowering them to attain their legitimate rights, foremost among them the establishment of their independent state on the June 4, 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital. This is not merely a political stance, but a firm conviction that an independent Palestinian state is the key to true peace in the region.
Since the beginning of the catastrophic humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip and the dangerous escalation in the West Bank, the Kingdom has been keen to provide immediate and continuous support, whether through humanitarian and relief aid or by supporting the work of United Nations agencies, foremost among them UNRWA, UNICEF, and the World Food Programme, as well as the Palestinian Authority.
We emphasize that this humanitarian catastrophe, caused by the war and grave Israeli violations, must stop immediately to end the suffering of the Palestinian people, hold those responsible accountable, and end the policy of impunity in accordance with the rules of international humanitarian law.
Ladies and Gentlemen, the Kingdom stresses the importance of consolidating international efforts through our conference and the work of the Global Coalition to implement the two-state solution, in order to support the Palestinian people in building their capacities and empowering their national institutions.
As part of our practical commitment to supporting a peaceful settlement, the Kingdom commends the commitment expressed by His Excellency President Mahmoud Abbas to the path of institutional reform, which enhances the Palestinian Authority's ability to meet the aspirations of the Palestinian people, and the measures taken by the Palestinian government in this regard, led by His Excellency the Prime Minister, Dr. Mohammad Mustafa. We look forward to supporting these efforts in the fields of development, youth empowerment, stimulating the Palestinian economy, and protecting it from collapse.
In cooperation with the French Republic, the Kingdom has taken the initiative to secure the approval of the World Bank's Executive Board to transfer $300 million to the Emergency Fund for Gaza and the West Bank. The Kingdom is also working to conclude Memoranda of Understanding with the Palestinian Authority to support human resources, digital transformation, and the development of the education sector, and to explore avenues of cooperation between the Palestinian business sector and its counterparts in the Kingdom.
In this context, we attach special importance to supporting digital transformation and education development in Palestine by transferring expertise in e-government and developing digital skills for government cadres. Empowering Palestinian youth with knowledge and technology is the cornerstone of building a prosperous and sustainable future.
Ladies and Gentlemen, we see the Arab Peace Initiative, adopted by the Beirut Summit in 2002, as a unifying basis for any just and comprehensive solution. We affirm in this regard the importance of supporting the Global Coalition to implement the two-state solution as a practical framework for following up on the outcomes of this conference and coordinating international efforts towards implementing clear and time-bound steps to end the occupation and realize the Palestinian state, thereby achieving stability and security for all countries in the region and enhancing economic integration among its nations, contributing to the promotion of international peace and security.
In conclusion, I call on all attending countries to join the final document of the conference, which outlines a common roadmap towards implementing the two-state solution, confronting attempts to undermine it, and protecting the opportunities for peace that remain possible, if the will exists.
Thank you.