NEW YORK: Deputy Foreign Minister Prince Abdul Aziz bin Abdullah stressed Saudi Arabia’s commitment to the rule of law and the UN Charter that stipulates the importance of freedom, sovereignty, and justice.
“We will adhere to the UN Charter in our efforts to create a bright future for our generations,” the prince said yesterday while addressing a meeting on the rule of law at UN headquarters.
“Saudi Arabia was founded on the teachings of the Islamic religion and Shariah, which forms the basis of justice,” the minister said, noting these principles include various forms of human cooperation and harmony.
Prince Abdul Aziz said: “Although we belong to different cultures and religions, which may seem contradictory or non-compatible, they are in fact a call for harmony and we all work to create a peaceful world.”
He stressed the Islamic legal thought is consistent in its origins with the concept of the rule of law. “The principles of Shariah that govern the Kingdom are a model for a complete and integrated law, based on the principles of Shoura (consultation), justice, equality and dignity,” he said.
In Shariah, there is no room to differentiate people on the basis of their color, race, and language. Shariah urges respect for human rights, which in Islam include civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights.
Prince Abdul Aziz highlighted the importance of human rights in Islam, saying it is part and parcel of the Muslim faith.
“On the basis of its commitment to the UN Charter, Saudi Arabia exerts all efforts to be an active member of the United Nations, and its obligations have not stopped in issuing appropriate national legislation and commitment to UN resolutions, rather they have surpassed them in an effort to achieve rights and justice,” he said.
The Initiative taken by Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah for founding the UN Counter-Terrorism Center is one of the examples of our commitment to collective actions to preserve international peace and security,” he added.
Prince Abdul Aziz also met with Didier Reynders, Belgium’s deputy premier, minister of foreign affairs, foreign trade and European affairs and Jonas Gahr Stoere, Norwegian minister of foreign affairs.
In another news, the Kingdom’s permanent representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Abdullah Al-Muallimi and Ertharin Cousin, executive director of the World Food Program will open an exhibition of photographs at UN Headquarters in New York on Thursday. The exhibition will show the real partnership between Saudi Arabia and the World Food Program (WFP), which helps to alleviate hunger around the world.
“The strong partnership between Saudi Arabia and WFP is one example of how we are working together to end global hunger,” WFP spokesperson Alanna Imbach said.
“This exhibition showcases the ways in which this partnership has made a difference in the lives of millions of people affected by hunger worldwide,” she added. Saudi Arabia is one of the WFP’s leading donors.
