Saudi Arabia's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, called for immediate regional de-escalation, adherence to international humanitarian law, and decisive multilateral action during the Kingdom's official address to the General Debate of the 79th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA 79) in New York on Saturday. Speaking on behalf of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman, Prince Faisal warned that the Middle East stands at a perilous crossroads as military operations intensify across Lebanon and Gaza.
Addressing world leaders gathered at UN headquarters, the Saudi chief diplomat emphasized that the absence of international accountability has allowed the conflict in Gaza to spill across borders, endangering the sovereignty and stability of Lebanon and threatening wider regional conflagration. He urged all parties to exercise maximum restraint, implement an immediate and permanent ceasefire, and ensure unimpeded humanitarian relief access for civilians.
Launching the Global Alliance for the Two-State Solution
Central to Prince Faisal's address was the launch of the 'Global Alliance for the Implementation of the Two-State Solution,' a major diplomatic initiative spearheaded on the sidelines of UNGA 79 by the Arab-Islamic Ministerial Committee in partnership with Norway and the European Union. Unlike open-ended negotiation frameworks of past decades, the coalition sets out practical, time-bound steps to establish an independent, sovereign Palestinian state along the June 4, 1967 lines with East Jerusalem as its capital.
Prince Faisal welcomed the growing number of United Nations member states that have formally recognized the State of Palestine over the past year and urged remaining nations to follow suit, stressing that self-determination for the Palestinian people is the foundational prerequisite for durable security, economic integration, and peaceful coexistence across the Middle East.
“Regional security and prosperity cannot be achieved through military escalation; they require an immediate cessation of hostilities and a credible, irreversible pathway to Palestinian statehood.”
Broader Regional Stability, Maritime Security, and Multilateralism
Beyond the Levant, the Foreign Minister outlined Riyadh's diplomatic engagement across neighboring arenas. He reiterated Saudi Arabia's commitment to facilitating ceasefire talks and humanitarian corridors in Sudan through the Jeddah platform, supporting UN-led peace efforts in Yemen, and safeguarding freedom of navigation in the Red Sea and vital international maritime waterways.
Concluding his remarks, Prince Faisal highlighted Saudi Arabia's contributions to global sustainable development, clean-energy transitions, and humanitarian assistance through the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre (KSrelief), calling for comprehensive reform of United Nations institutions so the Security Council can fulfill its charter mandate to preserve international peace.
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