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The Council noted the outcomes of the joint ministerial meeting with His Excellency the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Japan, which was held on September 1, 2025, in the State of Kuwait. The Council directed efforts to be intensified to implement the joint action plan that was agreed upon within the framework of the strategic partnership between the two sides.

The Council welcomed the adoption by the United Nations General Assembly of the resolution on cooperation between the United Nations and GCC, which reflects the high standing of the GCC as an effective regional partner in supporting international peace and security.

The Council welcomed the mediation efforts of the State of Qatar and its hosting of the signing ceremony for a declaration of principles between the government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Congo River Alliance “March 23 Movement,” which was signed in Doha on July 19, 2025. This completes the progress made with the signing of peace between the governments of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Republic of Rwanda.

The Ministerial Council reviewed the General Secretariat's report on joint Gulf action and the efforts of the member states and affirmed the GCC's resolutions on this matter.

The Council discussed the latest developments on regional and international issues as follows, affirming the GCC's consistent positions and its previous decisions regarding these issues:

Gaza Situation:

The Council affirmed the United Nations General Assembly resolution of June 12, 2025, concerning an immediate, permanent, and unconditional ceasefire in the Gaza Strip. It emphasised the need to allow unhindered access to basic services and humanitarian aid for the civilian population, and to comply with international law and international humanitarian law. It also stressed the importance of protecting civilians and rejecting their forced displacement or removal from the Strip.

The Ministerial Council underscored the necessity of reaching an immediate and comprehensive agreement for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, releasing hostages and detainees, protecting the civilian population, and facilitating the urgent and uninterrupted delivery of humanitarian aid. The Council praised the mediation efforts of the State of Qatar, the Arab Republic of Egypt, and the United States of America, and called for the full implementation of Security Council Resolution 2735 of June 2024.

The Ministerial Council condemned in the strongest terms the crime of genocide committed by the Israeli occupation forces against the people of the Gaza Strip, as well as the deliberate siege policy that has led to famine in Gaza. It also condemned the policies of ethnic cleansing, collective punishment, the killing of civilians and journalists, torture, field executions, forced disappearance and displacement, and looting. The Council denounced the continued destruction of residential areas, hospitals, schools, universities, mosques, churches, and infrastructure, which aims to displace the Strip's inhabitants and resettle it. The Council demanded that the international community take immediate action to stop these crimes committed by the Israeli occupation government and take serious steps to prevent them and hold perpetrators accountable.

The Council emphasised the statement issued by the Ministerial Committee from the Joint Extraordinary Arab-Islamic Summit on developments in the Gaza Strip on August 9, 2025, which confirmed the categorical rejection of Israel's attempts to sever parts of the Strip or impose military rule on it. It reiterated the importance of unifying the Gaza Strip and the West Bank under the umbrella of the Palestinian Authority.

The Council affirmed the statement issued by the extraordinary session of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the member states of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) on August 25, 2025. This statement addressed the international community's responsibility regarding the famine in the Gaza Strip, as documented in the UN-adopted Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) report, which held the Israeli occupation fully responsible for this crime and its consequences.

The Council condemned Israel's targeting of humanitarian and UN organisations and the continuous attacks on humanitarian aid convoys. It stressed the responsibility of the Israeli occupation forces to deliver essential humanitarian aid and not obstruct the work of international organisations. It highlighted Security Council Resolution 2730 regarding the protection of humanitarian workers and ensuring unhindered access for aid. The Council welcomed the statement issued on August 12, 2025, by the European Union (EU) and several friendly nations, which emphasised the need to bring humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip. It also welcomed the statement issued on July 21, 2025, by 26 international partners, calling for an immediate end to the war on the Gaza Strip and the removal of all restrictions on humanitarian aid to ensure its swift and safe delivery to the residents.

The Council renewed its support for the mediation efforts by the State of Qatar, in coordination with its partners, the Arab Republic of Egypt and the United States of America, to achieve a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, release hostages and detainees, and deliver all aid to civilians.

The Council noted Germany's decision to suspend deliveries of military equipment to the Israeli occupation and called on the international community, especially countries that still support Israel, to stop providing military support, in accordance with international law and international humanitarian law.

The Palestinian Cause:

The Ministerial Council reaffirmed its consistent positions and previous decisions on the centrality of the Palestinian cause, emphasising the need to end the Israeli occupation and establish an independent Palestinian state on the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital, in accordance with the Arab Peace Initiative and international legitimacy resolutions.

The Ministerial Council praised the success of the high-level international conference on settling the Palestinian issue through peaceful solutions and implementing the two-state solution. The conference, co-chaired by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the French Republic, was held from July 28-30, 2025, at the United Nations headquarters. It affirmed support for all efforts aimed at ending the war in the Gaza Strip and achieving a just and sustainable settlement of the Palestinian issue through the two-state solution, unifying the Gaza Strip and the West Bank under the Palestinian Authority's umbrella, and ensuring stability and security for all countries in the region. The Ministerial Council confirmed its support for the Global Coalition for the Implementation of the Two-State Solution and the efforts of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the participating countries in the conference to set a timeline for the realisation of an independent Palestinian state and the end of the Israeli occupation. It called on all countries that desire peace to join this initiative.

The Council also commended the measures initiated by France, the United Kingdom, Portugal, Malta, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and others to recognise the State of Palestine, which confirms the international community's consensus on the right of the Palestinian people to establish their independent state. The Council called on all countries to promptly recognise the State of Palestine to help end the Israeli occupation and fulfill the legitimate rights of the brotherly Palestinian people.

The Council condemned the Israeli occupation's plan to transfer the authority for managing and supervising the Ibrahimi Mosque from the Palestinian Ministry of Awqaf and Religious Affairs and the Hebron Municipality to the Jewish Religious Council. The Council stressed that this move represents a serious violation of the historical and legal status quo of the Ibrahimi Mosque. The Council also condemned Israel's plans for settlement in the "E1" area, a dangerous escalation aimed at dividing the West Bank and thwarting the two-state solution. It also condemned the Israeli Knesset's call to impose Israeli sovereignty over the occupied West Bank and the statements by Israeli officials in this regard.

The Ministerial Council underlined the joint statement issued on August 15, 2025, by the foreign ministers of 31 Arab and Islamic countries and the secretary-generals of the League of Arab States, the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, and the GCC. The statement condemned the Israeli occupation prime minister's remarks about what is called "Greater Israel," which constitute a serious violation of the UN Charter and international law, a breach of the foundations of stable international relations, and a threat to Arab national security as well as to security and stability in the region and the world.

The Council condemned the continued acts of violence by settlers, protected by occupation forces, against civilians, and the burning of their towns, villages, and farms. It also Condemned all provocative practices aimed at displacing Palestinians, which increase escalation and tension in the region and hinder efforts to achieve peace and stability. The Council confirmed that a just, comprehensive, and lasting solution to the Palestinian issue can only be achieved through direct negotiations and diplomatic dialogue among all parties, leading to a sustainable solution.

The Council reaffirmed its support for the Jordanian Directorate of Al Aqsa Mosque and Jerusalem Affairs as the sole legitimate authority with jurisdiction over the management of Al Aqsa Mosque, within the framework of the historical Hashemite custodianship of Islamic and Christian holy sites in Jerusalem. It also expressed support for the efforts of the Al Quds Committee, chaired by His Majesty King Mohammed VI of the Kingdom of Morocco.

The Iranian Occupation of the Three Islands of the United Arab Emirates:

The Ministerial Council reaffirmed its consistent positions and previous decisions condemning Iran's continued occupation of the three islands (Greater Tunb, Lesser Tunb, and Abu Musa) belonging to the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

The Council renewed its support for the UAE's sovereign right over its three islands and their territorial waters, airspace, continental shelf, and exclusive economic zone, considering them an indivisible part of UAE territory. It stated that any decisions, practices, or actions taken by Iran on the three islands are null and void and do not alter the historical and legal facts that confirm the UAE's right of sovereignty over its three islands. The Council called on Iran to respond to the UAE's efforts to resolve the issue through direct negotiations or by referring the matter to the International Court of Justice.

Iraq:

The Ministerial Council reaffirmed its consistent positions and previous decisions on the importance of regulating navigation in Khor Abdullah and Iraq's respect for the sovereignty of the State of Kuwait and the integrity of its territories, islands, highlands, and all its maritime areas. It also stressed the need to adhere to bilateral and international commitments, agreements, and all relevant UN resolutions, especially Security Council Resolution 833 (1993) concerning the demarcation of the land and maritime borders between Kuwait and Iraq. The Council called for the completion of the maritime boundary demarcation between the two countries beyond maritime marker 162, in accordance with the rules and principles of international law and the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. The Council stressed the importance of making positive progress on this matter, affirming the need for the joint technical and legal committee for the maritime boundary demarcation beyond marker 162 to fully comply with everything included in its minutes.

The Council also called on Iraq to abide by the Agreement on the Regulation of Maritime Navigation in Khor Abdullah, signed between Kuwait and Iraq on April 29, 2012, as well as the Security Exchange Protocol signed in 2008 and its map, which was adopted in the joint plan to ensure the safety of navigation in Khor Abdullah, signed on December 28, 2014. Both documents included a clear and specific mechanism for amendment and cancellation.

The Council affirmed its support for Security Council Resolution 2732 (2024) and the importance of ensuring the Security Council continues to follow up on the developments of the humanitarian file of prisoners and missing persons and the file of Kuwaiti properties, including the National Archives. This is based on relevant Security Council resolutions, particularly 686 (1991), 687 (1991), and 1284 (1999). The Council stressed the need to continue this under the umbrella of the Security Council, as stipulated in Resolution 2107 (2013), which established the framework for reporting on Kuwait-related files to the Security Council and no other UN body. The Council also emphasised that the most just and appropriate alternative after the conclusion of the UN Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) is for the Secretary General to appoint a High-Level Coordinator to follow up on Kuwait's humanitarian and national files. This mechanism has been tried before and proven successful, as it ensures UN supervision of Kuwait's national files and gives them appropriate attention. The Council underscored the importance of setting a suitable timeframe for the Security Council to review the work of the High-Level Coordinator mechanism and ensuring the continuation of the periodic reporting mechanism on the same issue to help achieve tangible progress. It called on the government of Iraq to cooperate and exert maximum efforts to reach a final solution for these files.

Al Durra Field:

The Ministerial Council reaffirmed its consistent positions and previous decisions on the ownership of the Al Durra field. It confirmed that the Al Durra field is located entirely within the maritime areas of the State of Kuwait and that the ownership of the natural resources in the partitioned submerged area adjacent to the Saudi-Kuwaiti partitioned zone, including the entire Al Durra field, is a joint ownership between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the State of Kuwait only. 

They alone have full rights to exploit the natural resources in that area, in accordance with the provisions of international law and based on the agreements concluded and in force between them. The Council affirmed its absolute rejection of any claims of rights by any other party in this field or the submerged area adjacent to the partitioned zone with its designated boundaries between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the State of Kuwait.

Promoting the Principles of Tolerance, Peaceful Coexistence, and Combating Terrorism and Extremism:

The Ministerial Council condemned the attack that targeted the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilisation Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA) on June 27, 2025, which resulted in several deaths and injuries. The Council underscored the GCC's solidarity with the United Nations, its humanitarian missions, and the countries participating in international efforts aimed at achieving peace and stability in the region and the world.

The Council also condemned the terrorist attack in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, which targeted a military convoy in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province on June 30, 2025, leading to the death and injury of numerous victims. The Council expressed its sincere condolences to the government and people of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan and to the victims' families, and it conveyed its heartfelt wishes for a speedy recovery for the injured.

Syria:

The Ministerial Council welcomed the agreement reached to end the crisis in the As Suwayda governorate. It stressed the necessity of implementing it to protect Syria, its unity, and its citizens. The Council praised the commitment of Syrian President Ahmed Al Sharaa to hold all those responsible for abuses against Syrian citizens in As Suwayda accountable. It also supported all efforts to establish security, state sovereignty, and the rule of law across all Syrian territories, while rejecting violence, sectarianism, and attempts to sow discord, incitement, and hatred.

The Council condemned the terrorist attack on Mar Elias Church in Damascus on June 22, 2025, which resulted in deaths and injuries. The Council expressed its sincere condolences to the government and people of the Syrian Arab Republic and to the victims' families, and it extended its heartfelt wishes for a speedy recovery for the injured. The Council called on all segments of the Syrian people to prioritise dialogue and solidarity to build a unified Syrian state, and it renewed its call for the international community to support Syria and counter continuous Israeli violations.

The Council also condemned the repeated Israeli attacks and violations against the sisterly Syrian Arab Republic and its blatant aggression against its sovereignty and stability. The Council underscored that these actions destabilise its security, unity, and territorial integrity, undermine the Syrian government's efforts to build a new Syria. The Council underlines its full support for the measures taken by the Syrian government to maintain security and stability and rejected any separatist calls aimed at dividing Syria.

The Council affirmed what was stated in Security Council Resolution 2782 of June 30, 2025, regarding the need for all parties to abide by the 1974 Disengagement of Forces Agreement. It affirmed that the Golan Heights are a Syrian Arab land. The Council condemned the Israeli occupation's decisions to expand settlements in the occupied Golan and to occupy the buffer zone on the Syrian border, which is a grave violation of the UN Charter, the principles of international law, and relevant Security Council resolutions. It called on the Security Council and the international community to bear their legal and moral responsibilities to stop these aggressions on Syrian territory and ensure Israel's full withdrawal from all occupied Syrian lands.

The Ministerial Council was briefed on the outcomes of the meetings held to enhance economic cooperation between the GCC states and the sisterly Syrian Republic. It welcomed the results of the Saudi-Syrian Investment Forum, held on July 24, 2025, in Damascus, which aims to encourage investors and explore investment opportunities in Syria and contribute to its strategic projects in a number of vital sectors. The Council praised the efforts of the State of Qatar and its announcement of the opening of a natural gas pipeline between Turkey and Syria, noting the efforts of all GCC states seeking to support Syria's recovery and stability.

Lebanon:

The Ministerial Council welcomed the announcement by the Prime Minister of the Lebanese Republic, Dr Nawaf Salam, of a cabinet decision to ensure that the possession of weapons is restricted to the state throughout Lebanon, based on the Taif Agreement and relevant international resolutions.

The Council condemned the continued Israeli attacks on Lebanon, stressing the need to implement UN Security Council resolutions concerning Lebanon, especially Resolution 1701. It praised the mediation efforts of the United States in this regard and expressed its rejection of external statements and interference in the internal affairs of brotherly Lebanon.

The Council welcomed the Lebanese government's decision to confine the possession of weapons to the state in all parts of Lebanon, based on the Taif Agreement and the relevant international resolutions. The Ministerial Council also welcomed Security Council Resolution 2790 regarding the extension of the mandate of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) until December 31, 2026, stressing the importance of the existing cooperation between the Lebanese government and the United Nations to ensure the implementation of the resolution according to the specified timeline in order to protect security and peace.

Yemen:

The Ministerial Council stressed the importance of maintaining maritime security and waterways and confronting activities that threaten the region's and the world's security and stability. This includes targeting commercial vessels and threatening sea lanes and international trade. The Council underlined the need to respect the right of maritime navigation in these waters, in accordance with international law and the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea.

The Council condemned the Houthi group for sinking the two cargo ships, the "Magic Seas" and the "Eternity C," which led to the death and loss of several crew members and the leakage of approximately 17,000 metric tons of ammonium nitrate into the Red Sea, threatening marine life.

The Council praised the announcement by the National Resistance Forces of the Yemeni government that they had seized a 750-ton shipment of strategic weapons in the Red Sea, which was en route to the Houthi group from Iran. It condemned the continued foreign interference in Yemen's internal affairs, the support for terrorist groups, and the smuggling of military experts and weapons to the Houthi group, in flagrant violation of Security Council Resolutions 2216, 2231, and 2624.

The Ministerial Council was also briefed on the preparations for the International Conference on Food Security in Yemen, scheduled to be held at the GCC General Secretariat on October 27-28, 2025. The Council called on all countries and international organisations to participate effectively in this conference. It also urged donor countries to provide humanitarian and development support to brotherly Yemen to enable it to fulfill its obligations, achieve economic stability, and enhance the role of the Central Bank, based in the interim capital of Aden, to support the national currency as the country's sole legitimate monetary authority.

Iran:

The Ministerial Council affirmed the importance of continuing constructive negotiations to reach a comprehensive solution for Iran's nuclear file. These negotiations must include all security issues and concerns of the GCC states. The Council expressed the GCC states' readiness to cooperate and deal effectively with this file and stressed the necessity of their participation in all related regional and international negotiations, discussions, and meetings. 

The Council stressed that this participation will help achieve shared goals and interests within a framework of respecting state sovereignty, the principles of good neighbourliness, and adherence to UN resolutions and international legitimacy to ensure the promotion of regional and international security and stability. The Council praised the positive role played by the Sultanate of Oman in facilitating dialogue among the concerned parties.

The Council also underscored the importance of constructive cooperation between Iran and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the need to strengthen diplomatic efforts to ensure all parties adhere to relevant international agreements. This will contribute to building trust and enhancing regional and international security and stability.

Issued in Kuwait 9 Rabi' al-Awwal 1447 AH corresponding to September 1, 2025 AD

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