NEW YORK: Djibouti on Monday called for immediate international action to address the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and stressed the importance of supporting a viable Palestinian state, while also highlighting the need for reform at the UN and its Security Council.
In a speech to the UN General Assembly, Djibouti’s ambassador and permanent representative described the situation in Gaza as “unspeakable horror” where “children are killed daily with impunity” and famine is being used as a weapon of war.
Mohamed Siad Doualeh also condemned the repeated violations of laws governing the use of force, citing Israeli bombings, raids and extraterritorial killings.
He reaffirmed Djibouti’s solidarity with Palestine, noting that while the international community works to revive the two-state solution, “Israel is busy burying not only the idea of two states but also the possibility of a future viable and sovereign Palestinian state.”
He added: “The Palestinian people are resilient and courageous. The international community is equally determined.
“The two-state solution is the only one capable of meeting the legitimate aspirations of the Palestinian people and achieving lasting peace.”
Doualeh condemned Israeli aggression against Qatar and reaffirmed its support for the Gulf state, while warning of the broader dangers of geopolitical fragmentation in the region, from Sudan to the Sahel.
He described the conflict in Sudan as a “fratricidal war” causing massive civilian casualties, widespread destruction and displacement. He called for an immediate ceasefire and coordinated international response.
Doualeh stressed that the UN remains a critical platform for collective action, but warned that its effectiveness is becoming increasingly undermined.
“The Security Council is paralyzed by the systematic use of the veto,” he said, adding that international law and long-established norms are being “dangerously challenged.”
He called for a renewed commitment to multilateralism, saying the UN must not remain “a symbolic theater, vigilant over its image but deaf to the requirements for reform.”
Doualeh urged stronger representation for Africa in the Security Council, and a broader effort to strengthen international cooperation so that all nations can participate effectively in global decision-making.
“The UN remains more essential than ever,” he said. “We must work together to give multilateralism renewed meaning and reinforce cooperation in the interest of all states.”
