Kuwait city: Kuwait marked on Thursday the International Day for Preventing the Exploitation of the Environment in War and Armed Conflict. The global community celebrates this event based on a UNGA resolution proposed by Kuwait in 2001, reflecting the Gulf State's commitment to preventing the use of the environment as a weapon. This commitment was highlighted by the actions of the Iraqi invading armies, which torched 737 oil wells in 1991 while retreating from Kuwait.
According to Kuwait News Agency, on November 5, 2001, the UN General Assembly declared November 6 of each year as the International Day for Preventing the Exploitation of the Environment in War and Armed Conflict (A/RES/56/4). Kuwait extinguished the last oil well fire on November 6, showcasing the solidarity among its people against environmental catastrophes.
In a June 1992 speech at the Earth Summit in Rio De Janeiro, the late Amir Sheikh Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah emphasized the importance of rehabilitating Kuwait's environment following the oil well fires, which impacted not only the country but also the region and the world. In November 2002, the late Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, then first Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, expressed Kuwait's gratitude to the UN for its recognition, calling it a triumph of the forces of good against evil.
In 2018, Kuwait launched a unique initiative at the UNSC focusing on the impact of weapons on the environment, with specific attention to the catastrophic effects. In 2024, the Foreign Ministry of Kuwait affirmed that the world's recognition of the occasion was a crucial basis for peace and sustainable development. The statement expressed Kuwait's support for the UN, partners, and agencies' efforts in addressing environmental challenges.