New York(Dawan Africa) – The Republic of Djibouti has urged the international community to uphold international law and immediately recognize the State of Palestine during a high-level international conference held Tuesday at the United Nations Headquarters.
Representing the government, Djibouti’s Foreign Minister Abdoulkader Houssein Omar congratulated the French Republic and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for organizing the conference and preparing its three roundtables. He said Djibouti expected the talks to produce “concrete and action-oriented proposals.”
Djibouti reaffirmed its longstanding position in support of the two-state solution, calling it the only viable path to resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and securing the rights and safety of all communities in the region.
“You cannot build security on broken law, and you cannot build peace on buried children,” said Minister Omar. “This is not a question of sides—it is a question of standards. The world must act.”
Addressing the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, Minister Omar described the situation as an “inhuman tragedy of unbearable proportions.” He condemned the destruction of hospitals, schools, and homes, and the blockade on civilian populations, stating these acts constitute violations of international humanitarian law.
He called for immediate recognition of the State of Palestine by all UN member states that have not yet done so, noting that 148 countries already recognize Palestinian statehood. He welcomed the announcement that France will formally recognize Palestine during the upcoming UN General Assembly session, and conveyed the congratulations of Djiboutian President Ismail Omar Guelleh to President Emmanuel Macron.
Minister Omar also cited the Arab Peace Initiative adopted in 2002 as a comprehensive framework for peace and referenced the July 19, 2020 advisory opinion by the International Court of Justice as a defining legal document affirming the illegality of policies in the occupied territories, including East Jerusalem.
“What is happening in Gaza is not a lapse—it is a collapse of the rules we claim to live by,” he said. “Justice delayed is not just denied. It is destroyed, and with it, lives are lost.”
Djibouti called on all states to respect their legal obligations and support the implementation of the two-state solution based on the 1967 borders, with two sovereign states living side by side in peace and security.