Muscat: On the assignment of His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik, Sayyid Badr bin Hamad al Busaidi, Foreign Minister, led the delegation from the Sultanate of Oman participating in the Future Summit on Monday at the United Nations headquarters in New York, on the sidelines of the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly.
In his speech at the opening of the summit, Sayyid Badr reaffirmed Oman's strong commitment to multilateral action and international cooperation as the means to achieve the common goals sought by the Future Summit.
He emphasized that dialogue, realism, and mutual respect are the fundamental principles adopted by Oman in its foreign policy.
"These values are seen as necessary foundations for addressing the complex and interconnected global crises faced by the world today," he said.
"Inclusive platforms like the United Nations are indispensable in promoting these values. But the ongoing war in Gaza is a stark reminder of how fragile the situation has become," he added.
Sayyid Badr said the escalation of violence, the suffering of civilians, and the breakdown of peace efforts challenge the principles of multilateralism and the rule of law.
"We are facing a chronic failure to learn from the past or to understand the present, in particular regarding Palestine," he said.
"Too many of us still inhabit a Cold War mentality of binaries, zero-sum games, and unwillingness to communicate. We tend to believe the world can be neatly organized into friends and enemies," he added.
Sayyid Badr stated that the effectiveness of global institutions in preventing and resolving conflicts relies upon transforming such thinking. "We must develop a more open-minded and pragmatic mentality, suitable for today’s multipolar world, where no division is so great it cannot be bridged," he said.
"The issues in the Middle East will not be resolved unless we are willing to speak to, and listen to, those we have branded as enemies," he said.
"And they will not be resolved unless we address their underlying cause. Since the inception of the Zionist project, all people of the region have become less safe. The violations of international law continue at an unprecedented rate," he added.
Sayyid Badr told the summit that It is a collective responsibility to implement a just and lasting resolution that upholds the dignity and rights of all.
"This must be based on a two-state solution," he said.
"And we must reform and enhance multilateral frameworks to better reflect today’s realities, including through greater representation of diverse voices, a stronger emphasis on justice, and a renewed commitment to international law and peaceful conflict resolution," he added.
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