United nations: The Kingdom of Bahrain chaired a United Nations Security Council meeting on the situation in the Great Lakes region, during which members received briefings on recent developments from Huang Xia, the UN Secretary-General's Special Envoy for the Great Lakes Region, and Sima Sami Bahous, Executive Director of UN Women and Under-Secretary-General. Delivering Bahrain's national statement on behalf of the Permanent Representative of Bahrain to UN, Suma Al Alaiwat said the meeting comes at a critical juncture, with diplomatic efforts making promising progress while the situation on the ground remains affected by continued tensions.
According to Bahrain News Agency, Al Alaiwat welcomed advances achieved through the Doha process, the Washington agreements, and the efforts of the African Union and regional partners. She stressed that implementation is the true measure of credibility, underscoring the need for full compliance with UN Security Council Resolution 2773 (2025), including the immediate withdrawal of the M23 movement from areas under its control in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. She emphasised that the protection of civilians is an urgent priority that cannot be delayed, calling for unhindered humanitarian access and full respect for international humanitarian law.
Al Alaiwat further underscored the importance of addressing root causes, including combating the illegal exploitation of natural resources and supporting disarmament, demobilization, and reintegration programmes. She reaffirmed Bahrain's strong commitment to the Women, Peace and Security agenda, welcoming the briefing delivered by Bahous and describing it as one that 'places women's voices at the heart of discussions, not at their margins.' She also commended the efforts of the Special Envoy's Office to strengthen the role of women and youth in peacebuilding.
Al Alaiwat concluded by noting that peace should be measured not by what is signed, but by the tangible impact it delivers for people on the ground, stressing the need to move swiftly from commitments to implementation without delay.