New York, USA – At a truly historic UN Security Council meeting, its 10,000th session, Somalia’s Ambassador to the UN, H.E. Abukar Dahir Osman, delivered a powerful and emotionally charged statement that deeply resonated with the global community. The meeting, convened to address the dire situation in the Middle East, particularly the escalating crisis in Gaza, witnessed a draft resolution calling for an immediate and permanent ceasefire tragically fail due to a veto by the United States. Somalia, as a non-permanent member of the council, co-sponsored this critical resolution and stood unyielding in its support for the Palestinian people.
The draft resolution, a collaborative effort championed by the council’s 10 non-permanent members (including Somalia, Algeria, and Slovenia), demanded an immediate, unconditional, and permanent ceasefire in Gaza, coupled with the unimpeded flow of humanitarian aid and the release of all hostages. This text garnered overwhelming support, with 14 of the 15 member states voting in favor, a powerful demonstration of global conscience.
However, this collective plea for humanity was ultimately stifled by a veto from the United States. The U.S. argued that the draft did not sufficiently condemn Hamas or recognize Israel’s right to defend itself. This outcome starkly highlighted the structural impediments within the Security Council, where the singular veto of a permanent member can override the overwhelming will of the international community. As the ambassador from Denmark, speaking on behalf of the non-permanent members, asserted, despite the veto, “14 members of this Council have sent a clear message” that they will relentlessly pursue a ceasefire and a just resolution.
Ambassador Osman’s statement transcended mere diplomacy, serving as a profound critique of the council’s inaction and an impassioned call to global conscience. He underscored that the unfolding tragedy in Gaza is a “profound moral failing” and that the world must vehemently reject the insidious logic that “the suffering of some is more tolerable than the suffering of others”. His address, imbued with the weight of human suffering, condemned the council’s repeated failures to act decisively in the face of such immense pain. He highlighted the heartbreaking reality that millions of Palestinians have “paid the price of our failure to stop the killing machine launched against them”.
Somalia’s resolute stance is deeply rooted in its enduring support for the Palestinian people’s inherent right to self-determination and the establishment of an independent, sovereign state with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital. The unified voice of the elected non-permanent members (E10), as powerfully demonstrated in the video of the session, conveyed a shared sense of urgency and moral clarity regarding the unfolding catastrophe.
This vote on a legally-binding resolution follows a recent UN General Assembly vote on the “New York Declaration,” which, while non-binding, passed with an overwhelming 142-9 vote and further underscored the expansive global consensus for a two-state solution. Somalia’s consistent and vocal support in both forums unequivocally demonstrates its unwavering commitment to peace, human dignity, and the fundamental principles of international law.
