Brussels: Europe and the Arabs
A European statement was issued in Brussels following the holding of the fourth dialogue of its kind between the European Union and Kuwait on human rights. According to what was stated in the statement issued by the European External Action Section, the two sides exchanged the latest developments and affirmed their commitment to open and constructive dialogue to jointly address challenges and exchange best practices regarding human rights issues. Human.
The meeting, which was held on Tuesday, touched on a wide range of topics such as freedom of expression and association, including digital rights; the rights of stateless residents in Kuwait; workers’ rights, workers’ rights, and reform of the sponsorship system; Women and children's rights; As well as the rule of law, including the right to a fair trial and the death penalty, to which the European Union reiterated its principled opposition. The two sides also exchanged views on their cooperation in multilateral human rights forums, with the aim of enhancing their participation.
The European Union praised the recent positive developments in Kuwait, especially in the field of women's empowerment. The European Union also encouraged its counterpart to commit to further progress in addressing challenges related to the issue of stateless residents (Bidoon) and workers’ rights, with a particular focus on migrant workers.
The co-chairs agreed to continue strengthening their dialogue on human rights, and to hold the next meeting in Kuwait in 2024.
Last week, Brussels hosted the third dialogue between the European Union and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia regarding the human rights file.
According to a statement issued by the European External Action Office, the dialogue touched on a wide range of human rights topics. Such as labor rights, the rights of women and vulnerable groups, the rule of law, fundamental freedoms, freedom of religion or belief, and human trafficking. The discussion also focused on cooperation in UN human rights forums, in particular the priorities of the Human Rights Council and the sessions of the Third Committee of the UN General Assembly; universal periodic review; Ratifying international human rights treaties; Cooperation with United Nations special procedures.
The European Union recognized the progress made by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in the areas of labor rights, and welcomed the dismantling of the sponsorship system, the empowerment of women and youth, and the promotion of economic and social rights.