Ambassador Faisal bin Hasan Trad, Saudi Arabia's Permanent Representative to the United Nations in Geneva, today expressed satisfaction on the encouraging remarks uttered here or there on the municipal elections recently held in his country, citing, in particular, the comments on the historic participation of women as voters and candidates and the winning of as many as 20 municipal councils seats countrywide. In a speech at a meeting, which gathered others, with the Higher Commissioner for Human Rights to discuss his tour of a number of countries over the world to have a shorthand look of the situations of human rights in those countries, Ambassador Trad said Saudi Arabia, which is a forerunner of countries who played host for a big number of refugees in the recent times, shares the High Commissioner his concern over the fate of immigrants and his call for the world community to provide appropriate assistance to them. He said the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has provided more than $700 million worth of assistance to Syrian immigrants' recipient countries. However, we believe that it is of great importance for the world community to address the reasons that lead humans to leave their countries and bring the culprits who caused this phenomenon to justice, he added. Trad said that Saudi Arabia also shares the High commissioner his concern as the hatred address over the world is on the increase, particularly what is called Islam phobia and the attempts by some circles to stick the phenomenon of extremism and terrorism on the Islamic religion, which is totally innocent of such accusation. He said Saudi Arabia was and still continuing to exert strenuous efforts to combat extremism and fight terrorism, two phenomena without specific identity, citing that it provided $110 million to the New York-based International Center for Combating Terrorism. To this effect, let me say that my country was the first who called last year for establishing an international coalition to fight ISIS and its extremists thought, the ambassador stated. Yesterday's announcement of the formation of the Islamic Military Alliance to fight terrorism, which started with a membership of 35 Islamic countries and gained the support of 10 other Islamic countries with Riyadh as headquarters of the alliance's joint operations for coordination and supporting the military operations in the fight of terrorism and the necessary mechanism to support those efforts, is yet another evidence of our determination and commitment to fight terrorism, he said, adding that proper arrangements will be made with friendly and peace-loving countries as well as international relevant agencies to orchestrate the world concerted efforts to fight terrorism and preserve international peace and security. He called on peace-loving countries and agencies to voice support for this endeavor. In conclusion, he expressed the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's appreciation of the High Commissioner for Human Rights for his efforts to enhance human rights in a way that guarantees justice and preserves the right of all parties and vowed that the Kingdom will work earnestly in support of such efforts that come in line with this mandate and preserve the religious and cultural privacy of world communities.
