The Permanent Representative of the Kingdom of Bahrain to the United Nations Office in Geneva and other international organizations, Ambassador Dr. Yusuf Abdul Karim Bucheeri, delivered a statement on behalf of the GCC States at the general debate, under agenda item 10, at the 34th Session of the Human Rights Council, held at the United Nations Palace in Geneva. His statement was centered on the importance of providing technical aid and building capacity in the human rights area in the countries desirous to benefit from such assistance and willing to cooperate with the Human Rights Council. On behalf of the GCC countries, Ambassador Bucheeri welcomed the level of the technical aid reached so far under item 10 while categorically rejected the attempts aiming to tie item 10 to certain conditions or restrictions that would make of it the assistance hard to get or empty it of its genuine import and thus deprive the countries in need from obtaining or availing of such aid. He said that the GCC countries, after being cognizant of the content of the High Commissioner's report on Yemen, they welcomed the Office of the High Commissioner's cooperation with Yemen's National Investigation Committee and appreciated the moral and logistic assistance it provided to help it carry out its mission to the best possible. He also welcomed the initial report of the Yemeni government on the human rights status between January 1, 2015 and January 31, 2017 that came to reflect the bitter reality on the ground: the organized systematic violations of human rights by the Huthi militias and Ali Abdullah Saleh's forces in Yemen and at the same time spotlighted the government's humanitarian efforts to alleviate the innocent people's sufferings. The ambassador renewed support for the UN efforts that urge continuation of political consultations to reach a peaceful solution on the basis of the previous relevant Arab and international decisions, implementation of UNSC resolution 2216 and other decisions, the Gulf Initiative and its executive mechanisms and the outcomes of the National Dialogue so as to safeguard Yemen's unity, independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity. In conclusion, the Permanent Representative maintained that item 10 be preserved as per UNHRC resolution 28/33 to be a "political platform" where to exchange views to underpin technical cooperation efficacy and to build human rights capacities in the desirous states in order to embolden them to live up to their commitments at national and international levels. He also valued the efforts being exerted by the office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights and heartened it go on with its mission and utilize what it could of material and human resources potentials to expand the outreach of Item 10 to cover the maximum number of countries.
