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The consequences of conflict do not end when arms are laid down. 

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For families of those who remain missing, uncertainty over the fate of a loved one can endure for generations. 

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Helping families to know the fate of their loved ones is an enduring humanitarian imperative.

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President, 315 Kuwaiti and third-country nationals remain missing, and there have been no new identifications were made since the Secretary-General’s last report.

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This underlines both the difficulty of the task and the importance of sustaining our efforts and pursuing every credible avenue that could provide families with answers. 

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We welcome the work of the Secretary-General’s Senior Representative, the International Committee of the Red Cross and the Tripartite Commission.

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And the United Kingdom is proud to support these efforts as a member of the Commission.

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We also welcome the practical steps being taken including DNA analysis, the use of geospatial tools, the revised communication strategy and renewed calls for witnesses. 

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We hope these approaches can help unlock further progress.

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But technology alone cannot provide all of the answers.

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Credible witness information remains essential, and the number of potential witnesses will diminish with time.

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We therefore encourage anyone who may hold relevant information to come forward, and all those involved to continue efforts to identify potential witnesses and following up every credible lead.

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It will also be important to establish a shared and practical basis for measuring progress.

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We encourage the Tripartite Commission to agree practical indicators that can help focus collective efforts, and provide an objective basis for assessing progress ahead of the Council’s review in 2028.

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President, we also encourage renewed engagement on the separate issue of missing Kuwaiti property, including the national archives. 

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This should include the resumption of the Joint Committee on missing Kuwaiti property.

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Finally, the mechanism established by Resolution 2792 provides an opportunity to sustain cooperation and build mutual trust. 

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We welcome the Senior Representative’s continued engagement with both countries, and we will continue to support her mandate.

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The United Kingdom remains committed to working with Iraq, Kuwait, and our partners in the Tripartite Commission towards our shared goal: providing answers to families who have waited for far too long.

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