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Statement by

His Excellency the President of the Republic

ISMAÏL OMAR GUELLEH

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Conference for the Peaceful Settlement of the Question of Palestine and the Implementation of the Two-State Solution

September 22, 2025

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Praise be to God, and peace and blessings be upon the Prophet, his Family, and his Companions.

Mr. President,

Ladies and Gentlemen, Heads of State and Government,

We reiterate once again our utmost gratitude to our very distinguished co-chairs of this historic High-Level International conference for the Peace settlement on the question of Palestine and the Implementation of the two-state solution, President Emmanuel Macron of France and HRH King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud of Saudi Arabia.

Djibouti applauds the recent decisions taken by several States to recognize the State of Palestine, bringing the total number of States that recognize Palestine as a State to more than 150.

This is progress toward the two-State solution mandated by the Security Council, repeatedly called for by overwhelming majorities of the General Assembly, and required by international law, as determined by the International Court of Justice in its historic Advisory Opinion of 19 July 2024.

But it is no more than opening the door. to the achievement of a peaceful solution that guarantees alike. Recognition alone will not lead to self-determination, justice, security and peace - for Palestinians and Israelis alike - unless the international community, in mass, resolutely takes collective action to make the two State solution a reality on the ground. Recognizing a problem is an important first step. Resolving it requires much more.

The need for the just and peaceful resolution that international law requires could not be more urgent than it is today. The United Nations International Commission of Inquiry, in its detailed report of 16 September, confirmed that Israeli is committing genocide against the Palestinian people of Gaza.

The Commission Chair, Judge Navi Pillay of South Africa, laid out very clearly what this means for the international community and the obligation of every State to prevent genocide wherever it happens, and use all available diplomatic and legal means to stop the killings.

These are the same obligations and the same actions called for by France and Saudi Arabia as Co-Chairs, and 15 other States plus the European Union and the League of Arab States that served as Co-Chairs of Working Groups, at the High-Level Conference for the Peaceful Settlement of the Question of Palestine and the Implementation of the Two-State Solution held at the United Nations last July.

In particular, based on the Advisory Opinion of the ICJ, and UNGA resolution A/ES-10 of 18 September 2024 mandating compliance with the legal obligations on third States set out by the Court, the High-Level Conference called on all States to take concrete steps and use all available diplomatic and legal means to stop the killings in our efforts towards achieving self-determination for the Palestinian people by ending Israel’s unlawful occupation of Palestinian territory, consisting of the West Bank, East Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip.

Only by concrete, collective and concerted action – beyond recognition of the State of Palestine – can the international community fulfill its legal obligations to bring an end to the illegal situation and the humanitarian crisis that has persisted in Palestine and the increasingly grave threat to international peace and security that it poses. Recognition of the State of Palestine is a start, and a very welcome one, but it is no more than that.

Judge Pillay admonished: “The Security Council must not be the graveyard of conscience.” To this, Djibouti adds: Neither must the General Assembly, nor any of its Member States.

Thank you for your attention.