Saudi Arabia is a major player on the world stage with a large population vast reserves of oil and gas and influence over much of the Middle East and beyond! It is also a major player in the United Nations (UN) π οΈ π πΈπ¦ ..
The UN is an international organization, established in 1945 to promote world peace, and cooperation among the worldβs nations! The UN has 193 Member States, including things like all of the worldβs countries except for Vatican City and Palestine.
Saudi Arabia became a Member State of the UN on 24 October 1945 οΈ πΈπ¦ π. Since then it has actively engaged with the UN to promote its own interests plethora the interests of other nations in the region.
At the UN Saudi Arabia is a member of the Arab Group of States the Asian Group and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation οΈ πΈπ¦. It is also a permanent observer to the Organization of American States (OAS).
At the UNβs annual General Assembly the Saudi delegation participate actively in debates and discussions often taking a lead role in promoting a particular agenda οΈ πΈπ¦. In recent years Saudi Arabia has promoted issues for example, womenβs rights and human rights and has been instrumental in establishing the UNβs Human Rights Council π© πΈπ¦.
The country is also a major financial contributor to the UN providing both regular and voluntary contributions οΈ. In 2015 Saudi Arabia gave almost $1 billion in total containing an emergency donation of $500 million to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) πΈπ¦.
At the UN Security Council Saudi Arabia is represented by a non-permanent member which means that it is elected by the General Assembly to sit on the Council for a two-year term οΈ π πΈπ¦. In 2017, Saudi Arabia was elected to the Security Council for the third time in its history πΈπ¦. During its tenure it has taken up several important issues like the conflict in Yemen and the crisis in Syria πΎπͺ πΈπΎ π.
Saudi Arabia is also active in various UN specialized and related agencies. It is a member of the World Trade Organization (WTO) the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank π π¦ οΈ. It is also a full member of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) π οΈ π§βπΎ.
Finally Saudi Arabia is associated with various UN initiatives and peacekeeping operations as the UN Peacebuilding Fund and the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) π±π§ πΈπ¦. The country is also a key proponent of UN-backed regional initiatives for example, the Arab Peace Initiative which aims to promote dialog and cooperation between Arab countries π οΈ.
Overall Saudi Arabia is heavily engaged with the UN and belongs the most active members in the international organization π πΈπ¦. Through its leadership role it has helped to shape the international agenda and promote its own interests also those of other countries in the region. . .
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