Kuwait and US to hold first-of-its-kind forum
Amir makes a historic trip to US amid regional crisis
His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah AlAhmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah’s current visit to Washington is historic both in the timing and the level of the accompanying delegation, said a Kuwaiti diplomat yesterday. This visit also comes at a very delicate time due to the challenges and crises in the Arab region, Ambassador of Kuwait to Washington Sheikh Salem Abdullah Al-Jaber Al-Sabah said.
He pointed out that the visit comes upon an invitation from US President Donald Trump last February shortly after his inauguration. The ambassador added that His Highness the Amir is accompanied by a highcaliber official and business delegation. Moreover, the US Chamber of Commerce and the Kuwait’s Chamber of Commerce and Industry would hold a first-of-its-kind Kuwaiti-US economic forum in Washington on Friday, Sheikh Salem said.
He disclosed that Kuwait’s Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Anas Al-Saleh would head the Kuwaiti side at the forum, which would bring together a plethora of Kuwaiti and American officials and businesspeople to discuss efforts to remove obstacles to joint investments as well as make use of the available investment opportunities. He added that His Highness the Amir and US President Donald Trump’s talks tomorrow would build on the outcome of their talks on the sidelines of the Gulf-American Summit in Riyadh last May.
The talks would also be a continuation of the fruitful consultation between the two leaders and a reflection of the strength of friendship bonds linking the two nations, the ambassador said. He clarified that the talks would tackle bilateral relations and regional and international developments of mutual concern.
The cooperation in the fight against terror would be top on the summit’s agenda, he said, adding that Kuwait is a main partner to the US in the war on terror.
The Ambassador stated that second round of strategic Kuwaiti-US dialogue would be held in Washington on Friday. First Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Sabah Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah would head Kuwait’s side in the event which is meant to push political, military, security, trade and culture cooperation to new high. This historic visit signals the start of new chapter in bilateral relations as the leaders of the two countries are seeking to lay foundations for a more developed relations in the coming 25 years, he concluded.
HH the Amir’s visit to US and his meeting with President Trump highlight the shared desire to deepen cooperation to secure the Gulf region and beyond. The visit that falls in the framework of the multi-faceted strategic partnership aims to follow up the existing programs of cooperation and discuss regional and international issues of common concern.
It gains additional importance given the new challenges in the Gulf region and the two sides’ profound understanding of the crises in the Arab region. Kuwait and US share the desire to stabilize the region through political means and realize the right priorities of restoring security and stability and combating terrorism. The strategic partnership came to the fore following the US spearheading of the international coalition to liberate Kuwait from the Iraqi invasion (between August 2, 1990 and February 28, 1991).
The coalition, put into motion by former US president George HW Bush on August 7, 1990, and the US-led military campaign to liberate Kuwait on February 24-28, 1991, constituted a turning point in the Kuwaiti-US relationship. Since then the relations have been growing and both sides have showed keenness on promoting regional security and economic prosperity and combating terrorism and extremism.
Kuwait is held in high esteem in the eyes of the US due to Kuwait’s growing role in addressing humanitarian disasters and economic problems worldwide as well as promotion of tolerance and coexistence among people with different cultures. President Trump invited His Highness the Amir to visit the US in recognition of Kuwait’s status as a model democracy in the region, and the exemplary humanitarian role of His Highness the Amir.
Recognizing the humanitarian leadership of His Highness the Amir, the former UN secretary-general Ban Ki-moon hosted a ceremony in New York, on September 9, 2014, to pay his “deepest tribute” to His Highness the Amir and thank him and the people of Kuwait for their “outstanding generosity towards” the victims of man-made and natural disasters around the globe.