Azerbaijan looks to enhance ties with Kuwait
Azerbaijani Ambassador to Kuwait Emil Karimov stated that the strong and historical ties between Kuwait and Azerbaijan pave the way for further strengthening bilateral relations across various sectors. During an iftar held by the embassy for local media, the ambassador said “With a focus on tourism, food, and education, both countries are poised to enhance collaboration and mutual exchange of expertise.”
He noted that 30,000 Kuwaiti tourists visited Azerbaijan during the past year. Regarding the trade between the two countries, the ambassador said that the volume of trade exchange for the year 2023 reached $665,000 and Azerbaijan is keen to increase trade exchange with Kuwait. He said the Kuwaiti side has expressed an interest in importing food products from Azerbaijan, signaling a desire to diversify its sources of agricultural goods and strengthen economic ties to enhance trade relations.
To deepen cultural understanding and foster people-to-people connections between the two countries, he said that there are plans to organize numerous cultural events throughout the year in Kuwait, pointing out that there is an interest to enhance cultural cooperation between the two countries. “There is a joint Kuwait-Azerbaijan government-level committee and we are about to hold the third meeting of the joint committee this year in Kuwait,” he revealed.
The Azerbaijani ambassador said “Cooperation with Kuwait in the field of mine clearance in Azerbaijan presents an exciting opportunity to leverage the expertise and experience for which Kuwait is renowned. We aim to benefit from its specialized knowledge,” he added. On the other hand, Ambassador Karimov said that Azerbaijan plays a major role in securing energy for European countries, noting, “We have many projects to transport goods from east to west. The 29th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP29) of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) that will convene this year 2024, will take place in Azerbaijan.
Regarding Kuwaitis owning property in Azerbaijan, the ambassador said that they can own real estate, but they cannot own the land unless it is under the name of an Azerbaijani company, or a Kuwaiti-owned company in Azerbaijan. Regarding the current situation in Palestine, the ambassador emphasized Azerbaijan’s call for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, underscoring the urgency to halt the devastating conflict that has claimed thousands of civilian lives.
He highlighted Azerbaijan’s proactive steps, including the establishment of a representative office in Ramallah, signaling robust ties with Palestine. Furthermore, the embassy in Kuwait actively engages in charitable initiatives, such as participating in a charity bazaar recently to support the humanitarian efforts aimed at saving children in Gaza.