Kuwait, Uzbekistan ties that bind, further cooperation on horizon
The arrival of visiting Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev to Kuwait, Monday, is reflective of the strong ties that bind both countries who are seeking to expand the horizon of cooperation.
The expected meeting with His Highness the Amir Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah will be a chance for both leaders to focus on ways to further enhance the relations on all possible domains.
Bilateral relations dates back to Kuwait recognizing Uzbekistani’s independence in December of 1991. Diplomatic ties kick started with Kuwait opening an embassy in Uzbekistan in 2001 followed by an Uzbek embassy in Kuwait in 2004.
In 1997, the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development (KFAED) began its grant operations in Uzbekistan providing three loans worth KD 18.67 million to fund health, water irrigation, and transport projects in addition to a sum of KD 550,000 in the form of technical grants.
In recent years, senior Kuwaitis and Uzbek officials exchanged visits aimed at bolstering ties and coordinating efforts on regional and international issues.
Former Uzbek President Islam Karimov visited Kuwait in January of 2004 where he held talks with senior officials and signed six cooperation agreements in addition to and Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).
In July of 2008, the late Kuwait Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah visited Uzbekistan and talked with President Karimov on issues of mutual interest. The two countries signed eight agreements within the energy, investment, health, environment, and tourism domains.
In April of 2024, Foreign Minister Abdullah Al-Yahya and Uzbek counterpart Baxtiyor Saidov signed an agreement on a cooperation program on the sideline of the second ministerial meeting between the GCC and Central Asian countries held in Tashkent. Saidov also visited Kuwait in August of last year signing a MoU with Al-Yahya to boost cooperation within diplomatic institutions.
In August of 2024 saw a Uzbek delegation visiting Kuwait and meeting with members of the Kuwait Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) in addition to a number of Kuwaiti investors.
In October of 2024, Kuwait and Uzbekistan signed an agreement within aviation during the sixteenth ICAO Air Services Negotiation (ICAN2024) in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Last November the first Kuwaiti-Uzbek joint committee for economic, commerce, and scientific cooperation was held in Tashkent, resulting in the signing of agreements and MoU.
Within charity, Kuwait had executed numerous projects in Uzbekistan whether it was digging wells for the needy, distributing the Holy Quran in braille format or building mosques and catering to orphans.
In July of 2004, Kuwait opened the Kuwait-Uzbek friendship hall in Tashkent which has within it several publications and books issued by Kuwaiti entities.
Source: KUNA
