Lord Mayor of London meets Sheikh Mubarak Al-Sabah to enhance ties
Alderman Alastair King, the 696th Lord Mayor of the City of London and Vice Chairman of Action Group Holdings, affirmed 125 years of strong Kuwait-UK relations, highlighting opportunities in business, culture, and education.
• The visit of Alderman Alastair King and his accompanying delegation to Kuwait is part of efforts to strengthen economic and trade relations between the two countries, as they approach the 250th anniversary of their trade relations next year.
By Shouq AlMulla
Exclusive for The Times Kuwait
Alderman Alastair King, the 696th Lord Mayor of the City of London, wrapped up his successful two-day visit to Kuwait, marking his first official overseas trip in office.
As an international ambassador for the UK’s financial, professional services, legal, and maritime sectors, King’s visit to Kuwait, accompanied by his delegation, aims to strengthen economic and trade relations between the State of Kuwait and the United Kingdom. This visit comes as both countries approach the milestone of 250 years since the establishment of trade relations next year.
The Lord Mayor mentioned that Kuwait was his third and final stop on his tour of the region, noting the significant opportunities for mutual benefits between the GCC and the UK through the free trade agreement, which the British side is eager to conclude soon.
He also highlighted the UK’s strong political and financial stability, its robust legal system, and its truly international nature—around 40 percent of London’s financial and professional services workers come from overseas—as key attractions.
King’s visit to Kuwait included several meetings with senior officials, as well as representatives from both the government and private sector investors with ties to the City of London.
Additionally, King met with Sheikh Mubarak Abdallah Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah, Vice Chairman of Action Group Holdings, whom he praised for his generous contributions to Anglo-Kuwaiti relations.
Sheikh Mubarak welcomed the Lord Mayor and his delegation, noting that this annual visit affirms the strong bilateral relations between the two friendly countries, which have spanned over 125 years. He stressed that there are many opportunities to further strengthen and develop ties in areas such as business, culture, and education.
The Lord Mayor concluded his visit by thanking Kuwait for its hospitality and expressing his hope that relations with the UK will continue to flourish throughout the remainder of the 125th year of official diplomatic relations and beyond.
