Mubarak Al-Kabeer Port MoU highlights Kuwait-China cooperation

• Kuwait and China aim to make the Mubarak Al-KabeerPort a key trade hub and early success in the Belt and Road Initiative, facilitating East-West trade.

The Official Gazette (Al-Youm) published a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the governments of Kuwait and China, outlining their cooperation on the Mubarak Al-Kabeer Port project, according to Q8-Press.

The MoU stated that, aware of the common interests and development needs between the Government of the State of Kuwait and the Government of the People’s Republic of China, and in order to strengthen cooperation in transport infrastructure, the cooperation in the Mubarak Al-Kabeer Port project will facilitate the alignment of China’s Belt and Road Initiative with Kuwait’s Vision 2035. This aims to deepen the friendly practical cooperation between the two parties.

As a result, a memorandum of understanding was signed between the Government of the State of Kuwait and the Government of the People’s Republic of China on cooperation in the Mubarak Al-Kabeer Port project, along with the attached protocol. The following understanding was reached:

Objectives of cooperation

Through their cooperation on the Mubarak Al-Kabeer Port, the two parties aim to establish a key trade hub that facilitates the exchange of goods between East and West. The goal is to make the Mubarak Al-Kabeer Port project an early success within the transport sector as part of the joint development process of the Belt and Road Initiative between Kuwait and China.

Principles of cooperation

The two parties agreed to support companies from both countries in establishing mutually beneficial cooperation based on market principles, fairness, mutual benefit, and in accordance with their respective laws and regulations.

Collaboration content: The areas of cooperation agreed upon by the two parties may include:

1. Mutual consultations on the development orientation and plans for the construction, operation, and joint support of companies from both countries to implement the development, construction, and operation of the port.
2. Providing necessary support to companies from both countries in financing, investing, constructing, and operating the Mubarak Al-Kabeer Port project, including incentive measures such as preferential policies, in accordance with national laws and regulations.
3. Sharing laws, regulations, policies, practices, and experiences related to the development, construction, and operation of ports.
4. Other areas as agreed by the two parties.

Forms of cooperation: The forms of cooperation agreed upon by the two parties may include:

• Establishing a joint working group or a group of technical experts.
• Organizing mutual visits and technical exchanges.
• Providing information and materials related to the Mubarak Al-Kabeer Port project by the Kuwaiti side to the Chinese side, and the Chinese side submitting recommendations to Chinese companies with the necessary credits and capabilities to the Kuwaiti side for participation in the implementation of the Mubarak Al-Kabeer Port project. Companies from both countries will decide on commercial follow-up issues through consultations based on market principles.
• Other forms of cooperation as agreed by the parties.

Implementation: The implementing entities of this MoUare:

• For the Kuwaiti side: The Silk City Development Authority (Boya) and Boubyan Island.
• For the Chinese side: The Ministry of Transport.

Intellectual property and confidentiality

1. The parties shall comply with the laws and regulations of their respective countries on the protection of intellectual property rights, as well as with relevant international agreements to which both parties are subject, during the implementation of this MoU or any other agreements reached by the parties in accordance with this MoU.
2. Neither party shall disclose or publish any documents, information, or confidential data provided by the other party, or derived from the execution of this MoU, to a third party without the prior consent of the other party.

Rights, obligations, and dispute resolution

This memorandum of understanding is not an international convention and shall not create any international legal rights or obligations, other than those related to confidentiality as specified in paragraph 6.

Any disputes arising during the implementation of this MoU shall be resolved by the parties through friendly consultations.

Effect, validity, amendments, and termination

1. The parties shall notify each other in writing, through diplomatic channels, upon completing their necessary internal legal procedures for the entry into force of this Memorandum of Understanding. This agreement shall enter into force 30 days after receipt of the second notice. The MoU shall remain valid for five years.
2. In the event that either party does not receive written notice from the other party of its intention to terminate this Memorandum of Understanding six months before the expiration date, the validity of this MoU shall automatically renew for a period or consecutive periods of five years.
3. This memorandum of understanding may be amended at any time by mutual written consent of the parties.