Kuwait recognized Uzbekistan's independence on December 30, 1991, and in July 1994 our countries established diplomatic relations, confirming our mutual desire to develop a mutually beneficial constructive partnership based on equality and respect for each other's interests.
The mutual high-level visits to Kuwait and Uzbekistan in 2004 and 2008, respectively, laid a solid foundation for the development of cooperation. Since 2001, the Embassy of Kuwait has been operating in Uzbekistan, and the diplomatic mission of our country was opened in Kuwait in 2004.
Today, the contractual and legal framework of bilateral relations consists of 27 documents.
In recent years, there has been a significant intensification of bilateral cooperation in various areas, including economy, trade, investment, education and culture. Both States strive to strengthen partnership based on mutually beneficial interests and traditionally friendly ties, spiritual ties based on common religion, spiritual values and traditions.
Kuwait is an important partner for Uzbekistan in the system of international relations. Kuwaiti experience in such fields as economics, finance, banking, investment, innovation, education and infrastructure development is of particular value. Cooperation with Kuwait opens up wide opportunities for the exchange of knowledge and best practices, which contributes to the strengthening of bilateral relations and joint progress towards sustainable development.
The interaction of the two states within the framework of international organizations such as the United Nations, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, and the Gulf Cooperation Council-Central Asia format contributes to the coordination of positions on topical issues on the regional and global agenda, as well as opens up new prospects for further deepening multilateral cooperation.
The high-level cooperation between Uzbekistan and Kuwait covers a wide range of bilateral relations. Special importance is attached to the interaction between the Ministries of Foreign Affairs of the two states, which contributes to the strengthening of diplomatic dialogue and opens the way to the expansion and diversification of cooperation.
In 2024 alone, five meetings and negotiations between the Foreign Ministers of Uzbekistan and Kuwait took place, including on the sidelines of the Antalya Diplomatic Forum and the 79th session of the UN General Assembly.
In addition, a delegation led by Kuwait's Foreign Minister Abdullah Al-Yahya participated in the 2nd meeting of the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the Strategic Dialogue of Central Asian Countries and the Gulf Arab Cooperation Council, which took place on April 15, 2024 in Tashkent. Then the Kuwaiti minister was received by the President of Uzbekistan.
In turn, in August 2024, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Uzbekistan visited Kuwait, where fruitful negotiations also took place.
Political consultations regularly conducted by foreign ministries also serve as an important mechanism for inter-ministerial cooperation.
Trade, economic and investment cooperation between Uzbekistan and Kuwait has been gaining special momentum in recent years. There is no doubt that the two countries have sufficient potential to multiply trade turnover and are actively working in this direction.
Thus, the year 2024 demonstrated unprecedented activity of economic cooperation. More than 50 visits of representatives of large and medium-sized Kuwaiti companies and financial institutions to Uzbekistan took place. Among them are the delegations of the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development, Gulf General Trading Co., Petroleum Dynamics, Al-Tijaria Group, The Commercial Real Estate Co., Rawasi Kuwait Holding Co., Kuwait Investment Co. (KIC), AlJaber Group Holding", "Biomedix Medical Group Co.", "Advanced Medical German Co.", "KAMCO Investment Co.", "Alkandari General Trading Co.", "Unique Goods", "Zenith Business Solution", "Golden Carpet", "AlMawashi" and others.
Yusuf Al-Ali, President of Kuwait Investment Company, and Iyad Salih, CEO of Gulf General Trading Co., participated in the III Tashkent International Investment Forum on May 2-3, 2024.
Kuwaiti businessmen also participated in the Kashkadarya Invest-2024 business forum held in Karshi last November. Kuwait was represented by the management of Gulf Care Gen. Trad. Co.", "Biomedix Medical Group Co." and "Advanced Medical German Co."
The "Made in Uzbekistan" business forums and exhibitions organized in Kuwait in May and August 2024 were also successful. In addition, Uzbek delegations led by the leadership of the Ministry of Investment, Industry and Trade, the Public Council for Entrepreneurship Support and more than 100 Uzbek entrepreneurs visited Kuwait, where they held fruitful negotiations.
In 2024, Tashkent also hosted the first meeting of the Intergovernmental Joint Commission on Trade and Economic Cooperation, which was attended by a delegation from Kuwait headed by Minister of Finance and Minister of State for Economy and Investment, Ms. Nura Al-Fassam.
A new fact in bilateral trade in 2024 was the first export from Uzbekistan to Kuwait of more than
20 tons of fresh fruits and vegetables. This was the first step towards expanding trade relations between our countries. The fruitful participation of representatives of Uzbek companies in the Kuwait International Agro Food Exhibition, held on December 15-16, 2024 in Kuwait City, paved the way for further expansion of the range of exports of Uzbek products to the Kuwaiti market.
In the investment sphere, negotiations began last year with the Kuwaiti corporation Fouad Al-Ghanim and Sons Group of Companies on the implementation of joint projects worth 640 million US dollars for the construction of hydroelectric power plants in Bostanlyk district and five projects worth 50 million dollars to provide drinking water to five regions of Uzbekistan.
In addition, active cooperation with the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development (KFAED) continues. Thanks to concessional loans from Kuwait, large social projects in the field of healthcare, education and various infrastructure sectors are being implemented in Uzbekistan.
Since 2000, with the participation of the fund, 10 projects worth a total of 210 million dollars have been implemented in Uzbekistan in the field of infrastructure, construction and healthcare, and an agreement on the provision of technical assistance in the amount of 500 thousand dollars has been concluded.
It should be noted that the Government of Kuwait has provided financial assistance to equip the Imam al-Bukhari complex in Samarkand, the Hazrat Imama Foundation, the construction and equipping of a new building of the International Islamic Academy, computerization of 50 classrooms and equipping medical institutions in our republic.
Along with this, in January last year, surgeons at Kuwait's Gulf General Trading Co. performed thirty heart surgeries on young children in medical institutions in the Ferghana region as a charity.
The developing strong historical and spiritual ties between Uzbekistan and Kuwait are expressed in active cooperation in the field of culture and education. Both States attach special importance to the preservation and popularization of the Islamic heritage, its study and transmission to future generations.
Cultural exchange between countries is becoming an important bridge of mutual understanding. Joint exhibitions, conferences and festivals are held on a regular basis, revealing the wealth of traditions, art and literature of the two peoples. A special place is occupied by cooperation in the field of the study of Islamic culture, historical monuments and handwritten heritage, which opens up new prospects for research activities and scientific relations.
In this area, mutual visits of representatives of the scientific communities of the two countries are organized, their participation in various international and cultural and educational events held in Uzbekistan and Kuwait.
For example, Kuwaiti artists are regular participants of the Sharq Taronalari International Music Festival, held in Samarkand. Representatives of Uzbekistan, in turn, participated in international exhibitions of applied art in Kuwait, "Islamic Art", women's clothing, and the international conference "Women and Health".
In 2024, representatives of Kuwait participated in the Asian Women's Forum held in Samarkand on the theme "Regional approaches to women's economic, social, political and legal empowerment", the 12th session of the Ministers of Tourism of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation Member States, which was held in Khiva, and the Abu Ali ibn International Biological Olympiad. Sino in Bukhara, at the World Youth Festival in Samarkand, Bukhara, Jizzakh, Khorezm regions and Tashkent city, at the LIPTIS Pharmaceuticals Annual Scientific Symposium, which took place in Tashkent, at the "Central Asian Air Cargo Summit" in Tashkent.
The above indicates that Uzbekistan and Kuwait have created a good foundation for the further development and strengthening of relations in new areas, have achieved significant success in a number of areas and are ready to continue to unlock the enormous potential for building mutually beneficial cooperation.
Undoubtedly, the upcoming official visit of the head of our state to Kuwait will give an additional impetus to deepening bilateral cooperation, expanding economic and humanitarian ties, and will also contribute to further elevating the partnership to a new level.
News agency "Dunyo".
