Minister Sheikh Mohammad Al- Abdullah Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah

Kuwaiti official hails robust Arab-Turkish ties

KUWAIT: Kuwait’s relations with Turkey have made rapid progress in all fields, Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs Sheikh Mohammad Al-Abdullah Al-Sabah said yesterday. Sheikh Mohammad Al-Abdullah, who doubles as Acting Minister of Information, made the remarks to open a conference on Turkey’s ties with the Arab world.  On the conference, he said that the event aims to “rekindle the sense of camaraderie between Turkey and the Arab world”, as he attributed the improvement in relations to common political ideologies.

Moreover, the Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs underlined Kuwait and Turkey’s mutual desire to take bilateral ties to new heights, saying the conference was “imperative” and a step towards establishing broader bilateral relations. Meanwhile, MP Nayef Al-Mirdas, a National Assembly inspector and the conference coordinator, said that it was apropos that Kuwait hosts this conference given how instrumental the country can be in furthering Turkey’s ties with the Arab world.  On cooperation among Arab and Islamic nations, he said it would behoove these countries to work closely together to deal with obstacles and hardships.

The Kuwaiti MP also thanked all of those who organized this conference, saying he hoped it would pave the way for greater interaction between Turkey and Arab nations.  Describing Kuwait as the “pearl of the region,” Turkey’s Ambassador to Kuwait Murad Tameer said that his country was eager to ameliorate its ties with the Arab world.  The Turkish envoy drew parallels between the countries’ political leaderships, applauding Kuwait for its 2035 plan for development that he said would lead the country on a path to prosperity.

He also pointed out that trade between Kuwait and Turkey amounts to $3 billion, saying that “this figure will only rise in the coming years” and that Ankara offers lucrative investment opportunities for Kuwaiti businessmen. Through discussions and workshops, the conference examines strategies to bolster Turkey’s ties with the Arab world as well as help align views on issues of mutual concern.