Türkiye and Kuwait have augmented their historical ties through cooperation in several fields, including economy, regional issues, education and tourism, former Kuwaiti ministerial advisor and writer Issa Muhammad al-Amiri said.
Speaking to Daily Sabah, al-Amiri evaluated Kuwaiti Emir Sheikh Mishal Al Ahmad Al Sabah's visit last week. This was the leader’s first official visit since assuming the post in December 2023.
"If we look at the volume of trade and economic exchange between Kuwait and Türkiye, which exceeds a billion dollars and is growing, we realize the depth of bilateral relations that have extended over a long period. These relations have passed through prominent and important milestones and have directly contributed to consolidating ties in a way that adds to the common interest," al-Amiri pointed out. "These relations continued over time and became an example of fraternal relations between countries."
The two countries signed six cooperation agreements during Sheikh Mishal’s visit to Ankara, which coincided with the 60th anniversary of relations between Ankara and the Gulf country.
Türkiye and Kuwait signed six cooperation agreements in Ankara. The memorandums of understanding signed are on cooperation in investment promotion activities, free zones, housing welfare and infrastructure, disaster and emergency management, establishing a joint strategic dialogue, and implementation of the protocol on state-to-state defense industry supply contracts.
When asked about the root of fraternal relations between Ankara and Kuwait, al-Amiri said: "Türkiye stood wholeheartedly with its sister Kuwait during Saddam's brutal invasion of the State of Kuwait in the 90s of the last century. It opened its doors to Kuwaitis at that stage of their lives. After the liberation and the start of the reconstruction phase, Türkiye was one of the first countries to enter Kuwait and contributed to rebuilding the country again."
"There were wonderful achievements by Türkiye in terms of building the state again within the latest and best standards and advanced levels."
Al-Amiri also praised the tourism ties between the two countries, with Türkiye becoming a popular destination for Kuwaitis.
"Kuwaiti people, as part of their activities and search for entertainment, choose Türkiye to spend their annual vacation due to the country’s nice landscape and events. This is confirmed day after day when we witness the volume of real estate purchases in Türkiye, which has become an important figure in terms of economic relations," Al-Amiri added.
He said that Turkish culture and its ancient history were especially attractive factors in choosing the country as a destination.
Moreover, al-Amiri continued to say that close ties also exist in the education sector as Kuwaiti students choose Türkiye to join its universities to obtain their academic studies and complete their educational careers.
Turkish-Kuwaiti relations gained momentum in the 1980s after signing agreements on cooperation in industry and investment incentives. In 2013, the Turkish-Kuwaiti Cooperation Committee held its first meeting, and the two sides signed another 62 deals. Trade volume between the two countries reached about $700 million (TL 22.59 billion) in 2023. Türkiye hosts more than 400 Kuwaiti companies, while Kuwait hosts some 50 Turkish companies. Turkish companies in Kuwait are concentrated in the construction sector and are behind some 50 projects, including constructing a new international airport. The value of Turkish construction projects in Kuwait reached some $9.2 billion, while Kuwaiti direct investment in Türkiye reached the value of $2 billion.
Al-Amiri also added that close coordination existed between Türkiye and Kuwait on the Palestinian cause, especially since the Gaza war broke out last year, affecting the whole Middle East region.