More deals signed as Jordan, Kuwait wrap up joint panel meetings

AMMAN — Prime Minister of Kuwait Sheikh Jaber Al Mubarak Al Hamad Al Sabah on Tuesday wrapped up his visit to the Kingdom, during which he met with His Majesty King Abdullah and delivered a letter to the King from Emir of Kuwait Sheikh Sabah Al Ahmad Al Jaber Al Sabah that focused on the historical ties between the two countries, as well as keenness to advance them further. 

During his two-day visit, Sheikh Jaber headed a high-level delegation of ministers, businesspeople and private-sector leaders and met with Prime Minster Omar Razzaz over ways to further bilateral relations, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported. 

Co-chaired by Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi and Kuwait Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Sabah Khaled Al Sabah, the fourth round of meetings of the joint Jordanian-Kuwaiti higher committee also concluded its meetings on Tuesday, according to a Foreign Ministry statement.

The two sides signed 17 agreements, memoranda of understanding and executive programmes in various fields to enhance cooperation.

The deals covered different fields such as legal and judicial cooperation, education, tourism, industry, meteorology, environment, civil administration development, oil, gas and renewable energy, as well as social affairs. 

Safadi hailed the “fruitful outcomes” of Sheikh Jaber’s visit, expressing appreciation for Kuwaiti support for the Kingdom.

He also stressed that holding the fourth meeting of the joint panel “testifies to the deep-rooted ties as well as the two countries’ keenness to enhance cooperation in all fields and foster pan-Arab action”.

The two sides also stressed the centrality of the Palestinian cause, reiterating the importance of continued coordination and cooperation as part of multiparty action to solve the Palestinian-Israeli conflict based on the two-state solution, which, they agreed, should lead to the establishment of an independent Palestinian state on the pre-1967 lines with East Jerusalem as its capital.

The Kuwaiti officials valued the Kingdom’s humanitarian role towards the Syrian refugees and its role in protecting the Muslim and Christian sites in East Jerusalem as part of the Hashemite Custodianship of the holy shrines. 

The top officials also stressed the importance of intensifying efforts to reach a political solution to the Syrian crisis in line with UN Security Council Resolution 2254, one that preserves the unity of the Syrian territory and people and secures the voluntary return of refugees. 

The two parties also expressed their support for Yemen, stressing the need to end its crisis on the basis of UN Resolution 2216, the outcomes of the Kuwait-led Gulf Initiative and understandings reached at the national dialogue and the Stockholm agreement.

Kuwait’s investments in Jordan exceed $8 billion, while the Gulf state has been a major supporter of the Kingdom. Along with Saudi Arabia and the UAE, Kuwait participated last year in the Mecca summit, which resulted in a $2.5-billion pledge to help Jordan overcome its economic crisis, through direct support, investments and deposits at the Central Bank of Jordan.