By Tugba Altun and Busranur Koca
The upcoming visit of Kuwaiti Emir Mishal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah to Türkiye on Tuesday, which coincides with the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries, is of significant importance in advancing and deepening existing cooperation.
Kuwaiti Emir Sabah, who took office on December 16, 2023, will travel to Türkiye on Tuesday for his first official visit outside of the Arab world.
The visit, which coincides with the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations, marks the first visit at the level of emir from Kuwait to Türkiye after a gap of seven years.
The friendship and brotherhood relations between the two countries are based on deeply rooted historical ties.
The two countries have a consensus on the importance of maintaining regional peace and stability through multifaceted cooperation mechanisms in trade, defense, tourism, and investment.
Turkish and Kuwaiti officials are increasing their close dialogue and cooperation in response to the necessity of more frequent and regular talks on developments in the region and worldwide.
The determination of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Kuwaiti Emir Sabah to strengthen bilateral friendship supports efforts to deepen relations in various fields.
- Israel-Palestine dispute to be main discussion topic between leaders
During Emir Sabah's visit, regional developments, including the situation in Gaza and Israel's attacks on the besieged enclave, will be discussed alongside bilateral relations.
The Israel-Palestine issue, on which both countries have a common position, is regarded as the most important topic to be discussed regionally.
The bilateral agenda includes important topics such as trade, defense industry, tourism, and investment.
The visit aims to further strengthen existing cooperation between Türkiye and Kuwait in areas such as the economy, trade, construction, health, tourism, energy, and defense industry. In this context, the parties will sign new agreements.
- Türkiye undertakes $ 9.2B construction projects in Kuwiat
According to Kuwait News Agency (KUNA) reports on Emir Sabah's visit, an economic, industrial, and technical agreement was signed between Türkiye and Kuwait in 1983, and an investment incentive agreement was signed in 1988.
The report said the first meeting of the Turkish-Kuwait Joint Cooperation Committee was held in Oct. 2013, and 62 agreements in various fields were signed.
While trade between Kuwait and Türkiye reached approximately $700 million in 2023, the goal is to increase mutual trade and investments through sectoral diversification and new cooperation mechanisms.
According to the news agency, more than 400 Kuwaiti companies operate in Türkiye, while around 50 Turkish companies work in Kuwait.
Turkish companies in Kuwait primarily operate in the construction sector, and they have completed 50 projects, including Kuwait's new international airport. So far, the value of Türkiye's construction projects in Kuwait has reached $9.2 billion, while Kuwait's direct investments in Türkiye have totaled $2 billion.
Turkish firms hope to contribute more to the Kuwaiti administration's transformation process, which aims to implement new investments and projects while reducing dependency on oil income under the 2035 vision.
Türkiye is also one of the most popular destinations for Kuwaiti citizens in terms of tourism, medical treatment, and real estate investment. Kuwait is one of the top 10 countries whose citizens purchase real estate in Türkiye.
While Türkiye hosted approximately 400,000 Kuwaiti tourists in 2023, it is hoped that Turkish citizens will also consider Kuwait as a tourist destination.