Pakistan and Kuwait agree to boost cooperation in key sectors

Pakistan and Kuwait on Wednesday agreed to further strengthen bilateral cooperation in a wide range of sectors, including trade, investment, energy, labour, agriculture, information technology, health, mining and minerals, and defence, as the two sides held delegation-level talks at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA).

Kuwaiti Foreign Minister Sheikh Jarrah Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah arrived in Islamabad on Tuesday on a two-day official visit aimed at reviewing the entire spectrum of relations between Pakistan and Kuwait and exchanging views on regional and international issues of mutual interest.

According to a statement issued by the Ministry of External Affairs, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar co-chaired the talks with the Foreign Minister of Kuwait in Islamabad.

“Foreign Minister Dar and Sheikh Jarrah reviewed the entire spectrum of bilateral relations between Pakistan and Kuwait and explored ways to deepen cooperation in trade, investment, energy, labour, agriculture, information technology, health, mining and minerals, defense and broader economic partnership,” he said.

The statement said the two ministers “agreed to further institutionalize bilateral cooperation through enhanced institutional ties and regular high-level exchanges.”

He further added that both ministers also “reaffirmed their commitment to close coordination and cooperation in multilateral forums on issues of mutual interest.”

During the meeting, the Kuwaiti Foreign Minister thanked the government and people of Pakistan for the “warm welcome and hospitality” extended to him and his delegation. He also expressed gratitude for Pakistan’s support to Kuwait during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Foreign Minister Dar, for his part, “reaffirmed Pakistan’s deep commitment to its long-standing brotherly relations with Kuwait” and underlined Islamabad’s desire “to further expand the mutually beneficial partnership in all areas of cooperation.”

“The two foreign ministers also exchanged views on regional and international developments, including the situation in the Middle East and Palestine, while Sheikh Jarrah praised Pakistan’s “constructive role in promoting regional peace and stability,” the ministry said.

The visit came as Pakistan is negotiating an expanded defense pact with Kuwait in exchange for energy cooperation and investment. However, the talks are still at an early stage and could still be complicated by rising tensions between the United States and Iran, according to five sources familiar with the discussions.

Read: Kuwaiti Foreign Minister arrives in Pakistan for bilateral talks

Kuwait has had a limited defense deal with Pakistan covering joint training and exercises since 2023. It is now seeking a broader deal similar to Pakistan’s defense pact with Saudi Arabia, including “thousands of Pakistani ground troops, fighter jets, drones, an air defense system and other defense-related facilities,” a Pakistani government official said.

It is unclear whether Pakistan is willing to go that far, given that its deal with Saudi Arabia was the result of a decades-long close alliance with Riyadh.

Notably, the visit comes at a critical time as Iran’s new attacks on Kuwait and other Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states have increased regional tensions.