President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih has met with Kuwaiti Prime Minister Sabah Al-Khalid Al-Sabah during his ongoing visit to New York City to attend the 76th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).
On Friday, the meeting took place on the margins of the UNGA’s 76th session at the United Nations Headquarters.
During the discussion, President Solih highlighted Kuwait’s long-standing position as a critical economic partner for the Maldives, notably through the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development (KFAED).
He also expressed gratitude to the Kuwaiti government for its assistance, citing a number of key projects sponsored by KFAED in the Maldives’ infrastructure development and social sectors.
Kuwaiti Prime Minister Al-Sabah congratulated the Maldives on their victory in the UNGA 76 Presidency election. In addition, the Kuwaiti prime minister emphasized the need of tackling climate change for the existence of the Maldives and other Small Island States.
He also expressed optimism that climate change will be high on the General Assembly’s agenda during the presidency of Abdulla Shahid, President of the 76th General Assembly.
The two leaders reaffirmed their shared desire to enhance cooperation in the tourism industry, people-to-people contact, and business-to-business engagement between the two nations in the future.
According to the President’s Office, discussions also focused on working on international forums such as the United Nations to guarantee peace, security, and increased resilience in order to accomplish the Sustainable Development Goals.
Furthermore, President Solih expressed his pleasure in welcoming Kuwaiti visitors back to the Maldives following the COVID-19 pandemic. He also told the Kuwaiti prime minister that his administration will make the procedure as easy and efficient as possible, and he urged more Kuwaiti visitors to visit the Maldives.
Diplomatic ties between the Maldives and Kuwait were established on 1 December 1977.
