On Sunday 27 March, in Kuwait City, the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, called for closer relations between the EU and Kuwait, with which the EU has had a cooperation agreement since 2016.
“For the EU, Kuwait is a close and reliable friend and one of our closest partners in the wider region” Mr Borrell said after talks with Crown Prince Sheikh Meshal Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, Prime Minister Sheikh Sabah Al-Khalid Al-Sabah and Foreign Minister Ahmed Nasser Al-Sabah.
“The EU is Kuwait’s largest importer and second-largest trading partner. But we can still do more together”, added the High Representative of the Union, according to a statement from the European External Action Service (EEAS). “To further strengthen our partnership, we have identified how we can cooperate on health, food security, education, digital and green transition as our priorities for the coming period”, said the EU’s chief diplomat. He added that energy diversification and the transition to renewable energy sources, combined with efforts to end the EU’s dependence on Russia, created new momentum and opened up new avenues for cooperation with Kuwait.
During his talks, Mr Borrell also discussed opportunities to strengthen regional cooperation between the EU and the Gulf and engage in joint efforts to address global challenges such as climate change and the green energy transition. Foreign policy issues such as the war in Ukraine, the nuclear negotiations with Iran, the humanitarian needs arising from the ongoing crises in Syria, Yemen, and Afghanistan, and the Middle East peace process prospects were also discussed. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)