Kuwaiti FM due in Islamabad on Thursday

ISLAMABAD: Kuwait's Minister of Foreign Affairs and State Minister for Cabinet Affairs Sheikh Dr Ahmed Nasser Al-Mohammed Al-Sabah will arrive here on a two-day visit Thursday.

The Kuwaiti foreign minister, who was visiting Pakistan on the invitation of Foreign Minister Makhdoom Shah Mahmood Qureshi, would lead a delegation comprising senior officials from the ministries of Foreign Affairs, Health, Interior, and Trade and Industry, the Foreign Office said Wednesday.

The visit of the Kuwaiti foreign minister comes in the backdrop of bilateral meeting held with Foreign Minister Qureshi on the sidelines of 47th Session of OIC Council of Foreign Ministers in Niamey, Niger, in November 2020. The two foreign ministers agreed to work closely towards further strengthening and expanding bilateral cooperation in diverse fields.

To follow-up on the two foreign ministers’ understanding, Kuwait’s Assistant Foreign Minister for Asian Affairs visited Pakistan in January 2021 and held consultations in the ministries of Foreign Affairs, Interior, Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development and Economic Affairs Division, as well as the Board of Investment.

During the visit, besides having wide-ranging talks with Foreign Minister Qureshi, the Kuwaiti foreign minister will call on other dignitaries.

"Pakistan accords high importance to its fraternal ties with Kuwait, which are firmly rooted in shared faith and values. The bilateral relationship is marked by high-level visits and growing cooperation across myriad fields. During the global pandemic, the two countries collaborated closely in the health sector and food security," the FO said.

The Foreign Office said Pakistan acknowledged the positive role of the Kuwaiti leadership in building bridges among the members of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). Pakistan also stood in solidarity with the State of Kuwait in the efforts to strengthen unity among the Muslim countries, it added.

The visit of the Kuwaiti foreign minister would provide further impetus to the positive momentum in bilateral exchanges and deepening mutual cooperation, the FO said.