ANTALYA: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Kuwait’s Prime Minister Sheikh Ahmad Al-Abdullah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah have reaffirmed their resolve to further strengthen cooperation between Pakistan and Kuwait in trade, investment, energy, development and people-to-people exchanges.
The two leaders met in Antalya, Türkiye, on the sidelines of the 31st United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP31), Radio Pakistan reported. The leaders discussed the long-standing fraternal relations between the two countries.
During the talks, the prime ministers reviewed the full range of bilateral ties and agreed to deepen them, with a particular focus on expanding business links. They pledged to work together for mutual prosperity, regional stability and sustainable development.
Defence agreement welcomed
The two leaders welcomed the recent ratification by both sides of a defence cooperation agreement between Pakistan and Kuwait as an important development in the relationship.
They also exchanged views on regional and international developments, including the challenges to peace and security in the region. Both sides discussed the consequences of climate change and stressed the importance of international cooperation for sustainable development, the central theme of the COP31 summit.
Close ties with the Gulf
Kuwait is an important partner for Pakistan in the Gulf region and is home to a large community of Pakistani workers whose remittances support the national economy. Pakistan has been working to expand trade and attract investment from Gulf states in sectors such as energy, mining and minerals, agriculture and infrastructure.
Pakistan’s workers’ remittances reached $3.9 billion in October, with the Gulf region among the largest sources, according to figures shared by the Finance Ministry. Strengthening economic ties with Gulf partners, including Kuwait, is a key part of the government’s economic diplomacy.
Busy diplomatic schedule at COP31
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has held a series of meetings with world leaders at COP31 in Antalya. He also met Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, and the two sides agreed to work closely for regional peace and security. The prime minister also held informal meetings with several other heads of state and government on the sidelines of the summit.
At the conference, the prime minister has highlighted Pakistan’s shift towards clean energy and its vulnerability to climate change. He also announced Pakistan’s full support for the 35-by-35 Global Electrification Pledge, an international initiative on expanding access to electricity.
Following the meeting, both sides agreed to build on their close political relations and to give particular attention to business and economic cooperation in the period ahead.
Featured image: Photo: Evan Hemingway / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
