Britain, Kuwait mark 70 years of strong relations

KUWAIT: The visit by His Highness the Crown Prince Sheikh Mishal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah to the UK, to mark the 70th anniversary of the Kuwait Investment Office in London, would become another milestone in the 124 years of relations between the two countries. Prior to the celebrations, the UK Foreign Minister James Cleverly as well as Minister of State in the Department for Business and Trade Lord Dominic Johnson visited Kuwait last July as part of the two countries’ efforts to bolster ties in all fields.

Last March, Kuwaiti Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Salem Abdullah Al-Jaber Al-Sabah visited London to launch the strategic dialogue meeting at the foreign affairs’ level, reflecting the keenness of both leaderships on further bettering relations. The Kuwait Investment Office in London, part of the Kuwait Investment Authority (KIA), was established in 1953 as the world’s first sovereign wealth fund. The office supervises funds—on behalf of the State of Kuwait.

Historically, relations between Kuwait and the UK have been strongly intertwined since the signing of the Anglo-Kuwaiti Agreement of 1899 in the era of the Amir Sheikh Mubarak Al-Sabah and even prior to it. According to the agreement, Kuwait was set under the protection of the United Kingdom against external threats and the government of Kuwait would have to consult with the British government in matters pertaining to relinquishing any parts of the country’s lands.

In 1961, the Amir Sheikh Abdullah Al-Salem Al-Sabah saw that the Anglo-Kuwait agreement had run its course in terms of protecting Kuwait from external threats considering recent international developments at the time. Kuwait gained independence on June 19, 1961 and despite the fact Britain continued to support Kuwait’s sovereignty against external threats. In 1990, when Iraq invaded Kuwait, the UK played an integral role in returning Kuwait to its rightful owners, contributing to the liberation of Kuwait from the invasion in 1991.

Relations between Kuwait and the UK extended further beyond the realms of politics and economy with educational cooperation being one of the major sectors of cooperation. The number of Kuwaiti students currently pursuing education in Britain amounted to 7,014 in the 2022-23 semester, while some 1,500 Kuwaiti students are studying in the UK on their own expense.- KUNA

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