Kuwait, Lebanon.. Ties That Bind On Multifaceted Levels

(Report) KUWAIT, May 11 (KUNA) -- When one mentions the relations between the State of Kuwait and the Lebanese Republic, they could visualize ties that bind the two peoples historically on multifaceted levels.
The two Arab countries had solidified their ties since the 1920s and 40s and through a number of high-level meetings and visits, which began in the early 1960s when Lebanon established a non-resident embassy in Kuwait in December of 1962 and officially opened its embassy in 1964.
Kuwait had opened its first embassy in 1962 and had its first Ambassador, Mohammad Al-Ghanim, supervise Kuwaiti diplomatic connections with the Lebanese government.
Perhaps the true test of ties was in 1990 during the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait when Lebanon took a firm stance against the heinous act, calling for an immediate withdrawal of the invading troops.
Prior to that, Kuwait stood in solidarity with Lebanon during its darkest hours of the civil war, with the former country heading in 1988 a six-party Arab League Committee that paved the way for the national reconciliation document and the end of the war via the Taif agreement.
On high state visits, in 1993, late Sheikh Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah visited Lebanon on August 24, 1993, the first GCC leader to visit Lebanon since the civil war began there in 1975.
This visit also displayed Kuwait's gratitude to the Lebanese people who stood in support of Kuwait during the Iraqi invasion. In 1996 also, the Crown Prince and later father Amir Sheikh Saad Al-Abdullah Al-Salem Al-Sabah visited to display similar sentiments.
In May of 2010, late Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah went to Lebanon on an official visit, signing six agreements to expand cooperation on various levels.
In 2018, former President Michael Aoun came to Kuwait, holding talks with then Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah and a number of Kuwaiti officials.
Economically, Kuwait and Lebanon have distinct levels of relations, signing a variety of accords throughout the decades.
In 2018, the Kuwaiti-Lebanese business personnel economic committee was established to promote business and commerce, and also the Lebanese business council in Kuwait was establish, hosting a number of key investors and businessmen.
The Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development (KFAED) contributed to the development of Lebanon, providing grants and loans to develop agriculture and infrastructural projects.
Kuwait had also provided support to Lebanon through numerous conferences including the CEDRE conference to support the Lebanese economy, hosted in Paris in April 2018 in which Kuwait offered a grant of USD 500 million.
Kuwait also displayed support to Lebanon militarily during the Rome 2 conference in March of 2018.
Kuwait stood firm with Lebanon during the 2006 Israeli occupation's aggression in July of that year.
It also sent urgent aid in 2000 when an explosion occurred in the Beirut Port, as well as providing assistance to Syrian refugees in Lebanon.
More recently, in November 2024, Kuwait established an air bridge to provide humanitarian assistance to Lebanon as the Israeli occupation began a vicious campaign against the fellow Arab country.
On the health sector level, Kuwait provided health assistance to Lebanon in May 2021 through the Kuwait Red Crescent Society (KRCS), offering over USD 500,000 to provide COVID-19 vaccine to the Lebanese people and Syrian as well as Palestinian refugees.
Talks about Kuwaiti-Lebanese solidarity might fill in volumes of books, but the fact remains that the two countries will seek all venues to boost ties and help each other excel in all measures. (end) ash

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