The Kuwaiti amir’s visit has been described by analysts as another important step in strengthening Qatar and Kuwait’s historic ties.
Qatar’s Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani met Kuwait’s Amir Sheikh Mishal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah in Doha on Tuesday as part of the latter’s first visit to the country since becoming Kuwait’s leader in December.
The Kuwaiti leader landed at the Amiri Terminal of Hamad International Airport for his state visit, which aims to boost the two countries’ ties, Qatar’s news agency (QNA) reported.
Sheikh Mishal assumed power following the death of Kuwait’s late leader Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah on December 16, 2023. Sheikh Nawaf died three years after the passing of his predecessor Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah in 2020.
The Kuwaiti amir’s visit has been described by analysts as another important step in strengthening Qatar and Kuwait’s historic ties.
Speaking to QNA on Tuesday, Kuwaiti journalist and political analyst Dahem Al Qahtani pointed to Qatar’s support for his country during the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait in 1990.
“This support manifested in the heroic deeds of the Qatari Army in the battle to liberate the city of Khafji and later in participating in the liberation of Kuwait,” QNA reported, citing Al Qahtani.
The true strength of Qatar and Kuwait’s ties was exhibited during the 2017 Gulf Cooperation Council crisis.
At the time, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt severed ties with Qatar while imposing an illegal air, land and sea blockade on the country—triggering the region’s worst diplomatic rift.
The quartet accused Qatar of supporting terrorism at the time, though Doha has consistently and vehemently denied those allegations as “baseless”.
The crisis effectively came to an end in 2021 with the signing of the Al-Ula Declaration with the help of Kuwaiti mediation. The country’s late ruler Sheikh Sabah had travelled back and forth across the region during the first hours of the diplomatic crisis in hopes of bringing it to an end.
Qatar had honoured Sheikh Sabah for his pivotal role by naming an infrastructure project, the Sabah Al Ahmad Corridor, after him. The key route currently serves as an important link between the south and north of Doha, relieving traffic congestion on the 22 February Street.
“The name expresses Qatar’s gratitude, love, and appreciation for this great Arab leader who distinguished himself with honourable positions towards his homeland, Arab brethren, and the Islamic nation worldwide, earning him the well-deserved title of ‘Amir of Humanity’,” QNA reported on Sunday.
Meanwhile in 2002, Qatar and Kuwait established a Joint Supreme Committee to boost the two countries’ cooperation in numerous fields.
During the committee’s meeting in November 2020, the two countries inked five memoranda that covered direct investment, civil service affairs and administrative development, Islamic affairs, agriculture, construction, and maintenance of roads.
The same year saw Qatar and Kuwait sign a 15-year agreement stipulating that the former would provide Kuwait City with 3 million tonnes of liquified natural gas between 2022 and 2036.
Kuwait is also Qatar’s 12th trade partner, with both sides sharing a shipping line between Hamad Port and Kuwait’s Shuwaikh Port since 2017. The launch of the service doubled Qatar and Kuwait’s trade exchange and came amid the air, land and sea blockade on the former.
Before the GCC crisis, Qatar relied on imported goods for more than 80 percent of its food. The dispute and subsequent blockade prompted authorities in Doha to provide alternative products for its population.
More than 656 Qatari-Kuwaiti companies currently operate in the Qatari market.
