Jordan Times
Thursday, February 14, 2008
Jordan, Kuwait to
enhance ties
By Hani Hazaimeh
AMMAN - Prime Minister Nader Dahabi on Wednesday held bilateral talks with his
Kuwaiti counterpart Sheikh Nasser Al Mohammad Al Ahmad Al Sabah, who arrived in
the Kingdom yesterday as part of a regional tour.
The Kuwaiti prime minister is accompanied by a high-ranking delegation
comprising the ministers of trade, education and higher education and finance,
the governor of Ahmadi, the director of the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic
Development and other officials.
Welcoming the Kuwaiti premier and the accompanying delegation, Dahabi said
consultation and coordination between the two countries constitute the best way
to address regional issues.
“The region is facing immense challenges that require Arab solidarity and
continuous efforts to reach comprehensive and just solutions based on
international legitimacy,” Dahabi said.
He added that the government, under the directives of His Majesty King Abdullah,
is working hard to improve the living standards of Jordanians by involving the
private sector in the development process as well as attracting Arab and foreign
investments.
The premier stressed that the volume of Kuwaiti investments in Jordan, which
exceeds $6 billion, indicates confidence in the Kingdom’s economy in addition to
its security and stability.
“In 2007 commercial exchange between Jordan and Kuwait witnessed a 64 per cent
increase and we hope that joint commercial exchange will increase in the coming
years,” he added.
Sheikh Sabah said his country is interested in strengthening bilateral ties at
the economic, commercial, investment and cultural levels, adding that the
Kuwaiti government is encouraging the private sector to invest not only in the
capital but also in other Jordanian cities.
He said Kuwait is interested in increasing the number of students at Jordanian
universities, which currently stands at 2,200, due to the advanced level of
higher education in the Kingdom.
During the meeting, the two officials also discussed the possibility of the
Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development financing several projects in the
Kingdom, as well as means of increasing trade exchange and exports between
Jordan and Kuwait.
At the end of the talks, the two countries signed four memoranda of
understanding in environmental protection, social affairs, cultural and
agricultural fields.