KUWAIT: His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Sabah Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah (center) chairs the Kuwaiti delegation at the third international conference to support Lebanon yesterday. - KUNA

KUWAIT: Lebanon and its people are one of Kuwait's top priorities, the Gulf state's prime minister said, calling on all countries to stand by Lebanon as it faces political, economic and security instability. His Highness Sheikh Sabah Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah made that statement as he chaired the Kuwaiti delegation at the third international conference to support Lebanon yesterday.

The online conference was called for by French President Emmanuel Macron and UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres. The Kuwaiti delegation included Minister of Foreign Affairs and Minister of State for the Cabinet Affairs Sheikh Dr Ahmad Nasser Al-Mohammad Al-Sabah and Assistant Foreign Minister for Arab World affairs Ambassador Fahad Al-Awadhi. In his speech at the event, His Highness Sheikh Sabah conveyed the greetings of His Highness the Amir Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, and His Highness' wishes for a successful conference for the benefit of Lebanon.

Encouraging dialogue between all Lebanese parties is the best way to achieve stability in the country and form a balanced government in the light of the law, he noted. The Kuwaiti Premier also called for activating international initiatives to support the country financially in the face of the current economic crisis. Meanwhile, His Highness said that the meeting comes in the first anniversary of the Beirut port explosion, adding that the Lebanese people are still suffering the impact of the disaster to this day.

Kuwait was one of the first countries to aid Lebanon immediately after the explosion, pledging $30 million to reconstruct the damaged areas, while also sending food aid and medicines on airplanes, His Highness affirmed. Kuwait had also supported Lebanon throughout the past decades through projects executed by the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development (KFAED) since 1966 until now. The projects included health, education, transportation, reconstruction and other fields.

Moreover, Kuwait provided financial support to Lebanon to face the needs of Syrian refugees, who Lebanon host, said His Highness Sheikh Sabah. Kuwait is also working on fulfilling its loan program, pledged during the Paris conference to support developmental sectors in Lebanon, while the country also supported Lebanon's health sector in the face of the coronavirus, he added.

Kuwait's Prime Minister reiterated his country's stand alongside Lebanon a year after a devastating port blast left much of its capital city in ruin. "We meet today a year after the Beirut port blast to demonstrate our support for the Lebanese people who have suffered a lot," the Kuwaiti prime minister said. On the talks, he said it was a "show of solidarity" to prove the international community's support for Lebanon. A powerful port blast rocked the Lebanese capital Beirut a year ago, causing large-scale destruction in a country already in the throes of its worst economic crisis in decades. - KUNA