WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump welcomes His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah at the White House yesterday. - KUNA

US-Kuwait Economic forum beneficial for both countries

WASHINGTON: His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, accompanied by National Guard Deputy Chief Sheikh Mishal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, met US President Donald Trump at the White House yesterday. Their talks at the Oval Office dealt with the long-standing historical relations between the two countries and the two friendly peoples, and means to develop ties and strengthen cooperation in all fields. They also discussed issues of common interest and the latest developments on the regional and international spectrums, particularly the Gulf and the Middle East. Both senior officials exchanged views on these topics and stressed the need for the countries involved in the Gulf feud to discard their differences, unite and support international efforts to combat terrorism.

His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah yesterday reiterated Kuwait's solid and distinctive relationship with the United States. He recalled Washington's honorable stand and memorable role in liberating Kuwait from Iraq's 1990 invasion of the country.

His Highness also expressed hope for positive outcomes from his bilateral talks US President Donald Trump.

Meanwhile, a number of Kuwaiti business personnel and top officials yesterday affirmed the importance of the US-Kuwait Economic Forum, stressing that the event will be highly beneficial for both countries. The forum, held at the US Chamber of Commerce, resulted in the signing of several agreements between the Kuwaiti and American sides. Speaking to KUNA, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Anas Al-Saleh said that both sides were eager to further develop ties on numerous levels and especially within the economic, financial, and commercial domains.

He stressed that the forum saw a huge turnout, which is reflective of the strong relations linking the two countries. The event also came in line with the Kuwaiti leadership's efforts to transform Kuwait into a regional and international business and financial center, said Al-Saleh. On his part, Director General of Kuwait Direct Investment Promotion Authority (KDIPA) Sheikh Dr Meshal Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah said that the forum focused on the roles of investments and economy in developing US-Kuwaiti relations within the private sector domain.

Business personnel who flocked to the event are well aware of the vitality of the forum, said Sheikh Meshal who indicated that Kuwait was eager to diversify its income through mutual investments with American companies and business personnel. Top officials at Zain Group, Kuwait Industrial Union (KIU), and the Commercial Real Estate company-Bader Al-Kharafi, Hussein Al-Kharafi, and Abdulfattah Marafi respectively-stressed the importance of attracting foreign investments to Kuwait, saying that it will immensely contribute to the country's future development plans.

His Highness the Amir's visit to the US displayed both nations eagerness to pursue more venues of cooperation, affirmed the officials. They added that Kuwait's 2035 vision launched by His Highness the Amir provided a perfect opportunity for foreign investors, namely from the US, to seek business ventures in Kuwait which will benefit both nations' economies. Kuwaiti business personnel also felt welcomed by their US peers to invest in America, the officials affirmed. - Agencies