Kuwait-Sudan ministerial committee convenes

The second session of the joint Kuwaiti-Sudanese ministerial committee kick-started here on Tuesday under co-chairmanship of First Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah and visiting Sudanese Foreign Minister Ali Karti.
Addressing the session, Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled said today's meeting was held at the behest of His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah and Sudanese President Omar Al-Bashir to continue efforts to promote and bolster distinguished relations between both countries.
Kuwaiti-Sudanese relations have been developing in political, economic and cultural fields thanks to the relentless determination and will of both countries' leaderships and peoples, and out of belief in the common goal and fate in light of the current regional problems and challenges, he said.
On economic cooperation sector, he said the size of governmental investments undertaken by the Public Investment Authority (PIA) in vital development sectors in Sudan are estimated at USD 9 billion.
He hoped that the Kuwaiti private sector would expand investments in promising development sectors in Kuwait.
In 1961, the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development (KFAED) extended the first loan to Sudan for a railway station project and then financed 26 development projects worth a total of USD 900 million for dams, roads and infrastructure there, he added.
Kuwait also provided USD 100 millions' worth of humanitarian and development aid to Sudan between 1975 and 2014, he said, adding that during an East Sudan donors conference in November 2010 Kuwait had pledged financial aid valued at USD 500 million, including USD 50 million in grants for health and education and USD 450 million in easy loans.
Kuwait and Sudan have now signed a total of 25 agreements and memos of understanding in bilateral cooperation domains, Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled pointed out.
On terrorism, the Kuwaiti minister said: "We are monitoring, with much concern and sorrow, the growing phenomenon of terrorism and its risks and reflections on our countries and peoples. Actually, it has become the scourge of the modern age which transgresses national and religious belongings and runs counter to human nature and value." In this context, the State of Kuwait, which is part of the international coalition against terrorism, is providing all types of support for combating terrorism and forces of darkness and backwardness and cutting off its financial sources, he said.
Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled reaffirmed his country's commitment to UN Security Council Resolutions 2170 and 2178 regarding the fight against terrorism, he said, emphasizing that the fight against this scourge should not be restricted to military operations as public awareness, societal development and media campaigns are also involved.
He noted that agreements and MoUs to be signed by both sides today would contribute to a further development of bilateral relations, thus fulfilling the hopes and expectations of both countries' peoples for more development, prosperity and security.
The meeting was attended by Undersecretary of the Foreign Minister Khaled Al-Jarallah, KFAED Secretary-General Abdelwahab Al-Bader, several other senior officials of the Foreign Ministry and Kuwait's Ambassador to Sudan Talal Al-Hajeri.