Bangladesh, Kuwait plan stronger political, economic, defence cooperation

Bangladesh and Kuwait today (19 October) agreed to strengthen cooperation in political, economic, defence, labour, development and cultural fields.

The two sides, during their first-ever 'political consultations', reviewed defence cooperation, noting Bangladesh's contributions under Operation Kuwait Punargathan.

They agreed to enhance collaboration in training, disaster response and cybersecurity.

They discussed expanding manpower cooperation, finalising pending MoUs, in line with Kuwait Vision 2035.

Secretary (Bilateral), Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Bangladesh Md Nazrul Islam and Assistant Foreign Minister of Kuwait for Asian Affairs Sameeh Essa Johar Hayat co-chaired the consultations.

The meeting reflected the shared commitment of Bangladesh and Kuwait to build a 'comprehensive, forward-looking partnership', guided by mutual respect and a shared vision for sustainable development under Kuwait Vision 2035.

The consultations between Bangladesh and the government of the State of Kuwait were held in a warm and friendly atmosphere, reaffirming the historic friendship that began with Kuwait's early recognition of Bangladesh in 1973 and support for its OIC membership in 1974, according to the joint press statement.

They decided to hold political consultations biennially, alternately in Dhaka and Kuwait City, and to promote high-level visits and exchanges among officials, business communities and cultural representatives.

Both sides stressed the importance of enhancing trade and investment, especially in energy, infrastructure, ICT and halal food sectors.

Bangladesh invited Kuwaiti investors to explore opportunities in Special Economic Zones and Hi-Tech Parks.

They agreed to reactivate the Joint Trade Committee and convene a Bangladesh–Kuwait Business Forum in 2026.

The meeting expressed satisfaction over Kuwait Fund (KFAED) assistance and agreed to explore new cooperation in renewable energy, climate-resilient infrastructure and aviation connectivity.

Both sides emphasised the importance of education, culture, and people-to-people exchanges, including MoU between the Bangladesh Foreign Service Academy and the Kuwait Diplomatic Institute and agreed to expedite the diplomatic plot exchange process.

They reaffirmed cooperation in multilateral fora, including the UN and OIC, and Bangladesh expressed appreciation for Kuwait's support to the Rohingya humanitarian response.

Bangladesh also reaffirmed support for Kuwait's candidatures to UNESCO, UNHRC and IAEA.