The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Kuwait, Sheikh Salem Abdullah Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, met with his French counterpart, Catherine Colonna, in Paris on Tuesday, June 27, 2023. The discussions aimed to strengthen the bilateral relations between the two countries and explore new areas of cooperation.
During the meeting, both ministers expressed their satisfaction with the strong ties and continuous progress in various fields. They praised the level of cooperation in humanitarian endeavors and joint development projects. The talks also focused on mobilizing European support to secure full exemption for Kuwaiti nationals from the Schengen visa requirement.
The French Foreign Minister affirmed her country’s support for exempting Kuwaiti citizens from the Schengen visa and acknowledged its positive impact on shared interests. She lauded Kuwait’s foreign policy, its efforts in maintaining regional security and peace, and its significant contributions to humanitarian projects worldwide.
The ministers discussed the need for intensified coordination on regional and international issues to establish peace and security. They exchanged views on the Syrian crisis, developments in Iraq and Yemen, the Ukraine crisis, and other matters of mutual concern. Both sides emphasized their commitment to promoting stability and preserving the international order based on the principles of international law.
The fruitful discussions culminated in the signing of several memorandums of understanding. These included a joint strategic dialogue between the governments of Kuwait and France, cooperation in the field of development between the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development and the French Development Agency, and a joint statement marking the first session of the strategic dialogue.
