Hawait: Kuwait to expand its diplomatic presence in Africa
May Al-Sukari - Assistant Undersecretary for African Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Samih Hayat, confirmed that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs continuously reviews its relations with African countries, emphasizing a trend toward expanding Kuwaiti diplomatic presence in Africa in the coming period, given the continent's importance to Kuwait. This was stated in remarks to journalists on the sidelines of the celebrations marking the 66th anniversary of the independence of the Republic of Benin.
When asked if there is a plan to attract more skilled African labor to Kuwait, Hayat said: "Kuwait has already begun to enhance its cooperation with several African countries in the field of labor recruitment, noting the existence of agreements with a number of these countries to bring in skilled labor and other workers, with continued expansion in this area to serve the needs of the Kuwaiti labor market."
Regarding the occasion, he confirmed that relations between Kuwait and the friendly Republic of Benin date back to 1973 and are witnessing continuous growth, supported by memorandums of understanding and agreements between the two countries. He pointed out that the coming phase will see efforts to activate existing agreements and sign new ones. He added: "The new agreements will cover areas such as food security and cybersecurity, enhancing bilateral cooperation and aligning with the shared priorities of the two countries."
For his part, the Ambassador of the Republic of Benin to Kuwait, Professor Bediro Agimon, affirmed the strength of the relations between his country and Kuwait, describing them as based on sincere friendship and mutual respect, and witnessing continuous growth at political and economic levels. He expressed his country's aspiration to elevate bilateral partnerships and expand the horizons of cooperation and investment to serve the interests of both countries.
Agimon said: "Benin is proud of its close relations with Kuwait, praising the wisdom of the Kuwaiti leadership and its prominent role in consolidating security and stability and enhancing the values of dialogue and cooperation at the regional and international levels. He emphasized that dialogue and mutual respect form the two main pillars for achieving sustainable peace and stability."
He added that Kuwait-Benin relations have witnessed notable development in recent years, reflected in strengthening political dialogue, reinforcing the legal framework for cooperation, and joint efforts to expand investment and trade exchange areas, alongside encouraging partnerships between the private sectors of the two countries.
The ambassador called on Kuwaiti investors and businessmen to take advantage of the investment opportunities offered by Benin, affirming that his country enjoys a stable, secure, and business-friendly environment, as well as a strategic location that provides access to West African markets. He pointed to promising opportunities in infrastructure, agriculture, agro-industries, energy, logistics, tourism, the digital economy, and industry, confirming the embassy's readiness to provide all necessary facilitations to enhance economic cooperation between the two countries.
