Nicaragua: Expanding cooperation with Kuwait in health, transport, and education
- $120 million cost of Nicaragua’s largest hospital, with Kuwaiti contribution
- “Development Fund” finances bridges and road projects in our country
- Our doors are open to Gulf investments with incentives extending over 20 years
Mohammad Farara Lashtar, Ambassador of the Republic of Nicaragua to the State, praised the wisdom of the Kuwaiti leadership and its balanced approach in dealing with the developments and crises witnessed in the region. He affirmed that Kuwait’s policy, based on balance, restraint, and diplomacy, has contributed to protecting the country and handling the changing regional circumstances with prudence.
On the sidelines of the Nicaraguan Embassy’s celebration of the 205th anniversary of the Republic’s independence, attended by Counselor Ahmad Shinar Al-Bukhait from the Protocol Department, along with several ambassadors, members of the diplomatic corps, and representatives of Kuwaiti entities, Lashtar emphasized that dialogue remains the only path to resolving crises and achieving security and peace.
He affirmed the depth and solidity of Nicaraguan-Kuwaiti relations, noting that they are built on a historical friendship, mutual respect, and fruitful developmental cooperation. He expressed his country’s aspiration to expand the horizons of cooperation with Kuwait in several sectors, foremost among them health, education, transport, tourism, and investment.
He stated that diplomatic relations between the two countries were established in 1990, followed by the opening of the Nicaraguan Embassy in Kuwait, which became his country’s first embassy in the Gulf region and the Arab world.
He pointed out that the embassy in Kuwait covers several countries in the region, including the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states, as well as Jordan, Lebanon, and Libya.
The ambassador noted that developmental cooperation between the two countries has extended over many years, particularly in the health sector, praising the role played by the Arab Kuwait Fund for Economic Development in supporting developmental projects in his country.
He explained that the Fund’s contributions contributed to the establishment and opening of the largest hospital in Nicaragua, in a region with a population of 700,000, representing a qualitative addition to the health sector and the medical services provided there.
He clarified that the cost of the hospital project is approximately $120 million, of which the Fund contributed about 33 percent, pointing to opportunities for further cooperation in the field of medical devices and equipment.
Lashtar revealed that a significant project in the transport sector began implementation about three months ago, concerning the construction of several of Nicaragua’s most prominent bridges, thereby strengthening the transport network and connectivity between the country’s Pacific and Caribbean coastal regions.
He affirmed that the project is among the most prominent infrastructure and transport projects currently being implemented there, and that the Kuwaiti Development Fund is providing a loan of approximately $15 million for a project in the roads and transport sector.
He added that the two countries have signed other agreements in the fields of education, health, and transport, explaining that these sectors represent the main axes of the current developmental cooperation.
He noted that work has begun on projects ready for implementation, while studies have been prepared for other projects in preparation for their submission to the relevant authorities. He clarified that representatives of the Kuwaiti Fund visited the project sites and target sectors and directly reviewed the associated needs and studies.
Lashtar explained that citizens of Gulf states enter Nicaragua without a prior visa, and that his country offers a package of facilitations and investment incentives in several sectors. The agriculture, livestock, and tourism sectors enjoy tax exemptions and facilitations, in addition to land-related privileges, as well as a banking system that allows investors to manage their businesses and transfer their profits and funds in accordance with the prevailing laws.
He stated that investors in the tourism sector can benefit from exemptions and incentives lasting up to 20 years, which enhances opportunities for establishing tourism and hotel projects and attracting foreign capital.
Ambassador Lasheter affirmed that Nicaragua possesses significant tourism assets due to its geographical location, natural resources, and coastline along the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea. The country receives approximately two million tourists annually, the majority of whom are from Latin America, particularly Central American countries.
Lasheter noted that September 15 is a cherished national occasion in his country’s history, during which the values of freedom, sovereignty, and independence are celebrated, and the journey and aspirations of the Nicaraguan people toward peace, development, and prosperity are commemorated. He expressed his pleasure at sharing the celebration with the ambassadors of Latin American countries accredited to Kuwait.
Lasheter emphasized that his country’s stance on the Palestinian issue is rooted in a long history of solidarity. He described Nicaraguan-Palestinian relations as “relations of blood and historical solidarity,” and underscored Nicaragua’s continued support for the rights of the Palestinian people in various international forums.
