President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih has acknowledged Kuwait as an important development partner for the Maldives over the years, particularly through the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development (KFAED). He made the acknowledgement during a meeting with the Prime Minister of Kuwait Sheikh Sabah Khalid Al-Hamad Al-Sabah, on the sidelines of the 76th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York City.
During the meeting, President Solih expressed gratitude for the assistance provided by the Government of Kuwait, highlighting numerous priority projects funded by KFAED in the infrastructure development and social sectors of the Maldives. Prime Minister Al-Sabah, congratulated the Maldives on winning the UNGA presidency election and noted the urgency of combating climate change for the survival of the Maldives and the other small island states. He further noted that he followed the president's general debate statement closely, and expressed confidence that climate change will rank high on the UNGA agenda during the tenure of the President of the 76th Session Abdulla Shahid.
The two leaders affirmed their common interest to advance tourism cooperation, people-to-people contact, and business-to-business interaction between the two countries in the coming years. Discussions also focused on collaborating on international platforms such as through the United Nations (UN) to ensure peace, security, and increasing resilience to achieve sustainable development goals.
President Solih said he was pleased to welcome Kuwaiti visitors back to the Maldives. He assured the prime minister that his administration would make the process as smooth and efficient as possible, and he encouraged more Kuwaiti guests to visit the Maldives.
The Maldives established diplomatic ties with Kuwait on December 1, 1977.