Kuwait is a small but oil-rich state located between Iraq and Saudi Arabia spanning 17,818 sq kilometres. Its GDP amounts to US$ 208 billion with per capita income of US$ 38,755. Kuwait’s oil reserves are the 6th largest in the world; one of the largest sovereign wealth fund worth US$ 800 billion provides enormous leverage to the country. Kuwait is a non-permanent member of the United Nation Security Council and an important member of the Organization of the Islamic Conference.
Pakistan’s diplomatic relations with Kuwait were established in October 1963. The two countries have relatively cordial relations and cooperate with each other at various international fora, including the UN, the OIC, FATF etc.
Recently, the Prime Minister of Pakistan as well as that of the Chief of Army Staff visited Kuwait in November 2023. During the visit, multiple Investment Cooperation Agreements were signed between both countries in multiple fields.
The bilateral defence relations are on the rise and cooperation in the field is improving with the “Agreement on Defence Cooperation” signed by the two countries in June, 2023. Ambassador Malik Muhammad Farooq signed the agreement on behalf of Pakistan, while Brigadier General Fawaz Khudair Muhammad Al-Harbi, Deputy Chief of the General Staff Ministry of Defence signed from Kuwait side. Ambassador was also accompanied by a Pakistani military delegation led by Major General Waseem Iftikhar Cheema. The two sides expressed the hope that this agreement will help expand the defence cooperation between the two countries and the bilateral defense relations would vastly improve.
Kuwait supported Pakistan's proposal on combating Islamophobia and designating 15 March as “International Day to Combat Islamophobia” through the resolutions adopted during the 47th Session of OIC Council of Foreign Ministers held in Niger in 2020.
The Kuwaitis gratefully recognize Pakistan’s contribution in the mine clearing operations in the strategic Bubiyan Island after the Iraqi invasion in 1991. Nine Pakistani soldiers embraced shahadat during the operation.
Under G-2-G Health Cooperation Agreement between both countries (signed in July 2020), 23 batches comprising 3,379 professionals including doctors, nurses etc. have joined. The second Protocol to the Extension of Health Cooperation Agreement was signed on 31st May 2023. It not only extends the tenure of the health professionals for another two years but also includes a provision for the automatic renewal of this Agreement, unless notified otherwise by any of the two parties. This Agreement is a shining example of the win-win cooperation between the two countries.
The last visit of the Amir of Kuwait to Pakistan was in 2006 while the last visit of the Prime Minister of Kuwait was in 2013.
The Kuwaiti government pledged $3 million as part of contribution to the UN Flash Appeal for the 2022 flood victims of Pakistan. The local charities also launched a special donation campaign under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Kuwait to provide the emergency assistance.
Kuwait hosts around some 95,000 Pakistani nationals, as per figures given by Kuwaiti authorities. The ratio of skilled and unskilled labour is around 70% to 30% with majority being blue collar workers including masons, steel and tile fixers, drivers, plumbers, painters, barbers, dry cleaners and tailors. A small minority also consists of white collared professionals including doctors, engineers, chartered accountants and financial experts. There are no illegal or irregular migrants in Kuwait. Presently only sixty Pakistani nationals are in Kuwaiti prisons. Around USD 1 billion are annually remitted to Pakistan.
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