Kuwait Amir’s impending Jordan visit symbolizes close ties

AMMAN, His Highness the Amir of Kuwait Sheikh Mishal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Sabah's visit to Jordan, due Tuesday, encapsulates the recent progress seen in bilateral relations, in addition to Kuwait's rising prominence and growing clout on a regional level. His Highness the Amir's visit to the Hashemite Kingdom encapsulates a common desire to propel ties to greater levels, given the historic camaraderie and values shared by the two Arab nations, while more growth in ties would simultaneously serve the best interests of Kuwait and Amman. Since bilateral relations commenced in earnest back in 1961, some 73 joint deals and agreements covering a myriad of fields had come to fruition, in a testament to the two countries' shared viewpoints on current developments around the region, chief among the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Lawmakers from Kuwait and Jordan have ramped up diplomacy in a bid to serve the best interests of the wider Arab region, while the two countries have vociferously shored up support for the Pales tinains in regional and international gatherings, in a bid to demonstrate their committment to the establishment of an independent Palestinian state. A spate of joint high-profile visits by Kuwaiti and Jordanian leaders has given impetus to more headway in bilateral relations, while Amman and Kuwait have constantly cited the "Palestinian cause" as the Arab world's core concern, taking precedence over a host of other pressing matters in the region. Kuwaiti investments in Jordan are worth some KD three billion, with bilateral trade volume skyrocketing to KD 67 million (USD 218 million), while Kuwaiti philanthropists have left their mark on the Hashemite kingdom with a slew of charitable projects aiming to aid the country's impoverished. On the military front, a number of joint drills have brought the two countries' respective armies closer together, with educational ties also seeing growth in the number of Kuwaiti students pursuing higher studies in the Hashemite Kindgom. While the number of joint deals sig ned over the years have been innumerable, some of the most notable ones include a regulatory aviation agreement in 1975, in addition to a Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement signed in 1985. Source: Kuwait News Agency