(MENAFN- Arab Times) His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al- Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah received at Bayan Palace Wednesday, in the presence of His Highness the Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, the visiting President of the United Mexican States Enrique Pena Nieto and the accompanying delegation.
After the reception, the official rounds of talks between the two countries began with the Kuwaiti side being presented by His Highness the Amir, His Highness the Crown Prince, His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Hamad Al-Sabah, First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah, and other state officials while the Mexican side was represented by President Nieto and senior Mexican officials. Deputy Minister of the Amiri Diwan Affairs Sheikh Ali Jarrah Al-Sabah said in a statement that the meeting focused on booting relations between the two nations on all possible domains to serve the interest of the Kuwaiti and Mexican people. The talks also focused on issues of mutual interest. Meanwhile, His Highness the Amir honored President Nieto with the Mubarak Al-Kabeer medal for his efforts in bolstering bilateral ties.
President Nieto, on his part, awarded His Highness Sheikh Sabah with the Order of the Aztec Eagle medal. Meanwhile, in the presence of His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al- Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, President of the United Mexican States Enrique Pena Nieto, His Highness the Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al- Sabah, and His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Hamad Al-Sabah, several agreements and Memorandums of Understanding (MoU) were signed Wednesday during the official rounds of talks held at Bayan Palace.
MoU
A MoU on the foreign affairs level was signed between First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Hamad Al- Sabah and Mexican Foreign Secretary Claudia Ruiz Massieu. A cultural and technical cooperation agreement as well as an MoU on developing tourism was signed by Minister of Information, Minister of State for Youth Affairs, and Chairman of the National Council for Culture, Arts, and Letters (NCCAL) Sheikh Salman Sabah Al-Salem Al-Humoud Al-Sabah and Mexican Foreign Secretary Claudia Ruiz Massieu on part of the Mexican Secretariats of Culture and Tourism. An energy cooperation MoU was signed by Minister of Commerce and Industry, Acting Minister of Finance, and Acting Oil Minister Dr Yousef Mohammad Al-Ali and Mexican Energy Secretary Pedro Joaquin Coldwell. An agreement on promoting high educational ties was signed by Minister of Education and Minister of High Education Dr. Bader Al-Issa and Mexican Minister of Public Education Aurelio Nuno Mayer. An aviation service agreement was signed by Minister of Communication and Minister of State for Municipal Affairs Issa Al-Kanderi and Mexican Secretary for Transportation and Communication Gerardo Ruiz Esparza. A MoU on the healthcare was signed by Minister of Health Dr Ali Al-Obaidi and Mexican Foreign Secretary Claudia Ruiz Massieu on part of the Mexican Health Secretariat.
An MoU to encourage direct investments was also signed by head of Kuwait Direct Investment Promotion Authority (KDIPA) Sheikh Dr. Meshal Jaber Al- Ahmad Al-Sabah and CEO of ProMexico Francisco N. Gonzalez Diaz. Meanwhile, the President of Mexico and his delegation visited Kuwait Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) on Wednesday. President Nieto, who was accompanied by Amiri Diwan Advisor Sheikh Fahad Saad Al-Abdullah Al-Sabah, was received by the chamber's Chairman Ali Thunayan Al-Ghanim, Minister of Commerce and Industry Yousif Al-Ali and members of the chamber. In his speech upon the visit, Nieto praised the strong economic ties between Kuwait and Mexico, stressing the importance of boosting such relations to expand commercial exchange. On his part, Al-Ghanim also gave a speech where he noted the important role of Mexico's economy (second biggest in Latin America), in connecting the economies of the Pacific and the Atlantic Oceans. Meanwhile, he also mentioned that Kuvwait's economy also plays a similar role in connecting the economies of the Gulf region with those of the Arab world, Europe and Southeast Asia. Al-Ghanim said that the commercial exchange between Kuwait and Mexico did not reach the level that both countries aim for yet. Moreover, the official hoped that this visit would be a starting point to boost commercial ties and achieve the highest levels of economic partnership in the fields of industry, tourism and energy. Kuwait's development plan involves attracting huge foreign investments, said the chairman, adding that the banking, financial and investment sectors have developed prominently in the recent years.
Mentioning the negative impact of the severe drop in oil prices on the two countries' economies, Al-Ghanim stressed that "It is vital for both Kuwait and Mexico to cooperate in keeping oil prices stable and achieve economic diversity". Visiting President of United Mexican States Enrique Pena Nieto received National Assembly Speaker Marzouq Al- Ghanim, at his residance at Bayan Palace on Wednesday. Penta Nieto also received His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber Al- Mubarak Al-Hamad Al-Sabah and First Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah. The meetings were attended by head of honorary mission and Advisor at Amiri Diwan Sheikh Fahad Saad Al-Abdullah Al-Sabah. First Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Sabah Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah received visiting President of the United Mexican States Enrique Pena Nieto, at Bayan Palace on Wednesday.
The meeting discussed advancing bilateral ties in all domains and tackled the latest regional and international developments. The meeting was attended by Amiri Diwan Advisor Sheikh Fahad Saad Al- Abdullah Al-Sabah, Kuwaiti Ambassador to the United Mexican States Samih Jawhar Hayat, Assistant Foreign Minister for the Americas, Reem Al-Khaled and a number of senior officials at the Foreign Ministry. In the meantime, CEO of ProMexico Francisco Gonzales Diaz said Wednesday that Mexico anticipates joining the global Halal food market, a lucrative force which comprises more than 112 nations and amounts to more than $2 trillion in annual revenues. Diaz is part of a Mexican delegation headed by President Enrique Pena Nieto, visiting Kuwait where a series of agreements on cooperation between the two nations have been signed. In a statement, Diaz said while Kuwaiti and Mexican commercial ties have improved over the years, there is still room for additional growth.
Exchange
The volume of trade exchange between the two countries has significantly increased, going up from $14 million to $38 million last year, Diaz noted. Mexico is the seventh biggest mobile phone exporter to Kuwait and the fifth biggest steel exporter, a sign that trade ties between the two nations are more robust than what appears on the surface, Diaz noted. Moreover, President of the Kuwait Chamber of Commerce and Industry Ali Thunayan Al-Ghanim said that "Kuwait has a vision for a more competitive economic scene", pointing to the country's increasingly active role on the global economic stage. Al-Ghanim also acknowledged Mexico's prominent position in the global economic arena, saying that there is unlimited potential for increased cooperation between Kuwait and Mexico. Director General of Kuwait Direct Investment Promotion Authority (KDIPA) Sheikh Dr Meshal Al-Sabah highlighted the longevity of Kuwaiti and Mexican ties, saying the relationship between both nations has grown exponentially over the years. Sheikh Meshal listed some of KDIPA's landmark achievements, including its ability to procure $1.2 trillion worth of foreign investment, a sign that the Kuwaiti market has become a magnet to foreign investors, he said. Earlier, Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto has arrived here on Wednesday, leading a senior-level delegation on a state visit to Kuwait for summit talks with His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al- Jaber Al-Sabah.
He was welcomed at the airport by Deputy Minister of the Amiri Diwan Affairs Sheikh Ali Jarrah Al-Sabah. The honorary mission to accompany the Mexican leader is led by Advisor to the Amiri Diwan Sheikh Fahad Saad Al-Abdullah Al-Sabah. The Mexican President is accompanied by Minister of Foreign Affairs Claudia Ruiz Massieu Salinas, Ambassador to Kuwait Miguel Angel Isidro, Minister of Energy Pedro Joaquin Coldwell, Minister of Economy Ildefonso Guajardo Villarreal, Minister of Communication and Transport Gerardo Ruiz Esparza, and Minister of Public Education Aurelio Nuno Mayer, as well as other senior officials.
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