Ambassadors at the event

The Ghanaian ambassador with dignitaries

Ghanaian ambassador at the cake-cutting ceremony

 KUWAIT CITY, April 7: Minister of Justice Nasser Al- Sumait has affirmed that the Kuwaiti-Ghanaian relations are longstanding, dating back to more than 50 years. He recalled the stance of Ghana during the brutal Iraqi invasion, its support for Kuwait, and its deployment of troops to participate in the liberation of Kuwait. Al-Sumait made the statement at the reception organized by the Embassy of Ghana on the occasion of the 68th anniversary of independence at the Crowne Plaza Hotel recently. Several ambassadors and heads of diplomatic missions attended the event. He asserted “we extend a hand of communication to them on this happy occasion and wish them success in all fields.” He also confirmed coordination with the Ministry of Interior regarding the special prison for civilians.

Asked about the timing of the implementation of the Personal Status Law, he disclosed “a committee has been formed for this purpose. It consists of distinguished judges, as well as the heads and directors at the Public Prosecution, with the assistance of specialists. The committee has started its work. We expect it to be ready within the coming months. The Personal Status Law has been reviewed in its entirety, including the stipulations on alimony.”

On the introduction of new draft laws, he confirmed the comprehensive review of the legislative system in the country. “Kuwait has 982 laws in force. Our goal in the first phase is to review 10 percent of these laws and divide them into stages -- from most to least important -- within a year. The political leadership issued a directive to fully support women and this will be reflected in all amendments.” On the other hand, Ambassador of the Republic of Ghana to Kuwait Mohammad Habib Idris pointed out that Ghana and Kuwait share the fundamental values in terms of promoting peace, stability and sustainable development in various countries around the world. He continued, “these principles led to the establishment of official diplomatic relations between the two friendly countries 51 years ago. These relations have continued to grow steadily, characterized by fruitful initiatives and constructive cooperation at the bilateral and multilateral levels.”

He added “this friendly relationship was clearly demonstrated in the meeting between former President of Ghana Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and His Highness the Crown Prince Sheikh Sabah Al-Khalid Al-Sabah on the sidelines of the 79th United Nations General Assembly in New York in September 2024.” He pointed out that in the field of trade, Ghana is a market for Kuwaiti products, such as refined petroleum derivatives and industrial chemicals, while Kuwait imports various products from Ghana like gold, lumber, cocoa products, tropical fruits and edible nuts. Regarding food and aromatic oils, he indicated that global economic fl uctuations are a major incentive to strengthen economic cooperation between Ghana and Kuwait to protect their economies from external shocks.

He added “we are working hard with Kuwait to sign and implement a number of bilateral agreements and initiatives, most notably the agreement to protect and encourage investments, and the activation of the strategic partnership agreement signed by the two countries in July 2022 to finance projects in the fields of agriculture, education, health and entrepreneurship at a cost of KD20 million through the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development (KFAED). Political consultations will also be held between the two countries’ foreign ministries in the coming days.” He highlighted bilateral cooperation in the field of development, explaining that Ghana has been benefiting from grants and loans provided by KFAED since 1977 -- totaling $177 million, for projects in the fields of power generation, and hospital and road construction. He revealed that 14 Kuwaiti charitable organizations are currently active in underprivileged Ghanaian communities; operating in the fields of health, education, drinking water provision, and mosque construction. He believes this is another evidence of the deep friendship between the two countries and their people.

By Fares Al-Abdan
Al-Seyassah/Arab Times Staff