KUWAIT: Kuwait plays as an exemplary model for wisdom, said Abdullah Shahid, President of the United Nations General Assembly on Thursday, in reference to the Arabian Gulf country's mediation efforts. "I conveyed to His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Ahmad Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah my gratitude for the support Kuwait has rendered to me, both as the President of the General Assembly, and as Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Maldives," he told KUNA in an interview.

He commended the role Kuwait takes as "an exemplary model for wisdom, where it plays an integral role in diffusing tensions towards a more peaceful and stabilized region." "We discussed a range of issues from COVID-19 recovery, impacts of climate change, and impacts of the ongoing conflict in Ukraine," Shahid noted.

As for meeting his counterpart, Sheikh Ahmad Nasser Al-Mohammad Al-Sabah, Shahid branded the Kuwaiti top diplomat as a "pillar" of support throughout (my) 'Presidency of Hope'. "We discussed extensively, among other issues, the situation of peace and security in the region and around the world. Sheikh Ahmad briefed me on mediation efforts undertaken by Kuwait and the exemplary work done by Kuwait in the humanitarian field," he said.

On his meeting with Minister of Information and Culture and Minister of State for Youth Affairs Abdurrahman Al-Mutairi, Shahid said that during his presidency, he has prioritized the full participation of youth in decision-making to shape the future. He also commended the "For the youth, with the youth" approach by Kuwait to empower young Kuwaiti women and men, deeming it as an important step.

Kuwait-Maldives ties

Kuwaiti-Maldivian relations and cooperation level are "exemplary", he noted. "Since the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1977, Kuwait has been a key development partner for the Maldives." The Maldives has been receiving assistance from Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development (KFAED) since the late 1970s. The first loan was in 1976 for the Hulhumale Airport expansion project. The Fund also supported the expansion of the airport for a second time in 1987, and a third time in 1998.

"This is the main international airport in the Maldives, and it's significant because it was also around the time that we introduced the country for tourism, and the expansion of the airport was essential to drive the tourism industry forward. The Fund is also involved in the current expansion project of the airport," Shahid noted.

Additionally, the Fund has supported Maldives in many areas such as fisheries, port development and in the tsunami recovery phase. Ongoing support includes water and sanitation and shoreline protection. Another notable project undertaken with support from the government of Kuwait, according to Shahid, is the construction of the Islamic Centre in Male. It is the main mosque in Male, which also houses a library and other facilities. It is also part of the skyline of Male city and of tremendous value to the Maldives.

Welcoming Kuwait's recent announcement to operate direct flights to the Maldives, Shahid said: "As you would know, tourism is a key contributor to GDP of the Maldives (over 25 percent), and a key source of foreign currency (over 60 percent). Over 48,000 people are directly employed in the tourism sector. And the indirect benefits are multifold. So this is an industry that impacts our economy, but also the people."

He added: "Not only will the assumption of direct flights increase the number of tourists from Kuwait, and the region, it will also support people-to-people connections. Tourism brings cultures and peoples together. And this move will bring Kuwaitis and Maldivians even closer together."

International challenges

On challenges he witnessed on the international level, Shahid pointed out that the 76th session of the UN General Assembly started amidst a "once-in-a-century pandemic, a deepening climate crisis, and then was witness to the undesirable and patently avoidable military confrontation between Russia and Ukraine. "Multilateralism continues to be challenged. And we question the effectiveness of the international institutions that have carried us through, from the end of the Second World War," he said.

However, Shahid noted: "Small states like Kuwait and the Maldives; know all too well, the importance of these institutions," adding, "In our globalized world these issues interconnect with each other. We cannot address them working separately, because global threats require global solutions." On Kuwait's contribution within the UN to addressing international challenges and conflicts, he said: "To a large extent, the foundations of the Kuwaiti foreign policy have been laid by the late Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah; a champion of Arab unity and diplomacy, as he sought to increase Kuwait's visibility and importance on regional and global stages through establishing the country as a mediator and peacekeeper."

Kuwait has been an example of an effective and impactful non-permanent member of the Security Council during its membership in the 2018-2019 period, Shahid said, noting, with high admiration, the constructive and qualitative role Kuwait undertook in the Gulf Cooperation Council, the Arab League and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation. - KUNA