In presence of Acting Director-General of Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development (KFAED) Mr. Waleed Shamlan Al-Bahar, with participation of Superintendent of the Operations Department for West African Countries Engineer Thamer Al-Failakawi and Assistant Director of the Operations Department for Arab Countries Mr. Abdulrazzaq Al-Sanea, Kuwait Fund hosted at its headquarters today a military delegation from the National Defense University in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, as part of an official visit.

Al-Bahar welcomed the visiting delegation, led by Brigadier-General Nasser bin Ghedayer Al-Harbi, and affirmed the Fund’s keenness on joint coordination, alongside its counterparts in GCC and Arab states, to determine the priorities regarding financing projects and extending development assistances in Arab and other developing nations.

“KFAED, in cooperation with Gulf and Arab development funds and institutions, has recently moved towards selecting and evaluating projects related to climate change, clean energy, food and water security, and achieving sustainable development goals”, he said.

Al-Bahar affirmed that “the Fund always believes in the significance of the environment and the urgent need to improve the environment and apply sustainable environmental practices in all its projects”.

For his part, Al-Harbi expressed pride and appreciation of the efforts exerted by Kuwait Fund, as a Gulf-based development institution, in boosting development in several world countries.

“By its own nature, Kuwait Fund represents the diplomatic dimension of Kuwait’s government, as well as the civilized, cultural, and humanitarian legacy of the brotherly State of Kuwait”, he said.

“Contributing to strengthen development efforts and humanitarian action, regionally and internationally, mirrors Kuwait Fund's power as one of the most distinctive tools of Kuwait’s foreign policy in the development and humanitarian fields”, Al-Harbi noted, wising further progress and prosperity to the Fund and to the Kuwaiti government and people.

During the event, Al-Failakawi gave detailed and explanatory lecture on Kuwait Fund’s activity during the Iraqi invasion to Kuwait period in 1990, its contributions in bolstering the resources of Arab and regional development institutions, and its efforts in achieving sustainable development goals through financing the Sand and Dust Storm Adaptation and Resilience project and the Gulf Electricity Interconnection project.

He also mentioned the Fund’s local role and contributions in reinforcing human development in Kuwait through the "Training Newly-Graduate Kuwaiti Engineers and Architects” program and “Be Among the High-Achievers” program.

Al-Failakawi also pointed out the Fund’s contributions in times of global crises and disasters, notably its activity during the outbreak of the novel coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19) in 2020, along with its efforts in relieving the displaces ones and refugees around the world.

Moreover, Al-Sanea presented an introductory presentation on the Fund’s activities, highlighting its achievements since its inception, the nature of its work and operations that reflected Kuwait’s foreign policy, which is based on development and humanitarian aid on regional and international levels, in addition to its contributions in financing projects aimed to enhance the vital sectors in recipient countries.

He also talked about KFAED’s strategies and operations in various development sectors, and its role in managing the grants that the State of Kuwait extends to several countries, and contributions in resolving the housing issue in the country in cooperation with the Public Authority for Housing Welfare and Kuwait Credit Bank.

At end of the visit, Al-Bahar and Al-Harbi exchanged commemorative shields in appreciation of the efforts exerted by the two brotherly countries to consolidate development cooperation between them.