KUWAIT, Dec 1 (KUNA) -- Minister of Foreign Affairs Abdullah Al-Yahya stated on Monday that the State of Kuwait has solidified its standing on the global stage by leveraging its soft power and enhancing its cultural, humanitarian, and developmental presence worldwide.
"Human and cultural exchange has always been a cornerstone of Kuwait's foreign policy," Minister Al-Yahya said at a symposium, organized by the Saud Al-Nasser Al-Sabah Kuwait Diplomatic Institute and Ooredoo Telecommunications Company.
The event aimed to highlight Kuwait's role in strengthening international cooperation and diplomatic relations as well as to open avenues for investment, economic, technological, and cultural collaboration among nations.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs clarified that Kuwait has shared its culture, arts, and media with the world through pioneering initiatives such as the renowned Arabic-speaking "Al-Arabi" monthly magazine and the "World of Thought" magazine.
Furthermore, Kuwait offered foreign students over 600 scholarships in this year to study in its educational institutions and dispatched approximately 145,000 Kuwaiti students over the past decade to 16 countries to study there, the minister said, noting that this educational exchange strengthened Kuwait ties with the world. He also highlighted role played by the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development and the Kuwait Investment Authority in enhancing economic cooperation with other world countries and supporting global stability and development.
Kuwaiti charities and humanitarian organizations' efforts worldwide have helped strengthen the country's soft power, he said.
The minister emphasized that this event embodies Kuwait's story as a beacon of knowledge and peace, reaffirming the commitment to continuing this approach to push for a more stable and humane future.
For his part, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Information and Culture Dr. Nasser Al-Muhaysin stressed the importance of utilizing technology and communication to build new bridges between cultures and societies.
He called for developing communication tools that serve Kuwait's global presence and translate the directives of the political leadership for upgrading the State of Kuwait's standing regional and internationally.
Al-Muhaysin, who represented Minister of Information and Culture and Minister of State for Youth Affairs Abdulrahman Al-Mutairi at the event, also stated that Kuwait's 51 platform cements the global presence of Kuwaiti media and that the Visit Kuwait digital platform shows the world Kuwait's tourism vision.
For his part, Acting Director General of the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development (KFAED) Waleed Al-Bahar said, on the sidelines of the event that the Fund is an integral part of Kuwait's diplomatic efforts.
KFAED severs as the development arm of the State of Kuwait and a key financer of development and humanitarian work worldwide, he said.
Al-Bahar noted that KFAED work aligns with Kuwait's foreign policy and boost its global standing, in accordance with its unwavering humanitarian vision.
Over nearly 64 years, the KFAED has provided more than 1,037 soft loans to 107 countries to finance development projects in nine vital sectors, including infrastructure, social services, health, and education, with a total value of approximately KD 7 billion (around USD 22 billion), he indicated.
Al-Bahar added that the Fund has also provided 349 grants and technical assistance packages to developing countries, institutions, and organizations, totaling approximately KD 392 million (around USD 1.27 billion).
He vowed that the Fund would continue helping those in need worldwide to ensure human stability, safety, and the right to life.
"The developmental and humanitarian work has become a fundamental pillar of Kuwait's foreign policy, making it a leader in humanitarian action," Al-Bahar said.
Meanwhile, Ooredoo CEO Abdulaziz Al-Babtain emphasized the importance of leveraging technology to support digital diplomacy and strengthen partnerships between the public and private sectors to serve development initiatives and international communication.
Al-Babtain clarified that developing and empowering data centers with artificial intelligence represents a strategic step to prepare Kuwait for digital transformation.
He affirmed Ooredoo's commitment to being a trusted national partner in the digital transformation journey and to working with state institutions to strengthen Kuwait's presence and build a digital future that everyone can be proud of. (end) mnm.ibi