Lebanon, Kuwait Reaffirm Strong Ties in High-Level Summit

Kuwaiti Emir Sheikh Mishal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah meets with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun (Lebanese Presidency)
Kuwaiti Emir Sheikh Mishal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah meets with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun (Lebanese Presidency)
TT
20

Lebanon, Kuwait Reaffirm Strong Ties in High-Level Summit

Kuwaiti Emir Sheikh Mishal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah meets with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun (Lebanese Presidency)
Kuwaiti Emir Sheikh Mishal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah meets with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun (Lebanese Presidency)

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun concluded a high-profile visit to Kuwait this week, where he held a summit with Emir Sheikh Mishal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, affirming a shared commitment to strengthening bilateral ties and deepening cooperation across a range of sectors.

The summit, which took place at the Amiri Diwan, was attended by Crown Prince Sheikh Sabah Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah, Acting Prime Minister Sheikh Fahd Yousef Saud Al-Sabah, and senior officials from both countries.

According to a statement from the Amiri Diwan, the discussions centered on bolstering political and economic relations, reinforcing regional cooperation, and addressing the evolving situation in Lebanon.

The Emir expressed Kuwait’s unwavering support for Lebanon and described the moment as a “historic opportunity” for the country to chart a new course, overcome past challenges, and embark on a path of national reconstruction and stability.

In a significant diplomatic development, the Emir informed Aoun of Kuwait’s decision to restore full diplomatic representation between the two nations. The Lebanese president welcomed the move, calling it a vital step toward renewing and expanding ties.

“Lebanon remains committed to its relationship with Kuwait and the Arab world,” he said.

Aoun also praised Kuwait for its longstanding support in regional and international forums, particularly in defending Lebanon’s sovereignty and condemning repeated Israeli violations. The Emir, in turn, reaffirmed Kuwait’s support for Lebanon’s full territorial sovereignty under UN Resolution 425 and called for the implementation of Resolution 1701 and a cessation of Israeli hostilities.

Security cooperation emerged as a key theme during the summit, with both sides hailing the close coordination between their security agencies particularly in combating drug smuggling. Emir Sheikh Mishal described this collaboration as a “cornerstone” in confronting shared security threats.

Kuwait also reiterated its backing for the efforts of the Arab and international “Quintet” seeking a resolution to Lebanon’s political impasse, as well as ongoing reforms and military support. The Emir pledged Kuwait’s continued participation in aid conferences focused on Lebanon’s economic recovery and national defense.

The leaders also discussed the regional situation, including the importance of Syria’s stability and the need for a safe and voluntary return of Syrian refugees to prevent further destabilization.

Separately, Aoun met with Acting Prime Minister Sheikh Fahd Yousef Saud Al-Sabah, who praised the Lebanese expatriate community in Kuwait for its positive contribution. The two officials agreed to ease travel and residency procedures for Lebanese nationals and encourage Kuwaiti investment in Lebanon.

In his meeting with Crown Prince Sheikh Sabah Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah, Aoun stressed the need to revive previously signed cooperation agreements and increase joint efforts in trade and investment. Discussions also touched on the upcoming Arab Summit in Baghdad and the US-Gulf summit in Saudi Arabia.



Syria’s Interior Ministry Stresses Cooperation with Saudi Arabia to Combat Crime, Terrorism

The Saudi Interior Minister receiving his Syrian counterpart in Jeddah last month (SPA)
The Saudi Interior Minister receiving his Syrian counterpart in Jeddah last month (SPA)
TT
20

Syria’s Interior Ministry Stresses Cooperation with Saudi Arabia to Combat Crime, Terrorism

The Saudi Interior Minister receiving his Syrian counterpart in Jeddah last month (SPA)
The Saudi Interior Minister receiving his Syrian counterpart in Jeddah last month (SPA)

The Syrian Ministry of Interior has confirmed it is coordinating closely with Saudi Arabia on joint security operations aimed at tackling organized crime and terrorist threats. Many of these efforts, officials say, remain deliberately out of the public eye for security reasons.

Speaking to Asharq Al-Awsat, Interior Ministry spokesperson Nour al-Din al-Baba revealed that cooperation between Damascus and Riyadh spans intelligence sharing, organizational support, and capacity building. He highlighted Saudi Arabia’s advanced security structures and extensive experience, emphasizing that Syria has already benefited substantially from this collaboration.

Al-Baba indicated that the coming period could see Saudi Arabia providing specialized training to Syrian units and personnel. In recent months, several high-level meetings have taken place, including talks early last month in Riyadh between Saudi Interior Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Saud bin Naif and his Syrian counterpart, Anas Khattab.

According to the Saudi Press Agency, Prince Abdulaziz stressed that the meeting was held under directives from King Salman bin Abdulaziz and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, reflecting the Kingdom’s commitment to supporting Syria’s stability and sharing expertise.

Discussions also focused on setting mechanisms to implement the Crown Prince’s instructions to deliver comprehensive support to Syrian institutions.

Al-Baba explained that security cooperation is primarily focused on countering two key threats: narcotics trafficking, particularly captagon, and terrorism linked to ISIS remnants and sabotage cells that carried out attacks in March.

Just last week, the two interior ministries announced a significant joint operation in which Syrian authorities, acting on Saudi intelligence, seized large quantities of amphetamine tablets hidden inside industrial sites in Idlib and Aleppo provinces. The shipment was intended to be smuggled across the border.

According to al-Baba, the operation successfully disrupted the movement of tens of thousands of captagon pills, describing it as part of ongoing efforts to dismantle smuggling networks linked to remnants of the former regime.

He said many similar operations remain undisclosed due to operational sensitivities.

In April, Saudi Arabia hosted a Syrian security delegation for an in-depth review of the Kingdom’s policing practices and advanced security systems to help modernize Syria’s own institutions.

Talks between the two ministers also addressed broader cooperation in areas such as counterterrorism, fighting organized crime, border protection, and intelligence sharing. Officials underscored that this partnership aims to create sustainable mechanisms to improve stability and security across Syria.