Saudi-Kuwaiti Coordination Council Holds First Meeting on Sunday

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman meeting his Kuwaiti counterpart, Sheikh Mishaal Al-Ahmad, in Riyadh last Tuesday (SPA)
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman meeting his Kuwaiti counterpart, Sheikh Mishaal Al-Ahmad, in Riyadh last Tuesday (SPA)
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Saudi-Kuwaiti Coordination Council Holds First Meeting on Sunday

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman meeting his Kuwaiti counterpart, Sheikh Mishaal Al-Ahmad, in Riyadh last Tuesday (SPA)
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman meeting his Kuwaiti counterpart, Sheikh Mishaal Al-Ahmad, in Riyadh last Tuesday (SPA)

The Saudi-Kuwaiti Coordination Council will hold its first meeting on Sunday to reflect the strength of relations between the two states and bring them closer to improved integration that fulfills shared ambitions on security, prosperity, and happiness.

Saudi Arabia’s King Salman bin Abdulaziz, the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, and Kuwait’s Emir Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah had jointly issued directives for launching the Council’s first session.

Established in July 2018, the Council aims to develop a joint vision that deepens and sustains relations between the two countries.

It operates in line with the objectives of the Gulf Cooperation Council and works to enhance inter-state economic integration, find innovative solutions for optimal utilization of existing resources, and build an effective educational system.

This relies on shared strengths, enhancing cooperation in political, security, and military fields, ensuring good collaboration and partnership, and highlighting the two countries’ economic standing, human development, political and security-military integration in various areas.

Each of Saudi Arabia and Kuwait aspires to boost trade exchange levels, especially as official statistics show that it amounted to about SAR 8.39 billion in 2019.

That year, Saudi exports to Kuwait amounted to about SAR 7.83 billion, while imports accounted for around SAR1. 56 billion.

As for cooperation during the coronavirus pandemic, there was consistent, direct, and continuous coordination among the two states’ health ministers.

The Kingdom showed keen interest in stabilizing Kuwaiti markets and supporting them through guaranteeing Saudi products reaching Kuwaiti markets by land, sea, and air. This was welcomed and appreciated by the Kuwaiti government.

It is worth noting that Kuwait is also actively working with Saudi Arabia to achieve goals set by the Saudi Crown Prince’s “Green Middle East” initiative.



Qatar PM Says Gaza Ceasefire Talks Make Some Progress

FILE PHOTO: The minaret of the Great Omari Mosque, which was hit in previous Israeli strike during the war, stands damaged in Gaza City, March 17, 2025. REUTERS/Dawoud Abu Alkas/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: The minaret of the Great Omari Mosque, which was hit in previous Israeli strike during the war, stands damaged in Gaza City, March 17, 2025. REUTERS/Dawoud Abu Alkas/File Photo
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Qatar PM Says Gaza Ceasefire Talks Make Some Progress

FILE PHOTO: The minaret of the Great Omari Mosque, which was hit in previous Israeli strike during the war, stands damaged in Gaza City, March 17, 2025. REUTERS/Dawoud Abu Alkas/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: The minaret of the Great Omari Mosque, which was hit in previous Israeli strike during the war, stands damaged in Gaza City, March 17, 2025. REUTERS/Dawoud Abu Alkas/File Photo

Qatar's prime minister said on Sunday that efforts to reach a new ceasefire in Gaza have made some progress but an agreement between Israel and Hamas to end the war remains elusive.

"We have seen on Thursday a bit of progress compared to other meetings yet we need to find an answer for the ultimate question: how to end this war. That's the key point of the entire negotiations," said Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, who also serves as foreign minister, Reuters reported.

Mossad Director David Barnea traveled to Doha on Thursday to meet Sheikh Mohammed amid efforts to reach a new ceasefire in Gaza, Axios reported last week.

Sheikh Mohammed didn't say which elements of the ceasefire talks had progressed in recent days, but said Hamas and Israel remained at odds over the ultimate goal of negotiations.

He said the militant group is willing to return all remaining Israeli hostages if Israel ends the war in Gaza. But Israel wants Hamas to release the remaining hostages without offering a clear vision on ending the war, he said.

"When you don't have a common objective, a common goal between the parties, I believe the opportunities (to end the war) become very thin," Sheikh Mohammed said at a press conference with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan.

Fidan said talks Turkish officials have held with Hamas had shown the group would be more open to an agreement that goes beyond a ceasefire in Gaza and aims for a lasting solution to the crisis with Israel, including a two-state solution.

Israel resumed its offensive in Gaza on March 18 after a January ceasefire collapsed, saying it would keep up pressure on Hamas until it frees the remaining hostages still held in the enclave. Up to 24 of them are believed to still be alive.

The Gaza war started after Hamas' October 7, 2023 attack. Since then, Israel's offensive on the enclave killed more than 51,400, according to local health officials.