Kuwaiti Minister of State for Development and Planning Affairs and Minister of Social Affairs and Labour Hind Al-Sabeeh left Japan on Friday to return home after concluding her successful official visit.
While in Tokyo, Al-Sabeeh held a series of talks with Japanese officials and business leaders, including Land, Infrastructure and Transport and Tourism Minister Akihiro Ota and State Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Daishiro Yamagiwa as well as the Japan Business Federation representatives, in which the the Japanese side pledged closer and bilateral cooperation, especially in the development of Kuwait. Al-Sabeeh and Ota also signed two bilateral cooperation agreements on transportation and public work projects, such as expertise exchange and human resource development.
Upon wrapping up her official visit, Al-Sabeeh told Kuwait News Agency (KUNA) that she discussed with Ota Kuwait's mega projects under the 2015-2020 National Development Plan, with putting focus on ways to monitor the plan, exchange experts on that field and spur Japanese private sector's involvement in Kuwait's development plant.
For his part, Kuwaiti Ambassador to Japan Abdulrahman Al-Otaibi lauded the minister's visit has contributed to strengthening bilateral relationships. Recalling the visit to Kuwait last year by Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, which complemented the historical visit to Japan by His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah in 2012, the ambassador said to KUNA, "Her visit comes with outcomes of these reciprocal visits by the Kuwaiti and Japanese leaders. It reflects the two countries' desire to raise bilateral relations to a higher dimension in new era beyond the traditional cooperation of energy." "Kuwait is implementing a five-year development plan, which contains a number of mega projects in various areas, such as construction of airport, metro system, power generation.
Talks on bilateral cooperation between Kuwait and Japan in the mega projects are focal point of the minister's visit, and I am delighted to see the discussions producing successful results," Al-Otaibi said. He also expressed hope that the Japanese side will make similar visits to Kuwait to follow up outcomes and discuss other areas of cooperation.
Moreover, he pointed out that Kuwait has suspended an offset program for the 2015-2020 development plan, the decision which provides Japanese companies good opportunities for playing more active roles in Kuwait's mega projects. "This is what both Japanese companies and we have been looking for. The decision will accelerate and facilitate activities by the Japanese companies in Kuwait. I hope to see further transfer of Japanese experiences and technology to our country," he stressed.
Al-Sabeeh arrived in Japan on Saturday for a weeklong visit. In a reflection of Kuwait's keen interest in sharing Japan's expertise, Al-Sabeeh and her accompanying delegation, including Secretary-General of the Kuwaiti Supreme Council for Planning and Development Hashim Al-Rifai also made inspection tours to revamped waterfront in Yokohama City, newly developed urban area and Tokyo Metro network.