UAE leaders hail 'deep-rooted ties' on Kuwait's National Day

UAE President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan has led messages congratulating Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah on the country's National Day on Wednesday, highlighting the longstanding ties between the two nations.

"The deep-rooted ties of friendship and cooperation between the UAE and Kuwait continue to grow as our nations work together to foster shared progress, development, and prosperity," Sheikh Mohamed wrote in a special message on social media platform X.

On the occasion of Kuwait National Day, I extend my sincere congratulations to my brother Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah and the people of Kuwait. The deep-rooted ties of friendship and cooperation between the UAE and Kuwait continue to grow as our nations work together…

— محمد بن زايد (@MohamedBinZayed) February 25, 2026

His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, also congratulated Sheikh Meshal, adding that Kuwait continues to be more safe, secure, and prosperous under his leadership. 

كل عام وكويت المحبة قيادة وشعباً بخير..

كل عام والكويت أكثر أمناً وأماناً واستقراراً وازدهاراً بقيادة أخي الشيخ مشعل الأحمد الجابر الصباح ..

كل عام وأخوتنا تترسخ .. ومسيرتنا تتسارع .. ومستقبلنا يصل لآفاق أرحب وأوسع..

حفظ الله الكويت وشعبها وقيادتها وأدام عزها ومجدها . pic.twitter.com/jHZo4dOoC5

— HH Sheikh Mohammed (@HHShkMohd) February 25, 2026

The UAE recently hosted a week-long celebration to mark the historic ties with Kuwait, held between January 29 - February 4 under the theme “UAE and Kuwait: Brothers Forever".

The week included several social, cultural and entertainment events across all emirates that emphasised the bilateral cooperation between the two nations. 

The UAE and Kuwait share strong and steadily growing economic and trade relations, with the total trade between 2013 and 2022 reaching AED317 billion, including AED63 billion in imports, AED85.5 billion in non-oil exports and AED168.5 billion in re-exports.

Non-oil trade between the two countries amounted to AED38.8 billion during the first nine months of 2025, marking growth of 7.6 per cent. UAE imports from Kuwait increased by 3.6 per cent in the third quarter of 2025 compared to the same period in 2024, while re-exports rose by 4 per cent during the third quarter.

Kuwait is also one of the UAE’s key trading partners. The UAE is Kuwait’s second-largest trading partner globally and its largest Arab and Gulf partner, accounting for nearly 20 per cent of Kuwait’s non-oil exports.

Tourism represents a key pillar of economic relations between the two countries, with the number of Kuwaiti visitors to the UAE reaching 400,000 in 2025, marking an increase of nearly 6 per cent compared to 2024. The total number of direct flights operated weekly by national carriers between the two countries reached 174.

Educational cooperation is also witnessed as the number of Kuwaiti students enrolled in UAE universities has exceeded 1,725.

The two countries continue to consolidate bilateral relations and advance them towards broader horizons of cooperation in various areas.