Switzerland's priorities in Kuwait
In Kuwait, cooperation focuses mainly on the following areas:
Peace, security and human rights
Switzerland is stepping up discussions on peace and security. It initiates discussions with the ICRC's regional office in Kuwait to promote international humanitarian law in the Gulf region.
Sustainable development
In particular, Switzerland fosters discussion with Kuwait on donor country best practices in order to ensure that development funds are dispersed in accordance with international standards.
Market access and economic opportunities
Switzerland works with Swiss private-sector companies to seize the opportunities opened up by Kuwait's economic reforms. Switzerland is working to promote mutual investment.
Since the oil boom of the 1970s Kuwait has been an important market for goods and services supplied by Swiss companies, whose know-how in industry and technology have in turn helped implement a number of major infrastructure projects in Kuwait.
In 2000 two agreements on investment protection and double taxation came into force. In 2010 a bilateral air transport agreement from 1968 was updated. A free trade agreement between EFTA and Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) member states entered into force in 2014.
Treaty database
Trade promotion, Switzerland Global Enterprise (S-GE)
Trade statistics, Swiss Federal Customs Administration (FCA)