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His Excellency Mr Salem AL-SHEBLI, Ambassador of the State of Kuwait to the Republic of South Africa;  

His Excellency Mr Salih Omar ABDU, Ambassador of the State of Eritrea and Dean of the Diplomatic Corps,

His Excellency Ambassador Mahash Saeed ALHAMELI, Ambassador of the United Arab Emirates and Dean of the Arab Diplomatic Corps,

Honourable Members the South African Executive;

Your Excellencies, Ambassadors, High Commissioners, Heads of International Organisations and Members of the Diplomatic Corps;

Ladies and Gentlemen,

We extend our best wishes for further success and prosperity to the Government of Kuwait under the leadership of His Highness, Sheikh Mishal Al-Ahmed Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, Amir of the State of Kuwait,  His Highness Sheikh Ahmad Abdullah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, Deputy Amir of Kuwait and His Highness, Sheikh Dr Mohammed Sabah Al-Salem Al-Sabah, the Prime Minister of the State of Kuwait.

It is an honour for me to represent the Government and people of the Republic of South Africa on this auspicious occasion as we celebrate with the Government and the people of the State of Kuwait, the anniversary of the 65th National Day, and the 35^th Anniversary of the Liberation Day of the State of Kuwait.

South Africa greatly values our diplomatic relations with Kuwait.

We wish to further strengthen our ties and cooperation initiatives. Our relations are underpinned by a strong bond of friendship and solidarity between our two countries based on shared principles of mutual respect and understanding.

On the global front, our two countries have worked closely together to address some of the major challenges facing our world, including climate change, global poverty, inequality, and promoting international peace and security. We also collaborate to uphold the centrality of the United Nations in multilateral diplomacy. South Africa and Kuwait share similar views on the current developments in the Middle East, as well as finding mutually agreed solutions that will create lasting peace. 

The quest for self-determination and statehood for Palestine remains unresolved after 77 years and continues to challenge our collective human conscience and international justice. His Highness the Amir recently reaffirmed the State of Kuwait's steadfast support for the Palestinian people in their legitimate struggle to reclaim their land, holy sites, and inalienable rights, which is grounded in widely recognised principles, and whose cause serves as a crucial test of the fairness of the international system and its commitment to law and legitimacy. South Africa shares this conviction.   

In the regional context, our countries are members of and play key roles in respective regional groupings such as the Gulf Cooperation Council and the League of Arab States for Kuwait and the African Union, and the Southern African Development Community for South Africa. 

South Africa commends the State of Kuwait on the historical and contemporary roles it plays as mediator in regional conflicts and tensions in the Middle East and Gulf. Kuwait's neutrality and the ability of its leaders to foster personal relationships of trust with the leaders and role-players in the region, contributed to the resolution of numerous conflicts and tensions.

In the bilateral context, we endeavour to strengthen our economic cooperation in a mutually beneficial manner. South Africa offers opportunities for Kuwaiti investors seeking sustained financial returns and a strategic foothold on our African continent in various sectors.

We are also grateful for an increase in high-level visits with the visit of Minister Dean McPherson to Kuwait last year. South Africa also looks forward to the official visit of Minister John Steenhuisen to the State of Kuwait in May 2026. The Minister will lead a delegation of South African business representatives, with a particular focus on agriculture, agri-processing and food security. This visit is expected to open new avenues for trade, investment and partnerships between South African and Kuwaiti companies.

We are encouraged by the growing people-to-people links between our countries, particularly the increasing number of Kuwaiti tourists visiting South Africa. This positive trend reflects the strong interest of Kuwaiti citizens in South Africa's diverse tourism offerings and further strengthens cultural understanding and friendship between our peoples.

While the trade figures remain encouraging, it is our firm belief that more could and should be done to ensure to grow trade between our two countries. In 2024 our total bilateral trade stood at R18,1 billion and in the period January to November 2025, total trade between South Africa and Kuwait amounted to R18,11 billion. Once the total trade for 2025 is known, I am sure it will be a new record high. The trade deficit is at R14 billion in Kuwait's favour, primarily due to  fuel imports from Kuwait.

We are also encouraged with progress in finalising key bilateral instruments, including the Memorandum of Understanding on Agriculture and the Bilateral Air Services Agreement. These agreements will serve as important frameworks to further deepen economic cooperation, facilitate connectivity, and solidify the already strong relations between our two countries.

Your Excellency,

We warmly acknowledge Kuwait's real estate and hospitality investments in our country, which are well-recognised brands in our tourism industry such as the IFA Hotels and Resorts with  investments in the Zimbali Coastal Resort in Kwa-Zulu Natal, the partnership in the Legend Golf & Safari Resort in Limpopo Province and the investments from Mohamed Abdulmohsin Al-Kharafi & Sons in the Pretoria Sheraton Hotel and Towers, the Oubaai Golf Estate outside George and the Lombardy Estate outside Pretoria. The existing investments of the Kuwaiti Investment Authority in South Africa through portfolio managers is also highly appreciated.

For these reasons, we look forward to finalising dates for high-level visits to provide impetus to these strategic cooperation ventures. In 2021, our respective Foreign Ministries finalised the Agreement on the Establishment of a Joint Commission, and we look forward to hosting its inaugural meeting as soon as mutually convenient dates are established.  

Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen

In conclusion, I wish to reaffirm South Africa's full confidence in its solid partnership of friendship and cooperation with the State of Kuwait. As we celebrate Kuwait's remarkable journey and achievements, we reaffirm South Africa's commitment to working closely with the State of Kuwait to further elevate our partnership for the benefit of our two nations and peoples.

On behalf of the people and the Government of the Republic of South Africa, it is now my great honour to congratulate the Amir, His Highness Sheikh Mishal Al-Ahmed Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, the Government and the people of Kuwait, on these special days of celebrations, to convey our best wishes for the personal health and well-being of His Highness the Amir, and the leadership of Kuwait and many more years of success and prosperity for all the friendly people of Kuwait.

I thank you.

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