Manama: Kuwait is committed to turning the theme of the Africa-Arab summit it is hosting, “Partners in Development and Investment”, into reality, the country’s foreign minister has said.

“When this theme is carried out, only then can we achieve sustainable development for the nations of the two regions,” Shaikh Sabah Khalid Al Hamad Al Sabah told the media following the opening of the summit’s Media Centre. “We hope the summit achieves the proper utilisation of capabilities available to both regions. Both issues of development and investment contain many sub-issues, namely, stability and security, and both sides have agreed to discuss these matters,” Shaikh Sabah, also his country’s deputy prime minister, said.

Kuwait is represented diplomatically in many of the nations of Africa, along with development representation through its state Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development (KFAED), he said, Kuwait News Agency (Kuna) reported on Sunday.

The minister stressed the challenges that all nations, not only in Africa and the Arab world, have to face, adding that the talks would provide a solid ground on which the sides could cooperate.

The minister referred to the 2009 Kuwait-held Arab Economic, Social and Development Summit during which economic recommendations resulted in the formation of a $ two billion fund for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) for the benefit of youth in the region.

Kuwait’s Emir Shaikh Sabah Al Ahmad Al Jaber Al Sabah then announced Kuwait’s contribution of $500 million (Dh1.83 billion) to the fund.

“Although some nations in Africa are affected by poverty and famine, there are matters that can be utilised like the continent’s geographic location, its cultural diversity and huge natural and human resources,” the minister told the media in the Kuwaiti capital.

Kuwait has good relations with most African nations through its development efforts carried out by the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development, he added.

KFAED had signed loan and grant agreements with several African countries during the African-Arab Economic Forum, which concluded last Tuesday, he said.

These deals were worth a total of around 28.5 million Kuwaiti dinars ($110 million) and were signed on the sidelines of the summit’s supplementary event.

Responding to a question on whether or not there was a chance to form a joint Arab-African market, the minister said that the issue was discussed at the African-Arab Economic Forum held a few days ago.

Experts and officials discussed obstacles on the trade front between the regions, along with the components for the success of this proposal, he said.

On the issue of migration, he said that the important matter was discussed by senior officials in a recent meeting and will also be discussed at a meeting of foreign ministers.

Asked why political issues were not on the agenda of the talks, he said that “this is not the place for such discussions”.

“Political issues are on the minds of the whole world, including our Arab and African friends, but there are certain venues to discuss and focus on them,” he said, quoted by Kuna.

Palestinian affairs, he said were “paramount”, while the bloodshed in Syria “hurts us all”, but “these are issues that are discussed by the Arab League, the African Union, the Non-Aligned Movement, the Organisation of the Islamic Conference and the United Nations”, he added.

Kuwait-based charity, Direct Aid, will be hosting a conference attended by around 100 humanitarian workers in Africa, he said, adding that food security was an important issue.

On the attendance of senior officials, he said invitations had been sent to Russian President Vladimir Putin, chair of the G20 Summit, as well as to the head of the G8, the head of the Non-Aligned Movement and nations that have interests in Africa, like China, Japan and India.

The summit will also work to review the work of financial institutions in Africa, along with the obstacles and difficulties they are facing.