The nations of
Kuwait
Kuwait, officially the State of Kuwait, is a country in West Asia and the geopolitical region known as the Middle East. It is situated in the northern edge of the Arabian Peninsula at the head of the Persian Gulf, bordering Iraq to Iraq–Kuwait ...
and
Mexico
Mexico, officially the United Mexican States, is a country in North America. It is the northernmost country in Latin America, and borders the United States to the north, and Guatemala and Belize to the southeast; while having maritime boundar ...
established diplomatic relations in 1975.
Both nations are members of the
United Nations
The United Nations (UN) is the Earth, global intergovernmental organization established by the signing of the Charter of the United Nations, UN Charter on 26 June 1945 with the stated purpose of maintaining international peace and internationa ...
.
History
Both nations established diplomatic relations on 23 July 1975.
[México y Kuwait celebran la Primera Reunión del Mecanismo de Consultas en Materias de Interés Común (in Spanish)]
/ref> On 28 July 1975, Mexican President Luis Echeverría
Luis Echeverría Álvarez (; 17 January 1922 – 8 July 2022) was a Mexican lawyer, academic, and politician affiliated with the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) who served as the 57th president of Mexico from 1970 to 1976. Previously, ...
paid an official four day visit to Kuwait.[El viaje Presidencial por tres continentes - page 48 (in Spanish)]
/ref> During his visit, President Echeverría met with Emir Sabah Al-Salim Al-Sabah
Sheikh Sabah III Al-Salim Al-Sabah (12 January 1903 – 31 December 1977) () was the Emir of Kuwait from 24 November 1965 until his death in 1977.
Biography
The youngest son of Salim Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah, Sabah served as the president of t ...
and together they visited a petrochemical plant and a desalinization water plant. The two leaders also discussed the events taking place in the Middle East
The Middle East (term originally coined in English language) is a geopolitical region encompassing the Arabian Peninsula, the Levant, Turkey, Egypt, Iran, and Iraq.
The term came into widespread usage by the United Kingdom and western Eur ...
at the time.
During the Gulf War
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Mexico placed its own sanctions on Iraq
Iraq, officially the Republic of Iraq, is a country in West Asia. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to Iraq–Saudi Arabia border, the south, Turkey to Iraq–Turkey border, the north, Iran to Iran–Iraq border, the east, the Persian Gulf and ...
after it invaded Kuwait. In 2010, Kuwait opened an embassy in Mexico City. In July 2010, Kuwaiti Prime Minister Nasser Al-Sabah paid an official visit to Mexico and met with President Felipe Calderón
Felipe de Jesús Calderón Hinojosa (; born 18 August 1962) is a Mexican politician and lawyer who served as the 63rd president of Mexico from 2006 to 2012 and Secretary of Energy during the presidency of Vicente Fox between 2003 and 2004. ...
.[La diversificación de la política exterior mexicana en África, Medio Oriente y Asia Central: Kuwait - pages 31-32 (in Spanish)]
/ref> During the visit, both leaders agreed on a memorandum to establish a consulting mechanism on mutual interests to increase political dialogue and cooperation in all fields.
In September 2010, Prime Minister Nasser Al-Sabah returned to Mexico to partake in the country's bicentennial celebration. In February 2011, Mexican Foreign Secretary Patricia Espinosa paid a visit to Kuwait and partook in that country's Golden Jubilee, 50th year of Independence, 20th year of freedom since the Iraqi invasion and 5th year of the ascension to the throne of Emir Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah
Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah (; 16 June 1929 – 29 September 2020) was the Emir of Kuwait from 24 January 2006 until his death in 2020.
He was the fourth son of Sheikh Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah.
Early life and early career
Al-Sabah was ...
. Mexico opened an embassy in the Kuwaiti capital in 2011.
In March 2014, Mexican Foreign Secretary José Antonio Meade
José Antonio Meade Kuribreña (; born 27 February 1969) is a Mexican politician, economist, lawyer, and diplomat. He served as a cabinet minister under President of Mexico, Presidents Felipe Calderón and Enrique Peña Nieto in a variety of port ...
paid a visit to Kuwait.[Meade se reúne con autoridades de Kuwait (in Spanish)]
/ref> During the visit, both nations agreed to eliminate visa requirements for diplomatic passport holders. In December 2014, Mexico awarded the Order of the Aztec Eagle
The Mexican Order of the Aztec Eagle () forms part of the Mexican Honors System and is the highest Mexican order awarded to foreigners.
History
It was created by decree on December 29, 1933, by President Abelardo L. Rodríguez as a reward to ...
to Kuwaiti Emir Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah. In January 2016, Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto
Enrique Peña Nieto (; born 20 July 1966), commonly referred to by his initials EPN, is a Mexican former politician and lawyer who was the 64th president of Mexico from 2012 to 2018. A member of the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI), he p ...
paid an official visit to Kuwait.[México, confiable para invertir: Peña; firma 11 acuerdos con Kuwait (in Spanish)]
/ref> During his visit, both nations signed eleven agreements and memorandums in energy and health cooperation.
In 2023, both nations celebrated 48 years of diplomatic relations.
High-level visits
High-level visits from Kuwait to Mexico
* Prime Minister Nasser Al-Sabah (July and September 2010)
* Vice Minister of Interior Sulaiman Fahad Al Fahad (2016)
High-level visits from Mexico to Kuwait
* President Luis Echeverría
Luis Echeverría Álvarez (; 17 January 1922 – 8 July 2022) was a Mexican lawyer, academic, and politician affiliated with the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) who served as the 57th president of Mexico from 1970 to 1976. Previously, ...
(1975)
* Foreign Undersecretary Lourdes Aranda (2007, 2011)
* Foreign Secretary Patricia Espinosa (2011)
* Foreign Secretary José Antonio Meade
José Antonio Meade Kuribreña (; born 27 February 1969) is a Mexican politician, economist, lawyer, and diplomat. He served as a cabinet minister under President of Mexico, Presidents Felipe Calderón and Enrique Peña Nieto in a variety of port ...
(2014)
* Foreign Undersecretary Carlos de Icaza (2014)
* President Enrique Peña Nieto
Enrique Peña Nieto (; born 20 July 1966), commonly referred to by his initials EPN, is a Mexican former politician and lawyer who was the 64th president of Mexico from 2012 to 2018. A member of the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI), he p ...
(2016)
* Foreign Secretary Claudia Ruiz Massieu (2016)
Bilateral agreements
Both nations have signed several bilateral agreements such as an Agreement on Economic Cooperation (1976); Agreement to Avoid Double Taxation and Prevent Tax Evasion in the Matter of Income Taxes (2009); Agreement on the Promotion and Reciprocal Protection of Investments (2013); Agreement on Air Services (2016); Memorandum of Understanding in Health Cooperation (2016); Agreement of Cooperation in the Fields of Science and Technology (2016); Agreement of Cooperation between the National Bank of Foreign Trade ( Bancomext) and the Kuwait Chamber of Commerce and Industry (2016); Agreement of Cooperation between Pemex
Pemex (a portmanteau of Petróleos Mexicanos, which translates to ''Mexican Petroleum'' in English; ) is the Mexico, Mexican State ownership, state-owned Petroleum industry, petroleum corporation managed and operated by the government of Mexico, ...
and the Kuwait Petroleum Corporation
Kuwait Petroleum Corporation (; KPC) is Kuwait's major national oil company, headquartered in Al Kuwait.
The activities of Kuwait Petroleum Corporation are focused on petroleum exploration, production, petrochemicals, refining, marketing, a ...
(2016); and an Agreement on Cultural, Artistic and Superior Education Cooperation (2016).
Trade
In 2023, total trade between Kuwait and Mexico totaled US$130 million.[Data México: Kuwait]
/ref> Kuwait's main exports to Mexico is petroleum oil. Mexico's main exports to Kuwait include: motor vehicles for the transporte of goods and people, rubber tires, turbojets, turbo propellers and other gas turbines, machinery and mechanical appliances, tubes and pipes of iron or steel, chemical based products, vegetables, fruits, nuts, chocolates, and honey. Mexican multinational company KidZania operates in Kuwait.
Resident diplomatic missions
* Kuwait has an embassy in Mexico City
Mexico City is the capital city, capital and List of cities in Mexico, largest city of Mexico, as well as the List of North American cities by population, most populous city in North America. It is one of the most important cultural and finan ...
.
* Mexico has an embassy in Kuwait City
Kuwait City (; ) is the capital and largest city of Kuwait. Located at the heart of the country on the south shore of Kuwait Bay on the Persian Gulf, it is the political, cultural and economic center of the emirate, containing Kuwait's Seif Pal ...
.Embassy of Mexico in Kuwait City
/ref>
See also
* Foreign relations of Kuwait
Since its independence in 1961, Kuwait has maintained strong international relations with most countries, especially nations within the Arab world. Its vast oil reserves give it a prominent voice at the global economic forums and organizations li ...
* Foreign relations of Mexico
The foreign relations of Mexico (''United Mexican States'') are directed by the President of Mexico, President of the United Mexican States and managed through the Secretariat of Foreign Affairs (Mexico), Secretariat of Foreign Affairs. The prin ...
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kuwait-Mexico
Mexico
Mexico, officially the United Mexican States, is a country in North America. It is the northernmost country in Latin America, and borders the United States to the north, and Guatemala and Belize to the southeast; while having maritime boundar ...
Kuwait
Kuwait, officially the State of Kuwait, is a country in West Asia and the geopolitical region known as the Middle East. It is situated in the northern edge of the Arabian Peninsula at the head of the Persian Gulf, bordering Iraq to Iraq–Kuwait ...