Ghani meets new Emir and Kuwait’s Prime Minister

President Ashraf Ghani early Monday stopped over in Kuwait for a few hours before heading to Qatar in order to pay his respects to the country’s new Emir and to all Kuwaitis following the death of the late ruler Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah.

Leading a high-ranking government delegation, Ghani met with the new Emir Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, and expressed his deepest condolences and sympathies on the passing of his brother. 

 The new Emir of Kuwait said in a meeting with Ghani that he wished prosperity and peace for Afghanistan and offered his gratitude to Ghani for having visited Kuwait in order to convey his condolences in person. 

Ghani also met with Sheikh Sabah Al-Khalid Al-Sabah, Prime Minister of Kuwait, and both sides stressed the need for the two countries to enhance bilateral relations.

Ghani’s visit comes after the new emir met senior US, Iranian and Gulf officials on Sunday who separately paid their respects over the death of the Gulf state’s former ruler who died last week.

Sheikh Nawaf assumed power after the death of his brother, Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad. 

The late emir balanced ties between larger neighbours Saudi Arabia and Iran and kept a strong relationship with the United States, which led a coalition that ended Iraq’s 1990-91 occupation of Kuwait.

“He will be remembered as a great man and a special friend to the United States,” US Defence Secretary Mark Esper said in comments tweeted by the US Embassy during his visit.

Sheikh Nawaf also received Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif. Later Sunday Iranian state media carried a message by President Hassan Rouhani to the new emir: “I am confident that, as in the past, we will see a growing expansion of friendly and fraternal ties between the two countries.”

Sheikh Nawaf, 83, is expected to uphold the OPEC member state’s oil and foreign policy, which promoted regional cooperation.