The fraternal relations between the United Arab Emirates and the State of Kuwait span more than six decades. Founded by the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan and the late Sheikh Jaber Al Ahmad Al Sabah, these ties have continued to flourish since the historic meeting between Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Sabah Al Salem Al Sabah in 1973. Today, they stand as a model of enduring brotherhood deeply rooted in the shared history, values, and aspirations of both nations.
Political relations continue to advance through close coordination on regional and international issues of mutual interest, supported by an active exchange of high-level official visits. Among the most significant milestones were the visit of His Highness Sheikh Mishal Al Ahmad Al Jaber Al Sabah, Amir of the State of Kuwait, to the UAE in March 2024, his first official visit following his accession to the throne, and the visit of His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE, to Kuwait in November 2024. The leaders of both countries also continue to meet regularly on the sidelines of Gulf Cooperation Council summits and the World Governments Summit.
This institutional cooperation has been reinforced through successive sessions of the UAE–Kuwait Joint Higher Committee. The sixth session, held in Kuwait on January 29, 2026, resulted in the signing of five memoranda of understanding and executive programs covering consumer protection, tourism, standardization, integrity and anti-corruption, and public sector oversight. The two countries also signed a Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement in February 2024, the first agreement of its kind in the region.
The depth of this strategic partnership was further demonstrated through the two countries' unified political stance in response to regional security developments in early 2026. The leadership and foreign ministers of both nations held a series of consultations that reaffirmed their condemnation of the Iranian attacks targeting the security of both countries and the wider region. Kuwait also expressed its full solidarity with the UAE and its support for the measures undertaken to safeguard the country's security and sovereignty, reflecting the strength of the fraternal relationship and the enduring spirit of Gulf cooperation.
