Lebanese President Joseph Aoun received by the Emir of Kuwait Sheikh Meshaal al-Ahmad al-Jaber Al-Sabah, on May 12, 2025. (Credit: X/@LBpresidency)
During the second day of his official visit to the Gulf, President Joseph Aoun met with the emir of Kuwait, Sheikh Meshal al-Ahmad al-Jaber al-Sabah, to discuss diplomatic relations between the two countries.
The visit is part of Aoun’s broader tour of Gulf countries, as Lebanon seeks to rebuild strained diplomatic ties and attract investment to help pull the country out of more than five years of severe economic, financial and social crisis.
During their meeting, Emir Sabah reaffirmed Kuwait’s commitment to supporting Lebanon and strengthening ties, not only between the two countries, but between Lebanon and the Gulf as a whole.
“The emir of Kuwait praised the security cooperation between Lebanon and Kuwait (…) notably in the fight against drug trafficking, thanks to preventive measures and rigorous surveillance,” read a post on the Lebanese presidency’s X account. The message referred to regular arrests and seizures by Lebanese authorities, particularly in relation to Captagon, an illegal amphetamine produced in Lebanon and Syria and widely trafficked to the Gulf, where it is used as a recreational drug.
The emir stated that Kuwait stands “alongside Lebanon” and supports “its security, stability, and all measures taken by the state to affirm its sovereignty across its territory.” He also voiced support for the efforts of the Quintet — France, the United States, Egypt, Qatar and Saudi Arabia — to implement economic reforms in Lebanon and to support the Lebanese Army. The emir further condemned “Israeli aggressions against Lebanon,” and called for “the implementation of U.N. Resolution 1701 and a cease-fire.”
President Aoun welcomed the statements, which he said reflect “great interest and deep concern for Lebanon.”
Despite a cease-fire agreement that ended more than 13 months of conflict between Hezbollah and Israel, the Israeli army continues to carry out airstrikes and near-daily attacks in southern Lebanon, where it still occupies five positions it deems strategic. At least 154 people have been killed in Lebanon since the truce went into effect, according to L’Orient Today’s count.
Aoun was accompanied by Foreign Minister Joe Rajji, who met with his Kuwaiti counterpart, Sheikh Abdullah Ali al-Yahya. The two ministers “underlined the importance of strengthening bilateral relations and agreed to reactivate the joint committee between the two countries so that it serves as the main channel for Kuwaiti investors in Lebanon,” according to a statement from Bustros Palace.
Echoing Aoun’s message, Rajji invited Kuwaiti investors and tourists “to return to Lebanon,” and briefed his counterpart on Beirut’s ongoing economic, financial, administrative and judicial reforms aimed at combating corruption.
During their meeting, Rajji also called for Kuwait’s help in ending the Israeli occupation of the five border hills, and said Lebanon had decided to limit arms possession exclusively to the state — a policy the government is working to implement. He reaffirmed Lebanon’s consistent support for the Palestinian cause and highlighted the importance of Syrian stability for Lebanon’s own security. The discussions also touched on the broader regional situation, including ongoing U.S.-Iran talks.
