DUSHANBE, October 17, 2012, Asia-Plus -- On the sidelines of the Asian Cooperation Dialogue (ACD) summit, Tajik President Emomali Rahmon held a number of bilateral meetings in Kuwait yesterday.

President Rahmon’s meeting with Mr. Abdulwahab Ahmad Al-Bader, Director General of the Kuwait Fund fro Arab Economic Development (KFAED) focused on cooperation between the government of Tajikistan and KFAED on implementation of a number of infrastructure development projects in Tajikistan.

Mr. Abdulwahab Ahmad Al-Bader reportedly noted that the Fund was ready to invest directly in the infrastructure development projects proposed by Tajikistan.

The Amir of the State of Kuwait, Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, proposed the creation of a fund to finance development projects in non-Arab countries having a total capital of $2 billion.

According to Al-Bader, Tajikistan could also use those funds for implementation of its infrastructure development projects, the Tajik president’s official website said. 

The Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development (KFAED), commonly known as the Kuwait Fund, is the State of Kuwait’s agency for the provision and administration of financial and technical assistance to developing countries.  Founded in December 1961 by then Minister of Finance Sheikh Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, the Kuwait Fund is the first aid agency in the world to be established by a developing country.

On the same day, Emomali Rahmon met with Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in Kuwait.  The sides reportedly discussed state and prospects of further expansion of bilateral cooperation between the two friendly countries.

Joint infrastructure development projects being implemented in Tajikistan were a major topic of the meeting.

The sides also discussed a number of international and regional issues being of mutual interest, including support for reconstruction of Afghanistan’s economy.