Indeed, we're grateful, uh, that the late emir made these ties even closer.

Once again, I want express my condolences to the people of Kuwait for the Amir's death, or this year.

Our work today honors him, builds on his proud legacy in several key areas.

Hey, opened up new ways for us to think and work and talk together.

Uh, I want to start with the topic.

It's on everyone's mind.

Battle against the pandemic from Wuhan Many people in America and Kuwait around the world are suffering because the Chinese Communist Party failed to properly alert the world that it had a public health disaster on its hands.

It's silence brave Chinese citizens.

It's wonderful that the United States and Kuwait have been able to work together on our preparedness to make sure we're ready to tackle public health challenges alongside each other during our dialogue.

Just now, we signed an MOU to increase our cooperation in areas like biomedical research and information sharing, and we finalized another MOU today between the Kuwait Fund and State Departments.

U S.

A.

I D.

Thanks to that agreement will coordinate on assistance on everything from energy to food security as well as two of the most generous donor nation countries in the world.

The United States and Kuwait are proud to work together to help those in need into save lives.

On the economic front we signed last year, uh, to increase entrepreneurship and grow smaller medium size enterprises in Kuwait on, we're already producing success stories that contributed, uh, to the $4.5 billion in bilateral trade between our countries.

In calendar year 2000 and 19.

This pandemic has put a halt to a lot of the movement of goods and people.

But I am confident.

I'm confident that as we move forward, we'll soon see more trade, more investment and students and business people traveling much more frequently between our two countries, finally, to our strong security relationship.

Next year is the 30th anniversary of Operation Desert Storm in the liberation of Kuwait from Saddam's bloody tyranny.

Three decades American Kuwait relationship has been built around security cooperation ever since that time Today, Kuwait and Iraq collaborate closely and built ties to peace and prosperity, while Kuwait host thousands of United States troops who work closely with both militaries.

That's the model of progress.

And I thank the Kuwaiti people for the good work that they do to support our soldiers, sailors, airman inside of Kuwait, our two nations air also united on the challenges of our time.

We fought together to defeat Isis fraudulent caliphate and we're aligned.

Encountering the Iranian regime is well.

I want to thank Kuwait for its support of the maximum pressure campaign.

Together we're denying Tehran money.

Resource is wealth weapons with which they would be able to commit terror acts all across the region.

We're working Thio resolve other conflicts as well.

The foreign minister, Andi Kuwaitis have been models and moving forward to heal the Gulf rift and their assistance continues to be of great importance in that respect.

And as I said last year in Kuwait, President Trump and I both believe the ongoing dispute has dragged on for too long.

It benefits Onley our adversaries.

Dr.

Mark, Thank you for your friendship.

Thank you for joining me here today and thank you to the people of Kuwait for being true friends of us here in the United States.

Thank you.

Thank you, Mr Secretary.

My dear friends, Secretary Pompeo, Thank you so much for hosting us.

And thank you so much for hosting the fourth dialogue meeting here in Washington.

I would like first toe recall the deepest appreciation from His Highness, the emir, the leadership, the government and people off Kuwait.

For all that you have done for the latest Highness, the emir providing the mid back airplane and all of the health care for for the latest Highness the Emir on also bestowing upon his later The latest sign is the Emir, the Legion of Merit.

It's something that will always be appreciative in in Kuwait.

Also, I would like to express the great gratitude off the leadership off Kuwait for the continuous relentless commitment off United States in the security off Kuwait but also off the region on off the cooperation that we have in this regard.

As you have said, Your Excellency, Uhh next year will mark to events.

Important events will mark 30 years off the liberation of Kuwait, where the United States and the leadership of United States guided the coalition off 35 nations around the world in maintaining international security, international law law and liberating Kuwait.

Also, it will mark 60 years office establishing diplomatic relationship with the United States and will work very hard for those two events to have it z it za matter here in Washington but also there in Kuwait.

The maintaining this strategic dialogue is very important now For the past four years, we see progress in all fields and sectors and there are numerous.

And the six working groups now have made tremendous advance in our bilateral relationship either defense, security, economy, education, health and human rights.

Uh now with the challenges off covet Your Excellency, also, we think that there are some fields and sectors toe enhance our collaboration in them.

And as you have mentioned, we are now in either in, uh in in securing and maintaining and enhancing bolstering health institutions, but also in in food security, the relationship and bilateral relationship.

And since the creation off the fourth dialogue meeting, it has given us a clear caliber, uh, thio gauge the advancement in our relationship.

It has institutionalized our relationship and for for the past 44 years for example, in In in finance, we have risen our investment to 17% in the last for four years.

Our trade also advanced, uh, Thio over 14 billions from 2016 to 2020.

Theory role also off.

All off Those who under seek education here in the United States is advancing in a very clear speed.

And we are also very much in support off that now some somewhat 90,000 Kuwaitis are enjoying Theo education here in in Kuwait Way are also combating as your access you mentioned against terrorism and also enhancing our cooperation.

Cyber security.

Ah, we all.

We have a beautiful story between United States and Kuwait and we will make sure that will.

This story will even transpire even for future generations to come.

I thank you again, Your Excellency.

Thank you very much.

Thank you.