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January 5, 2021
U.S. Relations With Kuwait
![Kuwait [Shutterstock]](https://www.state.gov/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/Kuwait-2560x1300.jpg)
Highlights
February 25, 2022
U.S. Relationship
U.S.-Kuwait Relations
Since they established diplomatic relations upon Kuwait’s independence in 1961, the United States and Kuwait have enjoyed a long history of friendship and cooperation, rooted in shared values, democratic traditions, and institutional relationships. In August 1990, Iraq invaded and occupied Kuwait. A U.S.-led multinational coalition subsequently liberated Kuwait in February 1991. The United States has continued to support Kuwait’s sovereignty and security, as well as its multilateral diplomatic efforts to build greater cooperation among the Gulf Cooperation Council countries. From 2003, Kuwait provided the main platform for U.S. and coalition operations in Iraq, and has played a similar role in the fight against ISIS. A member of the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS, it hosts the headquarters of Combined Joint Task Force – Operation Inherent Resolve. Kuwait is also an important partner in U.S. counterterrorism efforts, including efforts to block financing of terrorist groups.
U.S. Assistance to Kuwait
The U.S. provides no development assistance to Kuwait. The United States provides military and defense technical support to Kuwait through Foreign Military Sales as well as commercial sales. U.S. personnel assist the Kuwait military with training, education, and readiness.
Bilateral Economic Relations
The U.S. signed trade and investment framework agreements with Kuwait in 2004 and with the Gulf Cooperation Council, of which Kuwait is a member, in 2012, providing a forum to address mutual trade concerns and economic reforms. The U.S. is one of Kuwait’s largest suppliers of goods and services, and Kuwait is one of the United States’ largest markets in the Middle East. While competing on price can be challenging, U.S. firms do have a competitive advantage when it comes to the provision of advanced technology, especially in the fields of oil field equipment and services, power generation and distribution, telecommunications systems, automobiles, certain other consumer goods, and military equipment.
![Kuwait Flag: Three equal horizontal bands of green (top), white, and red with a black trapezoid based on the hoist side; colors and design are based on the Arab Revolt flag of World War I; green represents fertile fields, white stands for purity, red denotes blood on Kuwaiti swords, black signifies the defeat of the enemy [CIA World Fact Book]](https://www.state.gov/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Kuwait-Flag.gif){kind=small}