Kuwait has signed a $4.1 billion agreement with China to complete the construction of the Mubarak Al-Kabeer Port, marking a major step in the country’s efforts to diversify its economy and strengthen its role in global trade.
The State Audit Bureau, Kuwait’s government oversight body, said on Monday that the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contract for the project is valued at 1.28 billion Kuwaiti dinars ($4.164 billion). The port is located on Boubyan Island, strategically positioned near key regional shipping routes.
Prime Minister Sheikh Ahmad Al-Abdullah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah attended the contract-signing ceremony, which was reported by state media. He said the Mubarak Al-Kabeer Port is a strategic national project that will enhance Kuwait’s share in regional and international trade and reinforce its integration into global supply chains.
Chinese Acting Charge d’Affaires Liu Xiang said the agreement reflects China’s participation in the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), Beijing’s flagship global infrastructure and connectivity programme.
Kuwait and China have been deepening economic ties in recent years. In 2023, the two countries signed seven memoranda of understanding covering projects such as the Mubarak Al-Kabeer Port, housing development, water treatment and renewable energy.
China has increasingly focused on the Middle East as part of the Belt and Road Initiative, launched over a decade ago under President Xi Jinping, aiming to expand trade links and infrastructure connectivity across Asia, Europe, Africa and the Middle East.