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EMBASSY/CONSULATE ADDRESSES

Diplomatic Representation in US:
Chief of Mission: Sheikh Salim Al-Abdullah Al-Jaber Al Sabah
Embassy: 2940 Tilden Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
Telephone: [1] (202) 966-0702
FAX: [1] (202) 966-0517

US Diplomatic Representation:

Ambassador: Deborah K. Jones
Embassy: Al Masjed Al Aqsa Street. Block 13, Bayan Plan 36302.
Mailing Address: P.O. Box 77, SAFAT, 13001 Safat, Kuwait; or PSC 1280 APO AE 09880.
Telephone: [965] 539-5307/5308
FAX: [965] 538-0282


Embassy and Consulate Web Sites for Kuwait

Embassy of the United States of America in Kuwait


FOREIGN RELATIONS

Following independence in June 1961, Kuwait faced its first major foreign policy problem arising from Iraqi claims to Kuwait's territory. The Iraqis threatened invasion but were dissuaded by the U.K.'s ready response to the Amir's request for assistance. Kuwait presented its case before the United Nations and preserved its sovereignty. U.K. forces were later withdrawn and replaced by troops from Arab League nations, which were withdrawn in 1963 at Kuwait's request.

On August 2, 1990, Iraq invaded and occupied Kuwait. Through U.S. efforts, a multinational coalition was assembled, and, under UN auspices, initiated military action against Iraq to liberate Kuwait. Arab states, especially the other five members of the Gulf Cooperation Council (Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, Oman, and the United Arab Emirates), Egypt, and Syria, supported Kuwait by sending troops to fight with the coalition. Many European and East Asian states sent troops, equipment, and/or financial support.

After liberation, Kuwait concentrated its foreign policy efforts on development of ties to states which had participated in the multinational coalition. Notably, these states were given the lead role in Kuwait's reconstruction. Kuwait's relations with those nations that supported Iraq, among them Jordan, Sudan, Yemen, and Cuba, were slow to recover. Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) Chairman Yasir Arafat's support for Saddam Hussein during the war also affected Kuwait's attitudes toward the PLO though Kuwait supports the Arab-Israeli peace process.

The Government of Kuwait has abandoned its previous policy of limiting the entry of workers from nations whose leaders had supported Iraq during the Gulf War. In August 2001, the Interior Minister announced that there were no longer any special restrictions or permits required for Palestinian workers wishing to return to the country. At the end of 2009, there were approximately 30,000 Palestinians, 48,000 Jordanians, and 5,000 Yemenis resident in Kuwait.

Since liberation from Iraq, Kuwait has made efforts to secure allies throughout the world, particularly UN Security Council members. In addition to the United States, defense arrangements have been concluded with the United Kingdom, Russia, and France. Ties to other key Arab members of the Gulf War coalition--Egypt and Syria--also have been sustained.

During the 2002-03 buildup to and execution of Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF), Kuwait was a vital coalition partner, reserving a full 60% of its total land mass for use by coalition forces and donating significant assistance in kind to the effort. Kuwait continued to provide generous assistance in kind to coalition operations in Iraq. Kuwait has been consistently involved in reconstruction efforts in Iraq, pledging $1.5 billion at the October 2003 international donors' conference in Madrid, and consulting closely with Iraqi officials, including former Prime Minister Ibrahim Jaffari, who visited Kuwait in late October 2005, and Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, who visited in July 2006 and again in April 2007. Kuwait has been an active and vocal public supporter of the political process in Iraq, welcoming the January 2005 elections and praising Iraq's October 2005 successful constitutional referendum. In April 2008 Kuwait hosted the Iraq Neighbors’ Conference, which was attended by Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Al-Maliki, and foreign ministers from throughout the region. In October 2008, Lieutenant General (retired) Ali Al-Mou’min presented his credentials as Kuwait’s Ambassador to Baghdad to Iraqi President Jalal Talabani. Two years later, in 2010, Iraq nominated Muhammad Al-Ulum to become the first Iraqi Ambassador to Kuwait since 1990.

Kuwait is a member of the UN and some of its specialized and related agencies, including the World Bank (IBRD), International Monetary Fund (IMF), World Trade Organization (WTO), General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT); African Development Bank (AFDB), Arab Fund for Economic and Social Development (AFESD), Arab League, Arab Monetary Fund (AMF), Council of Arab Economic Unity (CAEU), Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA), Group of 77 (G-77), Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), INMARSAT, International Development Association (IDA), International Finance Corporation, International Fund for Agricultural Development, International Labor Organization (ILO), International Maritime Organization, Interpol, IOC, Islamic Development Bank (IDB), International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, Non-Aligned Movement, Organization of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries (OAPEC), Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC), Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

DEFENSE
Before the Gulf War, Kuwait maintained a small military force consisting of army, navy, and air force units. The majority of equipment for the military was supplied by the United Kingdom. Aside from the few units that were able to escape to Saudi Arabia, including a majority of the air force, all of this equipment was either destroyed or taken by the Iraqis. Much of the property returned by Iraq after the Gulf War was damaged beyond repair. Iraq retained a substantial amount of captured Kuwaiti military equipment in violation of UN resolutions.

Since liberation, Kuwait, with the help of the United States and other allies, has made significant efforts to increase the size and modernity of its armed forces. These efforts are succeeding. The government also continues to improve defense arrangements with other Arab states, as well as UN Security Council members. During Operation Iraqi Freedom, in 2003, Kuwaiti military elements successfully operated missile defense systems.

A separately organized National Guard maintains internal security. The police constitute a single national force under the purview of civilian authorities of the Ministry of Interior.

U.S.-KUWAITI RELATIONS
The United States opened a consulate in Kuwait in October 1951, which was elevated to embassy status at the time of Kuwait's independence 10 years later. The United States supports Kuwait's sovereignty, security, and independence, as well as its multilateral diplomatic efforts to build greater cooperation among the GCC countries.

Strategic cooperation between the United States and Kuwait increased in 1987 with the implementation of a maritime protection regime that ensured the freedom of navigation through the Gulf for 11 Kuwaiti tankers that were reflagged with U.S. markings.

The U.S.-Kuwaiti strategic partnership intensified dramatically again after Iraq's invasion of Kuwait. The United States spearheaded UN Security Council demands that Iraq withdraw from Kuwait and its authorization of the use of force, if necessary, to remove Iraqi forces from the occupied country. The United States also played a dominant role in the development of the multinational military operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm that liberated Kuwait. The U.S.-Kuwaiti relationship has remained strong in the post-Gulf War period. Kuwait and the United States worked on a daily basis to monitor and to enforce Iraq's compliance with UN Security Council resolutions; from 2003, Kuwait also provided the main platform for Operation Iraqi Freedom. Kuwait likewise played a key role in facilitating the withdrawal of U.S. combat troops and associated equipment, which concluded in August 2010.

Since Kuwait's liberation, the United States has provided military and defense technical assistance to Kuwait from both foreign military sales (FMS) and commercial sources. The U.S. Office of Military Cooperation in Kuwait (OMC-K) is an integral part of the American embassy and manages the FMS program. OMC-K is a joint unit consisting of representatives from all four U.S. military services and civilians, which serves as a liaison between the Kuwaiti military and U.S. Central Command (and its associated components). OMC-K personnel also assist the Kuwait military with training, education, readiness, and war fighting. There are currently 140 open FMS cases between the U.S. Government and the Kuwaiti Ministry of Defense, totaling over $9.6 billion. Principal U.S. military systems currently purchased by the Kuwaiti Defense Forces are the PATRIOT Missile system, F/A-18 Hornet fighters, M1A2 main battle tanks, AH-64D Apache helicopters, and a major recapitalization of Kuwait's Navy with U.S.-manufactured boats.

Kuwaiti attitudes toward American products have been favorable since the Gulf War. In 1993, Kuwait publicly announced abandonment of the secondary and tertiary aspects of the Arab boycott of Israel (those aspects affecting U.S. firms). The United States is currently Kuwait's largest supplier of goods and services, and Kuwait is the fifth-largest market in the Middle East. U.S. exports to Kuwait totaled $2.14 billion in 2006. Provided their prices are reasonable, U.S. firms have a competitive advantage in many areas requiring advanced technology, such as oil field equipment and services, electric power generation and distribution equipment, telecommunications gear, consumer goods, and military equipment.

Kuwait also is an important partner in U.S. counterterrorism efforts, providing assistance in the military, diplomatic, and intelligence arenas and also supporting efforts to block financing of terrorist groups. In January 2005, Kuwait Security Services forces engaged in gun battles with local extremists, resulting in fatalities on both sides in the first such incident in Kuwait's history.

In January 2008, three Kuwait citizens were designated by the UN 1267 Committee as terrorist facilitators and in May 2008, in compliance with UN 1267 obligations, the Government of Kuwait froze the assets of the three Kuwaitis.

Principal U.S. Officials
Ambassador--Deborah K. Jones
Deputy Chief of Mission--Thomas Williams
Political Affairs--Catherine Sweet
Commercial Affairs--vacant
Economic Affairs--Oliver B. John
Consular Affairs--Patrick Walsh

The U.S. Embassy in Kuwait is located at Al Masjed Al Aqsa Street. Block 13, Bayan Plan 36302. The mailing address is P.O. Box 77, SAFAT, 13001 Safat, Kuwait; or PSC 1280 APO AE 09880.


TRAVEL ADVISORIES

To obtain the latest Travel Advisory Information for Kuwait check the U.S. State Department Consular Information Sheet.


TRAVEL TIPS

Driving U.S Driving Permit and International Driving Permit required
Currency (KD) Kuwaiti Dinar
Electrical 240 Volts
Telephones Country Code 965, City Code Nuzha 224+4D, Safat 240+4D, Hawalli 261+4D



People: The people of the Middle East belong to various ethnic groups, which are based largely on culture, language, and history.

Climate: Weather is best from September to May. Days are warm and sunny while evenings are cool. From December to February the nights become quite cold and from June to August the days very hot. Shamal winds bring rain and dust storms infrequently.

Language: Arabic is the official language. English is widely spoken.


CUSTOMS/DUTIES

Tobacco..................................... 500 cigarettes or 907 grams of tobacco

Liquor.........................................prohibited

Perfume......................................reasonable for personal use

Cameras.....................................no restrictions

Film............................................reasonable for personal use

Gifts...........................................no duty free allowance

Currency.....................................no restrictions

Prohibited items..........................alcohol, narcotics, unsealed milk products, salty fish, unsealed olives and pickles, food made abroad, fresh vegetables, shellfish and its products, fresh figs and mineral water. penalties for attempting to smuggle restricted items are severe. dogs, cats and birds need a veterinary certificate.



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