Kuwaiti Security Dialogue

Professor Michael Clarke and Dr Jonathan Eyal with leaders of the Kuwait Diplomatic Institute

RUSI to broker a series of high-level meetings between UK and Kuwaiti policymakers

RUSI is to launch an exclusive Kuwait/London security dialogue this year with meetings in Kuwait City and in London. This was agreed following a visit to meet Sheikh Thamer Al-Ali Al-Sabah by the RUSI Director, Professor Michael Clarke and the Head of International Security Studies, Dr. Jonathan Eyal.

The security dialogue will address, in a series of intensive monthly meetings, issues concerning Gulf relations with powerful neighbours in the region and beyond; approaches to counter global terrorist networks; and the demographic challenges faced by many societies in the Gulf and the greater Middle East.

The two sides also discussed other means of mutual cooperation, by coordination with organisations and strategic research centres in Kuwait. The RUSI team visited the Kuwait Diplomatic Institute and discussed a number of potential avenues for greater cooperation. This all came on top of a visit to RUSI in July by Sheikh Thamer Al-Ali Al-Sabah.

Following the meetings in Kuwait City Professor Michael Clarke said; 'this is an excellent addition to the various strands of work we are already pursuing throughout the Gulf region. Our relationships with the security ministries in the Government of Kuwait have always been strong and this new Kuwait/London dialogue will build on those foundations to create some original strategic thinking about the new problems of twenty first century stability. We have begun the work and are looking forward to the monthly strategic dialogues as they unfold between now and spring  2011'.