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Takunda Maodza Senior Reporter

KUWAIT has called for increased political and economic co-operation between Africa and the Arab world as it prepares to host the third Africa-Arab Summit later this year.  The summit runs from November 18-20 in the tiny but rich Arab nations with 10 percent of world oil reserves.

The second Africa-Arab Summit was held in Libya in 2010 during the reign of Colonel Muammar Gadaffi.

In an interview with the Herald, Kuwait ambassador to Zimbabwe Mr Abdullah Al-Sharhan said it was time for Africans and Arabs to strengthen cooperation in all fields.

“Africa is a huge continent and has many things to offer not just to the Arab world but to the whole world. Africa has natural resources, agriculture and labour force. Linking Africa with Arab countries in a very strong way is good for both sides. We have good relations with Africa already and such summits will help iron out any challenges and open new channels of co-operation between the two sides,” he said.

Ambassador Al-Sharhan said Africa could also play a pivotal role in bringing sanity to the volatile Arab region.

“In our region there are many political problems and support from African countries is very necessary. There is need for greater co-ordination between Africans and Arabs. Even at the United Nations level we must support and help each other in times of crisis. Meetings like the Arab-Africa summits must bring closer together Africans and Arabs in a mutually beneficial way. We have to put our hands together and overcome any challenges for the betterment of our relations,” he said.

Ambassador Al-Sharhan hailed the good political relations existing between Zimbabwe and Kuwait but urged increased economic co-operations.

“We started our relations a long time ago. In 1990, during the invasion of Kuwait by Iraq, Zimbabwe was a member of the Security Council and supported us. Let me take this opportunity once again to thank His Excellency President Mugabe and the Government and people of Zimbabwe for their strong position supporting Kuwait,” he said

Ambassador Al-Sharhan expressed confidence that the summit would be a great success.

“We will do whatever it takes as Kuwait to make the summit successful. We have the experience. I am very optimistic that the coming summit will be successful and well organised. This is the third Africa-Arab Summit with the second one having been held in Libya,” he said.

At its 2010 summit held in Libya, the Arab-Africa Summit attended by more than 60 Arab and African Heads of State called for promotion of cooperation in fields of energy production, water resources, infrastructure and agriculture, among other things. The summit adopted cooperation agreements including the Africa-Arab Partnership Strategy, Joint Action Plan 2011-2016, and the Resolution for the Establishment of the Joint Africa-Arab Fund for disaster response.