By NNN-KUNA
Kiev, Ukraine : Kuwaiti Minister of Commerce and Industry Falah al-Hajri met here on Friday with the Ukrainian Minister of Industrial Policy Badlkua Victor to discuss industrial issues of mutual interest between the two countries.
In a speech he delivered at the meeting, Al-Hajri stressed Kuwait’s keenness to diversify sources of income and not to yield to a source or few sources in order to ensure the safety and economic prosperity in the long run.
He pointed out that the Kuwaiti government is to activate the role of the industrial sector as a reserve source of income after oil within the framework of a long-term plan, which the government is working to implement, adding that the tourism sector is among sectors that the Kuwaiti government intends to activate as well.
The Kuwaiti minister said that Kuwait was keen to benefit from the expertise and capabilities possessed by the Republic of Ukraine, especially in the area of heavy industry, stressing the importance that the two parties share industrial investment, which is one of the sectors that receive wide attention by both parties.
For his part, Victor said that the industrial sector in Ukraine is one of the sectors that is witnessing rapid growth with a growth rate estimated at about 10 percent in 2007, showing that Ukraine currently owns dozens of ready-made investment opportunities in the industrial field.
He added that Ukraine was keen to diversify energy sources and reduce the cost of industrial sector, which have become often an impediment, calling on Kuwait to adopt this approach in preparation for entering into joint ventures in this area.
Victor said that industries produced by the Republic of Ukraine were numerous including heavy industries such as ships, planes and cars industries.