KIPCO – the Kuwait Projects Company – was a Platinum Sponsor of the ‘Foreign Affairs LIVE: Gulf Economic Update’. The event, organized by the Council on Foreign Relations, recently took place in New York City.

Through a series of panel discussions, Kuwaiti and US businessmen and experts came together to discuss the current political and economic environment in the Gulf, with a focus on Kuwait.

Commenting on the event, Mr Faisal Al Ayyar, KIPCO’s Vice Chairman (Executive) said:

“As an independent think tank and publisher, the Council on Foreign Relations is a trusted resource for the global business community. We are delighted to be supporting CFR’s inaugural event on the Gulf region, where financial experts from the world’s finest organizations have come together with representatives of the Kuwaiti business community to discuss the opportunities and challenges for growth in the region.”

KIPCO’s Vice Chairman (Executive) welcomed the delegates to a KIPCO-hosted breakfast. During the event, KIPCO Board Member and esteemed diplomat, H.E. Ambassador Abdullah Bishara, spoke about the history of Kuwait-US relations, the current political situation on the region and how it affected the economic outlook.

KIPCO’s Group Chief Financial Officer, Mr Pinak Maitra, participated in a discussion panel titled ‘Foreign Affairs Briefing: The Gulf Cooperation Council’. Panelists included representatives of the Kuwaiti private sector, the World Bank and renowned US strategic advisory firms. The panel discussed how the region could deepen its reforms and continue its growth trajectory in the face of global economic uncertainty.

Other panels discussed strategies toward creating sustainable growth, including infrastructure development, investment in education and skills training, and economic policies to encourage investment.