Iraq and Kuwait take steps towards final border demarcation 30 years after Gulf War

Iraq and Kuwait took steps on Sunday to establish the final demarcation of their borders, created by the United Nations three years after the 1990 Gulf War.

However, even after 30 years, the maritime boundary between the two countries remains a point of contention.

During the visit of Kuwaiti Foreign Minister Salem Abdullah Al Jaber to Baghdad, both nations expressed their desire to reach an agreement.

He met with top Iraqi authorities and held a joint press conference with his counterpart, Fuad Hussein.

“We have addressed the issue of border demarcation and agreed to continue the meetings of the committees responsible for this matter,” said the Iraqi Foreign Minister, promising to “resolve the border issues between Iraq and Kuwait.”

Salem Abdullah Al Jaber also emphasized the importance of finalizing the maritime border, stating that both parties had “agreed on the viewpoints.”

Furthermore, he announced the opening of a commercial agency at the Kuwaiti Consulate in Basra, southern Iraq, with the aim of “reestablishing historical trade relations as before.”

After Saddam Hussein’s invasion of Kuwait in 1990 and its subsequent liberation by an international coalition led by the United States, the United Nations proposed a land border demarcation in 1993, approved by Kuwait and later by Iraq.

However, the maritime border remains a point of dispute.

Iraq heavily relies on access to the Gulf for its oil exports and commercial activities, but in recent years, Kuwait has seized several Iraqi fishing boats and other vessels, alleging violations of its territory.

Relations between the two countries, which were extremely tense after the Gulf War, have significantly improved in recent years, especially after Baghdad fully paid all the compensations owed to Kuwait for the destruction caused by the invasion in 2021.