Relationship dossier
France
Kuwait
Relationship assessment
A sustained security partnership, including defense cooperation and French operations from Kuwait.
France toward Kuwait
+65France contributed military forces to Kuwait’s liberation in 1991 and maintains defense cooperation with Kuwait. French forces have operated from Ali Al Salem Air Base as part of the campaign against ISIS, and France has supplied military equipment, including helicopters.
Kuwait toward France
+60Kuwait has hosted French forces at Ali Al Salem Air Base for operations against ISIS and has maintained defense cooperation with France. Kuwait has also procured French-made military helicopters.
Overall relationship
+65The relationship is anchored in France’s role in Kuwait’s liberation and reinforced by defense arrangements, French military operations from Kuwait, and arms cooperation. These sustained security links underpin a close bilateral partnership.
How to read these scores
Scores are rough judgments, not objective measurements or current verification. Directional scores describe government policy and conduct, not public opinion. The overall score is an independent estimate, never an average.
- −100
- Extreme sustained hostility
- −50
- Substantially adversarial
- 0
- Mixed or neutral, supported by knowledge
- +50
- Substantially cooperative
- +100
- Exceptionally close sustained partnership
“Not assessed” means there is no recorded score. Pair existence makes no claim about diplomatic recognition or established relations.
Relationship context
Overview
France and Kuwait have a sustained security partnership rooted in France’s participation in Kuwait’s liberation in 1991. Their defense cooperation includes a bilateral defense agreement and French participation in the coalition against ISIS from Kuwait. Kuwait has hosted French forces at Ali Al Salem Air Base, while French-made helicopters have been supplied to Kuwait. These arrangements give the relationship a substantial practical and military dimension.
Key developments
France participated in the international military coalition that liberated Kuwait from Iraqi occupation.
France and Kuwait concluded a bilateral defense agreement.
French forces operated from Ali Al Salem Air Base in Kuwait as part of the campaign against ISIS.
Kuwait procured French-made Caracal helicopters.
Major uncertainties
- The current scope and implementation of bilateral defense arrangements are unclear.
- The scale of ongoing arms procurement and military cooperation is unclear.