Canada has signed an agreement Kuwait to set up a military hub for Canadian troops to use for training ahead of deployment to Afghanistan, nearly nine months after a spat between the UAE and Canada led to the closure of a similar base in Dubai.
Canadian defence minister Peter MacKay signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) while on a two-day visit to Kuwait hosted by Sheik Jaber Al Mubarak Al Hamad Al Sabah, Kuwait’s first deputy prime minister and minister of defence.
“Canada proudly deployed over 4,000 Canadian Forces personnel to the campaign to liberate Kuwait during the 1991 Gulf War and our friendship has grown stronger over the past twenty years,” MacKay said. “Kuwait is an influential partner in the region and we are very pleased that this agreement has been reached for the benefit our respective countries.”
According to a statement released on Monday by the Canadian Department of Defence, the movement of Canadian equipment and vehicles from Afghanistan requires access to both an airport and sea terminal for the shipment of materiel back to Canada.
“This visit provided me the opportunity to meet with Sheikh Jaber and Sheikh Mohammad, and to develop good cooperation and partnership with Kuwait,” MacKay added.
Around 200 Canadian troops will be stationed in Kuwait from September. The move will save Canada around $25m in defence costs in the region, MacKay told Canadian media in Kuwait.
“These strategic hubs are an effective way to respond to international crises, to sustained deployments such as Afghanistan and to also deepen and further ties in an important region.”
Late last year, a spat between the UAE and Canada over the collapse of talks over increased landing rights for Emirati airlines in Canadian cities led to Dubai ordering the closure of Camp Mirage, a secret Dubai base used by Canada for its operations in Afghanistan.
The closure forced Canada to move its military hub for the region to Cyprus and Germany, a move which is estimated to have cost the Canadian Department of Defence up to $300m.
“I think we need to continue with frank dialogue and look at the broader interests and implications. Canada has much to gain from working with the UAE, with Kuwait and other partners in this region,” MacKay said of the spat with the UAE.
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