Kuwait Reiterates Support to CFC During Visit
The Hague, 4 February 2026 – Ambassador Sheikh Mohammed Belal, Managing Director of the Common Fund for Commodities (CFC), paid a courtesy visit to H.E. Mr. Ibrahim Aldai, Chargé d’Affaires a.i. and Alternate Governor of the CFC for the State of Kuwait at the Embassy in The Hague. He was accompanied by Ms. Zahra Kahla, Research and Data Assistant at the CFC. Also present was Mr. Fahad Tareq Alobaid, Third Secretary at the Embassy.
During the meeting, Ambassador Belal expressed his sincere appreciation for Kuwait’s longstanding support and leadership within the CFC, noting the Kingdom’s consistent commitment to advancing sustainable commodity value chains, rural livelihoods, and inclusive economic development. He highlighted that such partnership and trust remain central to the CFC’s ability to implement catalytic programs and deliver meaningful impact for smallholder farmers and local communities.
The Managing Director briefed the Embassy on key CFC initiatives, including the Agricultural Commodity Transformation (ACT) Fund, the FCDO–CFC Trust Fund, and the graduation pathways financing model, which supports SMEs and cooperatives from project inception through scaling up. He explained that these instruments combine catalytic investment and technical assistance to strengthen enterprise capacity, de-risk projects, and enable sustainable growth in agricultural and commodity-based value chains.
Ambassador Belal also discussed the potential for enhanced collaboration with the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development, highlighting opportunities for co-financing and joint technical support to accelerate food security, SME-led growth, and strategic export-oriented commodity development. He underscored that such partnerships are key to promoting resilient agricultural systems, improving farmer incomes, and supporting broader sustainable development objectives.
The discussion further referenced the outcomes of the Sevilla Conference, particularly Outcome Document 46d, which encourages Member States to increase voluntary contributions to the CFC. Ambassador Belal emphasized that Kuwait’s continued engagement and voluntary support are vital for scaling up successful initiatives and enabling the CFC to extend its impact across developing countries.
Both sides welcomed further technical consultations to identify concrete collaboration pathways that strengthen food systems, climate-smart agricultural practices, and value-chain resilience in CFC Member States.
About the Common Fund for Commodities (CFC)
The CFC is an UN-affiliated international financial institution based in Amsterdam, working in over 100 countries to support inclusive economic development through impact investing in commodity value chains.
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[CFC Media Relations Team]
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