Kuwait

This chapter analyzes Kuwait’s foreign policy through the lens of niche diplomacy, demonstrating how a small Gulf state has transformed structural vulnerability into diplomatic agency and moral authority. Positioned between powerful neighbors and shaped by the trauma of the 1990 Iraqi invasion, Kuwait has cultivated a foreign policy identity anchored in neutrality, humanitarianism, and principled mediation. This chapter traces Kuwait’s evolution as an emerging middle power, highlighting its strategic use of hydrocarbon wealth, institutional continuity, and multilateral engagement to compensate for limited material power. Through sustained mediation within the GCC, facilitation of regional de-escalation, and a globally recognized humanitarian aid architecture – anchored in the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development – Kuwait has built a reputation as a reliable stabilizer and “good international citizen.” However, its influence remains bounded by asymmetric regional power dynamics, dependence on external security guarantees, and fluctuating energy revenues. Ultimately, this chapter contends that Kuwait’s niche diplomacy reflects a deliberately cultivated model of values-infused, institutionally embedded middle-power behavior, enabling it to project diplomatic relevance disproportionate to its size.