Kuwait City, February 5, 2025 – Laura Frigenti, CEO of the Global Partnership for Education (GPE), engaged with students at the American University of Kuwait on the escalating global education crisis, Kuwait’s development leadership, and the power of innovative education financing.

The discussion highlighted the urgency of the learning crisis, as 270 million children worldwide remain out of school amid conflict, economic pressures and tightening global budgets. Speakers underscored that education is a cornerstone of human capital, economic growth and global stability—and that delayed action risks long term, irreversible losses.

The discussion also spotlighted Kuwait’s longstanding leadership in Arab development cooperation, particularly through the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development (KFAED). For decades, Kuwait has played a central role in driving economic transformation across low-income countries, reinforcing its humanitarian and development leadership. 

Speakers emphasized how collaboration between GPE and KFAED demonstrates the impact of high leverage education financing. By combining development finance with grant cofinancing, the partnership has expanded access to quality education and multiplied social and economic returns—showing how targeted investments can deliver results at scale. For example, KFAED’s $20 million investment in Nigeria unlocked an additional $6.67 million in GPE grant funding—expanding learning opportunities for large populations.

Students also learned about GPE’s new financing campaign, which aims to unlock innovative funding for education despite global fiscal constraints. The campaign offers partners such as KFAED a powerful opportunity to multiply their impact and reach, accelerating progress toward inclusive, quality education for millions of children.

“The global education crisis demands bold leadership and innovative financing,” said Laura Frigenti, CEO of GPE. “Kuwait’s long‑standing commitment to development cooperation—and its partnership with GPE—shows how strategic investments can unlock far greater impact. GPE’s new financing campaign offers Kuwait a powerful opportunity to reaffirm its leadership and significantly increase the reach and impact of its development assistance.”

Read press release in Arabic

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For more information:

Tamara Kummer, GPE Head of Communications, @email Tel: +1 202 948 5395

About the Global Partnership for Education

GPE is a shared commitment to ending the world’s learning crisis. We mobilize partners and funds to support over 90 countries to transform their education systems so that every girl and boy can get the quality education they need to unlock their full potential and contribute to building a better world.

www.globalpartnership.org