Text and photos: Juan David Latorre
The Embassy of Kuwait held last Tuesday a reception on the occasion of its 65th National Day and the 35th anniversary of its liberation, at which Ambassador Zeiad Alanbaie highlighted the “great importance” that his country attaches to its relations with Spain.
“Bilateral relations between our two friendly countries, said the Kuwaiti ambassador, were established for more than sixty years, continued to grow over the years and culminated with the opening of the Embassy of the State of Kuwait in Madrid in 1972.”
These relations, according to the ambassador, “are strengthened by bonds of friendship and cooperation at all levels, thanks to the aspirations and guidelines of the leaders of both countries to strengthen and develop them. These relations experienced significant political, economic and commercial growth and development, helping to bridge the gap and bring the two closer together. Kuwait Airways currently operates nine weekly flights to three different Spanish cities, and the number of Kuwaiti tourists visiting Spain is experiencing a marked increase”.
Ambassador Zeiad Alanbaie continued by describing the current state of relations between the two countries, underlining that “the State of Kuwait and the Kingdom of Spain are also bound by various agreements and memoranda of understanding which have contributed to the development of relations in a number of areas, taking firm steps towards the future in accordance with the «Kuwait 2035 Vision», which aims to make Kuwait a leading financial, commercial and cultural centre in the region. At the same time, we work to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals of the 2030 Agenda, inspired by the values of hard work, dedication and generosity that our ancestors instilled in succeeding generations, to build a safe and prosperous nation”.
“In this regard, we continue to emphasize the crucial role of Kuwaiti women and youth in various fields. We commend their valuable contributions to the development process and to the advancement and prosperity of society. With only four years to go before the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals are reached, we insist on the need for further work to ensure that countries can achieve these lofty goals and avoid being left behind.”
Ambassador Alanbaie noted that “the State of Kuwait is committed to supporting international development efforts. Since its establishment in 1961, the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development has financed development projects in 107 countries. Kuwait reaffirms its commitment to support global development and the continued delivery of humanitarian aid worldwide without discrimination, politicization or conditionalities”.
The Kuwaiti ambassador concluded by referring to the “harmony and convergence of views” between Kuwait and Spain, “two friendly countries, in most regional and international affairs, within the framework of our shared commitment to the principles of international law. In this context, we recall the High-level International Conference on the Settlement of the Palestinian Question and the Implementation of the Two-State Solution, co-chaired by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the French Republic. We hope to be able to build on the political momentum generated by the conference, commending the initiative of several friendly countries to officially recognize the independent State of Palestine and underlining the need for other countries to take similar steps”.
