Kuwait will always have a special place in my heart

By Reaven D’Souza
Executive Managing Editor

Following a successful tenure in Kuwait, Ambassador of Cyprus H.E. Michael Mavros will be bidding goodbye by the end of this month. Ahead of his departure, Ambassador Mavros spoke with The Times Kuwait about his experiences in this country over the past three years, and how Cyprus and Kuwait, two relatively small nations, have found common ground to expand relations in various domains.

From the onset of the interview, the Cypriot envoy highlighted the robust nature of ties between the two friendly states, and added, “Our solid ties with Kuwait stem from the special and long-standing interaction with the wider Middle East, manifested in a common history, culture and values, as well as our efforts to act as a connecting bridge between Europe, the Middle East and the Gulf states.

“Cyprus and Kuwait are both moderate and like-minded countries that strongly support the primacy of international law in our global system and adherence to the UN Charter and UN security council resolutions, having both suffered from the painful and traumatic experience of invasion and occupation.

“I would like to take this opportunity to express our utmost appreciation for the long-standing principled position of Kuwait on the Cyprus issue.  I wish also to praise Kuwait’s balanced foreign policy, its acknowledged pioneering role in the global humanitarian domain, and its continuing efforts to boost stability and security at the regional and international level by promoting the track of diplomacy and the peaceful resolution of conflicts.

“The above framework forms the basis of our relations that have been continuously increasing especially after we formally established diplomatic missions to each other in 2011.”

Elaborating on his experiences in Kuwait during his tenure here, the Cypriot ambassador stated, “My tenure in Kuwait began in July 2021 while the COVID pandemic was still ongoing.  I presented my credentials to the late Amir Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah in August 2021.  Following that we witnessed a long political transition in Kuwait which was only recently completed.

“Despite the many challenges of the said period, we managed to achieve a number of successes and further promote our excellent bilateral relations.  There include the visit of former Foreign Minister and Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs of the State of Kuwait, Dr. Ahmed Nasser Al-Sabah, to Cyprus, in January 2022.  During the visit two memoranda were signed for the protection of the cultural heritage and the establishment of a Joint Cooperation Committee.

“In October 2022 we had the first round of Cyprus-Kuwait Political consultations at the level of Deputy Foreign Minister held in Kuwait.  In November 2022 the Cyprus Investment Promotion Agency held a promotion event in Kuwait. In January 2023 following a visit of Kuwaiti experts to Cyprus, led by Dr. Hamad Al-Adwani, former Director General of the National Bureau for Academic Accreditation and Education Quality Assurance, the University of Cyprus was accredited. In the summer of 2023, we also had the launch of seasonal direct flights between Kuwait and Cyprus by Jazeera Airways.  These flights were repeated in the summer of 2024 and will continue through the winter.

In April 2024 following a visit of Kuwaiti experts to Cyprus the Dentistry School of the European University of Cyprus was accredited by the National Bureau for Academic Accreditation and Education Quality Assurance. In the same month, we organized the first ever joint Cypriot and Kuwait contemporary art exhibition drawing parallels between Cyprus and Failaka at the Contemporary Art Platform.

“To sum up, my experience in Kuwait has been a very positive one and the country will always have a very special place in my heart. First, because this has been my first posting, as an Ambassador, and therefore the role of this posting is pivotal for my career.

“Second, because since the first moment I arrived I was warmly welcomed, encouraged and supported by everyone, starting from the ruling family, the government officials and also by all Kuwaiti people from all walks of life, as well as the members of the Arab diaspora and the other diverse communities of Kuwait.

In the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and other governmental agencies, I have experienced a high degree of professionalism from all my interlocutors. All doors have been open here and people have been kind, hospitable and generous, qualities that are very much appreciated by us, as we have them in our culture as well.”

Speaking about bilateral trade and the areas where he believes there is tremendous scope for improvement, Ambassador Mavros explained, “Bilateral trade is not very large; not exceeding 10 million euros.  There is definitely scope for improvement, but the more promising fields include tourism, investments and people-to-people contacts.”

Expanding on the tourism potential of Cyprus, the envoy pointed out, “Many Kuwaitis have holiday-homes in Cyprus, and in the past this was even more than now.  As the tourism industry has seen an unprecedented growth in Kuwait in the last two decades, and many new touristic destinations became popular, Cyprus had lost some of its original glamor among Kuwaitis.

“However, this trend may have started to reverse after Jazeera Airways launched in the summer of 2023, seasonal flights to Cyprus which were repeated in the summer of 2024.  Only recently, a decision was made to extend these flights during winter as it is increasingly understood that Cyprus is an ideal all-year-round destination.

“Cyprus is a unique blend of the West and the East, as it stands at the crossroads of three continents and is located very close to the Middle East.  Kuwaitis find a lot of things that are familiar to them in Cyprus and this makes them feel very much at home. Additionally, Cyprus has something to offer to everyone, andwelcomes people from everywhere. Our beaches are not only beautiful, they are certified as among the cleanest in Europe. And, just a short drive from the crystal-clear waters of our coast are the mountains, where you can enjoy our beautiful trails.

“Cyprus is also a haven for archaeology lovers and you can visit sites from all different periods, including historic Christian and Muslim places of worship.  All across Cyprus, you’ll have the opportunity to experience a distinctive cuisine composed of meze, small plates of everything. The Cypriot people are warm and welcoming and we are only too happy to receive visitors.

“Cyprus also offers an attractive range of accommodation, including luxurious hotels with both local flavor and the highest international standards, quality tourist villas, agrotourism options and much more.  Increasingly my country is being promoted not only for its scenic landscape, traditional hospitality and sustainable tourism, but also for its high-end travel and leisure products, including health and beauty spas, luxury marinas and 18-course golf-links.  Cyprus, above all, is a safe and open country.

“I would like to add that the procedure for obtaining a Cyprus entry visa is very simple and fast.  For Kuwaitis, we follow the Schengen area decision for granting five-year multiple-entry visa, despite the fact that Cyprus has yet to become a member of the Schengen area. “

Returning to bilateral ties and areas he would like to see further progress happening, Ambassador Mavros stated that there remains a lot of scope to attract more tourism from Kuwait.

He added, “Cyprus also offers many investment opportunitiesand it has been a long-standing effort of ours to attract state and private investors from this country. To my knowledge there is a growing number of indirect investments in Cyprus but no major direct investment project.  It is an area we are working on and at the moment there are many opportunities in Cyprus in the fields of tourism, hospitality, healthcare, education and renewable sources of energy.

“Additionally, I strongly believe that people-to-people contacts, especially through the educational channel, help very much in creating long-term ties between countries. I also believe in the educational level of my country and the fact that it offers a secure and supportive environment for foreign students. We would also like to promote more people-to-people contacts in other fields, including tourism, education, science, culture, technology and innovation at all levels.”

Concluding his interview, Ambassador Mavros said, “I am leaving with the feeling that I have received more than expected support in my efforts to create an impact for my country, and this is very important because a representative of a country as small as mine, usually has to work harder towards that end.

“I have also made numerous possibly life-long friends in Kuwait whom I will dearly miss. You will all be most welcome in Cyprus or in any other future posting of mine. Last but not least, I would like to thank the Cypriot community in Kuwait because despite its small size the impact of its support and friendship has been quite remarkable.”