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The Belgian embassy in Kuwait is working to organize a series of events to commemorate the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries. This anniversary marks a significant milestone in their bilateral relations
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The volume of trade exchange between Kuwait and Belgium in 2022 reached about €600 million in imports and exports
Christian Domes, the Belgian Ambassador to Kuwait, characterized Kuwaiti-Belgian relations as friendly and excellent, expressing his mission to further develop them into broader horizons.
In statements to reporters during the Francophone Diwaniyah hosted at his residence, Ambassador Domes revealed that the embassy is working to organize a series of events to commemorate the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries. This anniversary marks a significant milestone in their bilateral relations. One such event will be held on April 28 at the Kuwait National University library. Additionally, a Kuwaiti researcher and academic has designed a brochure detailing the history of bilateral relations since their establishment.
The Ambassador added, “A reception will also be organized on April 30 to mark the 60th anniversary of the establishment of relations. Additionally, a number of Belgian artists will be invited to perform concerts in Kuwait at the end of May, as part of the efforts to bridge Eastern and Western music.”
Ambassador Domes expressed his desire to arrange several high-level mutual visits. However, the current circumstances in his country, including the European Union elections in mid-June coinciding with federal elections, have kept senior state officials occupied with election duties. Despite this, the desire for mutual visits remains.
The Ambassador explained that “the round of political consultations between the two countries, held last June, was successful.” He described his country as a favorite tourist destination worldwide due to its central location in Europe, facilitating travel via high-speed trains throughout the continent, and its rich cultural and artistic diversity.
His Excellency mentioned the challenge of accurately determining the number of Kuwaiti visitors to his country annually due to the absence of direct flights.
He emphasized that opening a direct flight route is a priority for the next stage, citing its positive impact on both popular and economic relations.
He revealed that the consular section at the embassy issued about 3,000 visas last year, explaining that the number of visas does not reflect the real number of Kuwaiti tourists visiting his country, as most of them hold long-term ‘Schengen’ visas from other embassies.
Regarding security cooperation between the two countries, he stated, “We have distinguished cooperation with Kuwait on the security level. We also have distinguished cooperation through NATO as a founding country of the alliance, and this cooperation enhances our monitoring of situations in the Red Sea and the Arabian Gulf.”
He pointed out that the volume of trade exchange between the two countries during 2022 amounted to about 600 million euros in imports and exports, highlighting the potential to further increase trade rates given the potential that both countries enjoy.
Regarding the occasion, he praised Diwaniyah as a unique aspect of Kuwaiti culture. He expressed his happiness at hosting Francophone friends from Kuwait and French speakers to exchange ideas, values, openness, and pluralism.
