The new European Union’s (EU) embassy in Kuwait was opened by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Sabah Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah alongside the High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini today.
Speaking on the sidelines of the function, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Sabah Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah said that the embassy’s opening is a culmination of the successful cooperation between the two sides, and added that the EU is a key partner in trade, investment, energy, education, health, and many other sectors.
Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled also expressed his joy in the participation of the High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini at the opening of the embassy in Kuwait.
Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled stressed Kuwait’s keenness on this partnership, noting that EU’s presence in Kuwait would offer wide venues of cooperation.
Pointing to memorandum of understandings and deals signed at various levels, he mentioned that Kuwait and EU had made great strides in the dialogue on issues such as security, energy and human resources development.
Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled commended the participation of the EU during the past few years in the donors’ conferences for Syria and the Iraq, which were hosted and co-chaired by Kuwait.
Kuwait is counting on EU’s efforts in the region to bring peace, and shares such a responsibility with the EU, he emphasized.
The previous Arab summit was the main step for the Arab-European cooperation, he explained, as the Gulf-European cooperation has made important and great strides during the last period.
On her part, Mogherini said the embassy’s opening proved how close the two sides, and showcased the EU’s desire to strengthen relations with Kuwait.
In a speech at the opening ceremony, Mogherini said that the EU was working with Kuwait on several issues in the region, and mentioned EU’s involvement in the presidency of the International Conference for the Reconstruction of Iraq and the union’s contribution in helping the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) during its financial crisis.
The EU and Kuwait have been among the strongest supporters of Syrian refugees in Jordan and Lebanon as well as children in Yemen, she said. Now, by launching a full diplomatic presence in Kuwait, EU opens a new chapter in its partnership, she added.
The goal is to continue strengthen political dialogue and economic cooperation, especially supporting the New Kuwait 2035 Vision, she indicated. The EU delegation also seeks to build bridges between Kuwaiti society and European citizens, and is the third European Union mission to the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), as there are two delegations in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, she noted.