Former US Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs David Schenker said: “ I see an opportunity for reform and development in Kuwait under the state’s new leadership.”
Schenker made the remark during a meeting with Founder and CEO of Reconnaissance Research Abdulaziz Al-Anjeri, who is currently visiting the US capital, where he is scheduled to meet a number of prominent US Think-Tank and research institute officials, and to meet with several US officials and diplomats.
Schenker said: “Kuwait is entering a new phase with His Highness Sheikh Ahmad Nawaf Al-Sabah serving as the country’s new prime minister, and with new parliamentary elections to be held”.
He hoped that in parallel with the appointment of Jasim Albudaiwi as the new Kuwaiti ambassador in Washington, the Biden Administration would soon announce a nominee to replace Alina Romanowski as ambassador to Kuwait.
The former US official noted that such changes would open the door for more progress in the bilateral relationship. The Kuwaiti people, he said, “want genuine reform and anti-corruption measures implemented that would improve governance and a challenged economy”. He went on to say: “Kuwait has enormous human capital, a small population, and significant resources, that should, if harnessed effectively, enable the state to make affect tangible and impactful change.”
At the level of US-Kuwaiti bilateral relations, Schenker voiced hope that the relationship would become stronger and deeper over time. He noted that during his tenure as Assistant Secretary, despite the longstanding ties between the countries, he was one of the few senior Administration officials to visit Kuwait. He suggested that more high-level and routine exchanges would be helpful.
For his part, Founder and CEO of Reconnaissance Research Abdulaziz Al-Anjeri hailed Schenker as having played a vital role in the region through the posts he had held. He noted that Schenker is now director of the Program on Arab Politics at the Washington Institute, adding that he has deep insights and analyses regarding the regional and international situations, based on his experience and knowledge about the region.
Al-Anjari said: “The meeting with Schenker lasted for two hours, and it is an extension of previous meetings between us. The former US official expounded his vision about the regional developments at political, developmental and economic levels.”
Al-Anjari added: “David Schenker is a permanent friend of Reconnaissance Research, and I’m working towards identifying further potential for cooperation and exchange of visions with American figures who wield influence in US decision-making process in the Middle East.”
David Schenker is the Taube Senior Fellow at The Washington Institute and director of the Program on Arab Politics. Confirmed by the Senate on June 5, 2019, he served as Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs through January 2021. In that capacity, he was the principal Middle East advisor to the secretary of state and the senior official overseeing the conduct of U.S. policy and diplomacy in the region.