Bhutanese Ambassador to Kuwait H.E. Tshering Gyaltshen Penjor hosted a reception to mark his country’s 111th National Day at the Radisson Blu Hotel on 17 December. Former Prime Minister Sheikh Nasser Mohammed Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah was the chief guest and Minister of Social Affairs and Labor and Minister of State for Economic Affairs Hind Al-Sabeeh was the guest of honor at the function.
In his address to the gathering, the Ambassador Penjor praised the historic day when the first hereditary King Gongsa Ugyen Wangchuck ascended to the throne in 1907.
“Guided by our development philosophy of Gross National Happiness, we remain steadfast in our pursuit of sustainable development that is anchored by four interrelated pillars of clean, green and equitable development, preservation of our rich cultural heritage, conservation of our environment, and good governance,” said the ambassador.
Lauding the close ties between Bhutan and Kuwait, he said, “The several bilateral visits between our two countries at the highest political levels and the excellent cooperation in the multilateral arena are a testimony to the special bonds of goodwill and friendship nurtured by our leaders over the years.”
Expressing his gratitude for the valuable contributions Kuwait has made to Bhutan’s development through the Kuwait Fund, he said, “It laid the foundations for our industrial development and has significantly contributed to our extraordinary social and economic progress.”
“Kuwait’s pioneering role and continued commitment in supporting much-needed humanitarian assistance and development activities around the world deserves our special appreciation,” said the ambassador.
He added with pride that the Bhutanese community in Kuwait has grown to more than 1300 today, and praised their hard work and sincerity that is a source of pride to their king and country.
Speaking on the sidelines of the function, Minister Al-Sabeeh stressed that Kuwait has close diplomatic relations with Bhutan and that this has led to strong ties in various other fields. She pointed out that the number of Bhutanese workers in Kuwait is increasing and alludes to Kuwait’s openness to all nationalities.
Kuwait’s Acting Charge D’affaires to Bhutan Fadhel Al-Hassan, said that the bilateral relations between Kuwait and Bhutan are stable and old, and pointed out that Kuwait was the third country to begin diplomatic relations with Bhutan in 1983. He noted that many agreements were being readied for signature and that once implemented it would lead to doubling the volume of Kuwait investments in Bhutan. He also added that both Kuwait Airways and Bhutan are currently working on signing an agreement to open an aviation channel between the two countries.
Al-Hassan also disclosed that the Kuwait Embassy in Bhutan was currently coordinating to extend an invitation to the King of Bhutan Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wanshakak to visit Kuwait early next year.
