[As his tenure in Kuwait draws to a close, Ambassador of Brazil H.E. Francisco Mauro Brasil de Holanda, pens an affectionate farewell to Kuwait, a country he has come to admire and respect since his arrival here in 2020.]
My diplomatic assignment as Ambassador of Brazil to Kuwait will end soon. More than a routine in diplomatic life, this was a remarkable experience. Both from the professional and personal point of view, for my wife, Maria Mercedes, and myself.
Brazil-Kuwait bilateral agenda continued to flourish and new avenues of cooperation came up. Trade did not stop growing and new investment decisions taken in the last years showed how much more mature and diversified our relations are becoming.
It is also significant that Kuwait and Brazil listen each time more to each other at the multilateral fora, thus enriching mutual perception about our regional spheres and the global political arena as well. None of these would have been possible without the support of the Kuwaiti government and of the Kuwaiti companies and organizations I dealt with.
In this regard, I cannot help saying a word of gratitude to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) staff, especially those from the Protocol, Americas Department and Multilateral Affairs, who made my life a lot easier.
Some individuals were also particularly helpful, but I will address them in person, not to risk omitting anyone in public. A special note to the human dimension. Since Maria Mercedes and I arrived, Kuwaitis treated us as life long friends.
I refer not only to the elegance of the Arab receptions, but to simple and spontaneous attitudes that make us foreigners feel like ‘one of them’. Such as helping to find a plumber when a pipe breaks minutes before a reception at the residence; sharing dates and rose twigs from the garden; or listening together to the music.
Last but not least, a big “thanks a lot” to my colleagues of the diplomatic corps. Many of them also became family members, and helped Mercedes and myself, to know who is who, how to meet people and what to do in Kuwait. Friends, wherever we are, Mercedes and I will take Kuwait in our hearts.
