KUWAIT CITY, March 11, (KUNA): In a comprehensive speech at the opening session of the Seventh Conference of Heads of Kuwait Diplomatic Missions which kicked off here Monday, His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah outlined the main features of Kuwait’s foreign policy.
“You are invited to convey to the world the brilliant image of Kuwait: the tolerant and big — country with the ambitions of its people,” HH the Amir said addressing ambassadors and heads of Kuwait diplomatic mission abroad.

HH Sheikh Sabah stressed the need for a vigorous diplomatic and media drive to show the real and bright image of Kuwait that enjoys strong unity among its people and a constitution and justice-based democratic life.

The Amir added that one of the main objectives of Kuwait’s diplomacy is to cooperate with all countries to maintain world security and stability as well as reach sustainable development of societies.

“Kuwait is effectively contributing to the international efforts aimed at resolving disputes that threaten world peace and counter terrorism. Kuwait also takes part in the efforts meant to fight poverty, diseases and meet the shortage of food, water and energy as well as achieve the sustainable development and investment in people,” he said.

In this regard, HH Sheikh Sabah citied Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development (KFAED) loans and grants as well as the Kuwaiti donations for other international funds as clear examples of Kuwait’s effective role in financing development projects in the four corners of the globe. He also cited the recently Kuwait-hosted Asian Cooperation Dialogue Summit as an example of Kuwait’s eagerness to buttress cooperation with Asian and other nations.

HH Sheikh Sabah pointed out that Kuwait pays due attention to the empowerment of women and protection of their rights.

“Kuwait directs growing attention to foster women rights and their role in the society,” the Amir said.
The Amir highlighted the importance of unity among the Gulf Cooperation Council member states.
“The rapid developments in our region and the challenges we face today, leaves no room for doubt about the indispensability of the joint Gulf action and that needs more work to bolster and expand to cover all domains.

“You have to show, through diplomatic work, the solidity and unity of the Gulf stances as well as Kuwait’s effective role in tackling Arab, Muslim, regional and international issues and causes.” HH the Amir noted that Kuwait has launched “the economic diplomacy” to promote better economic cooperation with world countries and woo foreign investments to Kuwait. “A long time ago, we launched the economic diplomacy out of deep belief in its role in achieving the state’s higher economic interests and opening new horizons for dealing with the world economic developments,” Sheikh Sabah said.

In this regard, the Amir urged the Kuwaiti diplomats to convey to the world the economic and development progress which the state undergoes.

“You have to acquaint the world with the economic-related legislative reforms and the new package of mega development projects, which Kuwait embarking on.” HH the Amir asked the diplomats to help transfer the best economic and renewable energy practices in the world to Kuwait.

“Through your presence in different countries across the world, you have to transfer the world’s best practices in diversifying state income resources and using renewable energy to Kuwait.” HH the Amir called on the Kuwaiti diplomats to embody the state policy and care for the interests of its people.
“You have also to take into account that Kuwait diplomacy is the first line of defense of the state security and interests,” he asserted.

HH Sheikh Sabah lauded the major successes and the distinguished performance of the Kuwait Foreign Ministry under the Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Sabah Al-Khalid Al-Hamad Al-Sabah.

He also wished success for the conference and to end up with recommendations to bolster the state diplomacy.

This conference “serves as a golden platform for diplomats to meet with the senior officials at the Foreign Ministry and other state bodies to exchange points of view, study the challenges obstructing their efforts and find best ways to upgrade the efficiency of Kuwait diplomacy to serve the higher interests of our dear homeland,” HH the Amir concluded.

For his part, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Sabah Al-Khalid Al-Hamad Al-Sabah expressed, on behalf of all the Foreign Ministry staff, gratitude for His Highness the Amir’s sponsorship of the conference.

He also thanked His Highness the Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah and the National Assembly Speaker Ali Fahad Al-Rashid for their participation in the opening session of the conference.

“The State’s diplomatic action, since its start in 1960s, has succeeded in placing Kuwait at an advanced position in the regional and international arenas,” the Minister said.

He added that since His Highness the Amir’s sponsorship of the Sixth Conference of Heads of Kuwait Diplomatic Missions in 2008, Kuwaiti diplomats successfully dealt with the numerous and rapid developments which the world had undergone.

“Thanks to their vigilance and hard work in monitoring and analyzing these developments and its repercussions on the stability of the country,” he said.

The Kuwait top diplomat stated that the main goal of the Ministry’s diplomatic work is to ensure Kuwait’s security, stability, and prosperity, guided by His Highness the Amir’s wise directives.

He pointed out that since the 2008 conference, the Ministry opened 22 new Kuwaiti diplomatic missions, taking the total number of Kuwait diplomatic missions abroad up to 98, covering the main parts of the world.

On the other hand, 30 new diplomatic missions and representation offices for foreign countries and international agencies have opened in Kuwait, taking the total number up to 124, FM Sheikh Sabah Al-Khalid said.

He added that this number of foreign missions shows the great international interest in having relations with Kuwait.

The Minister unveiled that the Ministry has recently appointed 193 new diplomats and political researchers and 89 others will be appointed next week after completing required training courses.
He also shed lights on the long list of major international conferences and events which Kuwait hosted since 2008 including the Arab Economic and Social Development Summit, ASEAN summit, and recently-held the first Summit for International Donors for Syria.

Kuwaiti diplomats cheered His Highness the Amir’s patronage of and speech at the conference.

In separate interviews with KUNA, several ambassadors and heads of diplomatic missions said HH the Amir’s speech has identified the main outlines of Kuwait diplomacy in the coming period.

“We have listened carefully to HH the Amir’s speech and his wise directives which represent indispensable guidelines for all Kuwaiti diplomats, whether working at the Foreign Ministry or embassies and consulates abroad,” Kuwaiti Ambassador to Turkey Abdullah Al-Thuwaikh told KUNA.
Al-Thuwaikh described HH the Amir as the marker of Kuwait diplomacy over the past 50 years, noting that many of the Kuwaiti diplomats have been taught diplomacy at the hands of HH the Amir, when he was a Foreign Minister.

He pinned high hopes on the conference in which Kuwaiti diplomats and top official officials from the different sectors discuss the role of diplomacy in achieving the higher interests of the state.

Kuwait’s Delegate to the UN Mansour Al-Otaibi echoed a similar view.

“HH the Amir’s speech included many direct instructions to Kuwaiti diplomats to provide all care to Kuwaitis abroad, to embody the state foreign policy and defend its interests,” Al-Otaibi told KUNA.
He also underlined the importance of this conference in outlining and adopting a unified and clear policy in dealing with the rapid developments on the regional and international levels.

Kuwait’s Ambassador to the United Kingdom Khaled Al-Duwaisan said HH the Amir directives would be a springboard for the Kuwait diplomacy in the years to come.

He told KUNA that the conference allows Kuwaiti diplomats to exchange points of view and information with state officials on different issues.

Meanwhile, Kuwait’s Ambassador to South Korea Metab Al-Mutotah said the HH Amir’s speech and the diplomats’ deliberations with the state officials will give impetus to the Kuwaiti diplomacy in the coming period.