ShareBy Faten Omar
KUWAIT: Assistant Foreign Minister for European Affairs Ambassador Sadiq Marafi disclosed that Kuwait’s file to exempt its citizens from the Schengen visa has been ready for a while, awaiting approval from the European Parliament. Speaking on the sidelines of Belgium’s King’s Day event on Monday, he informed the press that a meeting between Kuwait and the European Union is scheduled for Dec 11 in Brussels, involving the Committee of Senior Officials. The discussions will encompass various areas of cooperation, including the Schengen visa issue.
Marafi lauded the longstanding and positive relations between Kuwait and Belgium, emphasizing their six-decade history of fruitful collaboration in economic, political, developmental and other domains.
Belgian Ambassador to Kuwait Christian Domes highlighted the excellent ties between the two nations since Kuwait’s independence, noting Belgium’s participation in the international coalition that liberated Kuwait. Domes underscored their joint efforts in the Human Rights Council and the anti-Daesh coalition, expressing optimism about enhanced economic cooperation.
“We are also good trading partners, and our figures lately are in constant progress since COVID struck. I am pretty confident things will improve shortly,” Domes said. He mentioned a trade figure of €371 million for 2022, with prospects for improvement. Looking ahead to the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations, Domes anticipated celebrating the milestone and elevating cooperation to new heights.
Expressing concern for the children of Gaza on World Children’s Day, the Belgian ambassador called for respect for the UN Charter and peaceful conflict resolution. “It is in this grim international context that we commemorate World Children’s Day today. Belgium is committed to the protection and promotion of children’s rights. Our thoughts are with all the children living in difficult humanitarian situations, particularly the children of Gaza, who suffer the brunt of the war,” Domes said.
He commended Kuwait’s humanitarian support for the Palestinian people, citing Belgium’s commitment to prioritizing the Middle East Peace Process during its EU Council Presidency in the first half of 2024. Domes revealed Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo, along with Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, would engage in bilateral talks with political leaders from the Zionist entity, Palestine, Jordan and Egypt on Nov 23 and 24. The objective is to explore diplomatic solutions to the crisis.
