By Faten Omar

KUWAIT: The European Union Delegation in Kuwait held a reception on Wednesday at St Regis hotel in Kuwait City to bid farewell to Cristian Tudor, the first EU resident ambassador of the first EU Delegation in Kuwait, upon the completion of his tenure in the country. In his farewell speech, Tudor said that the achievements in EU-Kuwaiti relations would not have been possible, had it not been for the support of the Kuwaiti authorities.

“Kuwait will continue to play an important role for the EU in the Gulf and will remain the EU’s natural partner and ally. I am confident that there will be more opportunities to boost EU-Kuwait cooperation, especially following the first EU strategy towards the Gulf, which focuses on broadening EU-Gulf cooperation,” Tudor said. He extended his gratitude to the Kuwait senior leadership including HH the Amir and HH the Crown Prince, as well and the government, noting that his three-year tenure in Kuwait was remarkable from both professional and personal perspectives.

“During the pandemic, we had to improvise and find creative online ways to engage with local partners. As a result, we managed to deliver on some exciting projects – such as online training for female candidates running for the 2020 parliamentary elections and an online lecture explaining what the European Union is about to young Kuwaitis. These projects raised our visibility among the wider public and contributed to establishing the EU as a brand in Kuwait,” he pointed out.

Since Tudor arrived in Kuwait to oversee the opening of the new EU Delegation in Kuwait in 2019, EU-Kuwait relations have reached unprecedented levels, especially with the European Commission’s historic proposal earlier this year to lift the Schengen visa requirements for Kuwaiti nationals. He said he is delighted to contribute to this proposal, which reflects the strong partnership between the EU and Kuwait.

In conclusion, the EU ambassador said: “I will miss Kuwait, and the diwanyas where I had lively discussions with Kuwaitis from all walks of life. I will also remember the lovely Kuwaiti food, in particular machboos laham, among the many other delicious Kuwaiti dishes. But most importantly, I will miss the friendships I established in this hospitable country.”