BRUSSELS: The Kuwait Embassy in Belgium and its missions to the European Union and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) participated in the ceremony held by US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken on the 75th anniversary of the founding of NATO on the sidelines of the NATO Ministerial Meeting in Brussels.

During his speech, Blinken discussed the achievements achieved by NATO over the past decades, as well as efforts to strengthen partnerships with third countries, while looking forward to the Washington summit scheduled for July 2024. He also addressed emerging risks, including cybersecurity, and the efforts achieved in spending 2 percent of the gross domestic product (GDP) on defense expenditures of all NATO members.

BRUSSELS: Belgian Minister for Foreign Affairs Hadja Lahbib (left) and North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, each hold a slice of cake as they and foreign ministers celebrate the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) alliance’s 75th anniversary at the NATO Headquarters. – AFP

Kuwaiti Ambassador to Brussels Nawaf Al-Enezi told KUNA, “Kuwait enjoys a partnership relationship with NATO as the first country to join the Istanbul Cooperation Initiative in 2004.” In addition, Kuwait has hosted the NATO Regional Center since 2017, which is the first regional center of its kind outside the NATO region, as it provides training and educational courses in the areas of partnership between the Istanbul Cooperation Initiative countries and NATO.

NATO, which was founded on April 4, 1949, in Washington in response to the threatening policies pursued by the communist Soviet Union at the time, celebrated the 75th anniversary of its founding on Thursday in Brussels with the participation of the foreign ministers of member states. —KUNA