By Faten Omar
KUWAIT: The Embassy of Turkey to Kuwait hosted a reception on the occasion of the 99th anniversary of the Proclamation of the Republic of Turkey on Sunday at Waldorf Astoria Hotel. "It is the embassy's first National Day reception since 2019, due to the pandemic. Therefore, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to you all for being with us today to share our joy and pride," Tuba Nur Sonmez, Ambassador of the Republic of Turkey to Kuwait, said in her speech.
"As we steer towards celebrating the centennial of the Republic, we are proud of what we have achieved since 1923. Turkiye has undergone comprehensive and far-reaching political, economic, and social reforms, which transformed it into a democratic and modern nation," she said. Sonmez affirmed that the relationship between Turkey and Kuwait has reached an exemplary level under the guidance of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and HH the Amir Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah.
"Not only government-to-government, but one of the strengths of our deep-rooted relations is the people-to-people relations. Turkiye's successful transformation is visible in its enterprising and humanitarian foreign policy. We pursue proactive and multidimensional foreign policies in our region and beyond that have been proven in the recent crises we faced. A strong Turkiye means a guarantee for sustainable peace and development and a driving force for all surrounding nations," she added.
Sonmez expressed her happiness on the steady development of cooperation between Turkey and Kuwait, pointing out that bilateral cooperation has grown stronger in tourism, cultural, commercial, economic, educational and other fields, where Kuwait is one of the countries that sends the most citizens to Turkey as tourists. "Tourism positively affects trade and investment as well," she said.
The Turkish ambassador affirmed that Turkey-Kuwait bilateral trade is on the rise. "Kuwaitis are also among the top foreign buyers of property in Turkiye. We are also trying to develop multidimensional cooperation in critical areas, such as the defense industry, technology, aviation, healthcare and education," she said.
Sonmez confirmed there is still potential for wide cooperation ahead. "As the new Turkish ambassador, I will be trying hard to deepen our relations with Kuwait in every field. Of course, our achievements will only be possible with your continuous support." The event was attended by ambassadors, diplomatic corps, media, members of the Turkish community and other guests.