KUWAIT: British Ambassador to Kuwait Belinda Lewis affirmed on Monday the strong and historic Kuwaiti-British relations at all levels, including defense, investment, cybersecurity and cultural cooperation. In an interview with KUNA and Kuwait TV on Monday, ahead of the visit of HH the Crown Prince Sheikh Mishal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah to London, Lewis said this was the third visit of HH the Crown Prince to the UK within a year.
HH Sheikh Mishal will patronize and attend the ceremony of Kuwait Investment Office celebrating the 70th anniversary of its establishment. She added HH the Crown Prince had visited the UK as representative of HH the Amir Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah last September to convey condolences over the death of Queen Elizabeth II, while the second visit was in May, representing HH the Amir on the coronation of King Charles III. Meanwhile, the ambassador expressed her joy over the attendance of HH Sheikh Mishal at the office's ceremony, noting that the office is still looking for new investment opportunities in the UK.
Kuwait has strong ties with the Bank of England (BoE), as some of the bank’s members played a big role in the establishment and growth of the office, said Lewis. His Highness' visit will cover several fields, mainly enhancing joint work in cybersecurity, as well as cultural cooperation. The ambassador added the online travel permit to the UK, set to launch in February, would allow Kuwaiti citizens to have an idea on cultural, sport and commercial opportunities in the UK.
Next year, the UK will celebrate 125 years of diplomatic relations with Kuwait, which will include several cultural events, Lewis said. Speaking on the history of official Kuwaiti visits to the UK, the ambassador said the first one was by late Amir Sheikh Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah in 1919. According to Lewis, he was the first Kuwaiti to visit the UK in a long tough journey by sea.
Sheikh Ahmad had represented Kuwait's late Amir Sheikh Salem Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah in his UK visit, aiming to congratulate King George V on winning World War I. He was part of many world delegations that came to congratulate the king, she noted. Ambassador Lewis said Sheikh Ahmad had gifted an Arabian horse to King George, which the King named "Sheikh". – KUNA