Following the visit of President Bharrat Jagdeo to Kuwait early this year, the relationship between Guyana and Kuwait strengthened to the extent that there is now, for the first time, a Kuwaiti Ambassador to Guyana. His Excellency Waleed Ahmad Al-Kandari presented his letters of Credence to President Bharrat Jagdeo yesterday at the Office of the President. In their presence were Minister of Foreign Affairs Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett and Director-General in the Ministry Elisabeth Harper.
Speaking to the media after his engagement, Ambassador Ahmed Al-Kandari said he will be working fervently to further strengthen the bilateral relations between Guyana and Kuwait.
“We have to work to find the ways and means of progressing the relations in different fields, political, economic and commercial ties,” the new Ambassador said.
Versed in Arabic, English and a little Portuguese and Spanish, Ambassador Al-Kandari participated in numerous international forums, conferences, seminars and diplomatic meetings in Kuwait and abroad.
He served as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the State of Kuwait to Peru, Ecuador, Brazil, Afghanistan and Uzbekistan.
During President Jagdeo’s visit to Kuwait in early January, he met several high-level dignitaries within the Kuwaiti Government, including the ruler of the country, Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, and the Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah
A Memorandum of Understanding and two cooperation agreements were signed. Minister of Oil and Information, Sheikh Ahmad Abdullah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, signed an agreement to bolster cultural ties between the two countries with Minister Rodrigues-Birkett, who was part of the Guyana delegation.
Kuwait’s Minister of Finance Mustafa Al-Shimali and Minister Rodrigues- Birkett signed an agreement on encouraging bilateral investments.