CAIRO: Preparatory meetings for the Kuwaiti-Egyptian Joint Higher Committee kicked off on Tuesday. Senior officials are meeting to prepare for the 13th session of the committee at the level of foreign ministers next Thursday. The Kuwaiti delegation was headed by Assistant Foreign Minister for Arab Affairs Ambassador Ahmad Al-Bakr, while the Egyptian side was headed by Assistant Foreign Minister for Arab Affairs Ambassador Mohammad Al-Badri.

In his opening speech at the meeting, Ambassador Al-Bakr expressed his appreciation to Egypt for its invitation to hold the 13th session of the Kuwaiti-Egyptian Joint Higher Committee, hoping that the meeting would be crowned with success and achieve the desired results that would serve the interests of enhancing aspects of bilateral cooperation. He pointed out that Kuwaiti-Egyptian relations are solid and deep-rooted relations that have been characterized for decades by a spirit of cooperation and sincere brotherhood between the two countries, during which the frameworks of joint cooperation have been diversified in various fields and have become a model to be emulated.

Ambassador Al-Bakr said that the meeting comes as a translation of the lofty and wise directives of His Highness the Amir Sheikh Mishal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, which were expressed in the contents of the joint statement issued following His Highness’ visit to Egypt in early May. He added that the visit emphasized the importance of holding this committee in particular, which contributes to advancing efforts to enhance joint cooperation in a number of political, economic, cultural, and other areas of joint cooperation.

Ambassador Al-Bakr stated that the meeting is a continuation of the 12th session of the committee, which was held in Kuwait in December 2018, to address any obstacles standing in the way of developing this cooperation in various fields and to develop mechanisms capable of developing joint cooperation and providing an appropriate climate to achieve the desired benefit for both sides. He praised the achievements of the Kuwaiti-Egyptian Joint Higher Committee over the past meetings, considering it a high model for bilateral work. — KUNA