KUWAIT: His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah received yesterday at Bayan Palace His Highness the Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah. His Highness the Amir also received His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah, who escorted Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his companying delegation on his official visit to the country.

During the reception, both sides discussed bilateral relations and ways to boost cooperation in various fields, in addition to issues of common interest between the two countries. Advisor at the Prime Minister's Diwan Sheikh Dr Salem Al-Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah attended the reception.

His Highness the Prime Minister had received at the Bayan Palace his Canadian counterpart upon his arrival to Kuwait on Monday. During the meeting, the two sides exchanged cordial conversations and tackled the close bilateral relations between the two friendly countries and means to boost cooperation in various fields.

Regional situation
His Highness and his guest also discussed the overall regional and international situations. The meeting was attended by the Adviser in the Cabinet of the Prime Minister Sheikh Dr Salem Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense Sheikh Ahmad Mansour Al-Sabah, Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Dr Ahmad Nasser Al-Muhammad Al-Sabah and the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Khaled Al-Jarallah.

Furthermore, Chairman of the Prime Minister's Office Sheikha Etmad Al-Khaled Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, Chief of the General Staff of the Kuwaiti Army Lieutenant General Mohammad Khaled Al-Khudhr, and a number of senior officials at the Prime Minister's Office and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Trudeau had visited Canadian troops stationed in Kuwait during his short stay in the country. In a message delivered during a visit to a base where many Canadian troops had to relocate about a month ago from Iraq, the Canadian Prime Minister said that "Canadian military efforts have been essential in the fight to defeat Islamic militants in Iraq and elsewhere." Canada has two ongoing operations in Iraq, totaling about 500 soldiers, but was forced to suspend them on Jan 7, days after top Iranian general Qassem Soleimani was killed in a targeted drone strike by the United States.

New ambassadors
Earlier yesterday, His Highness the Amir attended a reception at Bayan Palace celebrating newly-appointed ambassadors to Kuwait, including US Ambassador Alina Romanowski, Bahraini Ambassador Salah Al-Malki, and Libyan Ambassador Sulaiman Al-Sahili.

The ceremony was also attended by Kuwait's Foreign Minister Sheikh Dr Ahmad Nasser Al-Mohammad Al-Sabah, Minister of Amiri Diwan Affairs Sheikh Ali Jarrah Al-Sabah, Deputy Minister of Amiri Diwan Sheikh Mohammad Al-Abdullah Al-Sabah, Amiri Diwan's Undersecretary and His Highness the Amir's Office Director Ahmad Fahad Al-Fahad, Director of Amiri Protocols and Ceremonials Sheikh Khaled Al-Abdullah Al-Sabah Al-Nasser Al-Sabah.

Furthermore, His Highness the Amir received yesterday National Assembly Speaker Marzouq Al-Ghanem, accompanied by Iraqi Parliament Speaker Mohammad Al-Halbousi during his official visit. The receptions were attended by Minister of Amiri Diwan Affairs Sheikh Ali Jarrah Al-Sabah. Later yesterday, His Highness the Amir held a lunch banquet at Dar Salwa in honor of the visiting Iraqi Parliament Speaker and his accompanying delegation.