KUWAIT: Reconnaissance Research's Deputy CEO Yousef Alghusain welcomed Georges Malbrunot, head of Middle East affairs at Le Figaro newspaper, at the onset of the latter's visit to Kuwait. Alghusain said international media outlets and platforms such as Le Figaro, which was established almost 200 years ago, play a major and important role in providing the public with valuable news and information.

Alghusain said Malbrunot is a seasoned career journalist with more than 30 years of ground field work. He was taken hostage in 2004 by an extremist group in Iraq and continues to dive into deep waters while searching for facts and speaking truth to power. He continued: "I was delighted to speak with him today amongst a few intellectuals in a closed discussion about Kuwait, and to listen to him as well, being an expert in the region's affairs".

For his part, Malbrunot said: "I have not been to Kuwait since 2014. I am here to see how the country is facing this very complicated time with a lot of change in the region. It's always a pleasure being here in a country which is discrete in the international arena, but it's important to remind Western opinion its specificity among them with the presence of an elected parliament, a unique phenomenon in the Gulf."

He concluded: "Reconnaissance Research established itself as an independent voice from Kuwait. As an observer from France, I was highly encouraged to reach out to this institute. It was a very fruitful meeting and we will certainly cooperate more between us in the future in order to build better understandings on matters of mutual interest".