KUWAIT: The 2018 'Pearl of the West' military drills - held by the Kuwait army and national guard in cooperation with French armed forces - concluded yesterday in the presence of Kuwait Army's Chief of Staff Lt Gen Mohammad Khalid Al-Khadher. The Chief of Staff heard a briefing from the final project manager Col Bandar Al-Shimmari, who explained the format of the drills and the capabilities of participating forces.

Khadher said First Deputy Premier and Defense Minister Sheikh Nasser Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah is keen on continuing the development of exercises in cooperation with various brotherly and friendly forces. He expressed his pleasure and pride in the Kuwaiti military personnel's readiness to execute missions. Khadher said it is the duty of all to work for Kuwait, and wished Kuwait continued security and stability under the leadership of the Supreme Leader of the Armed Forces, HH the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, HH the Crown Prince and HH the Prime Minister.

The Pearl of the West exercises that began on Nov 11, 2018 seek to achieve training goals and implement the principle of military cooperation to run joint operations according to a unified work system to reach a high degree of operational and training level for the participating military units. The exercise was attended by National Guard Secretary Lt Gen Hashim Al-Rifae, representative of the French Chief of Staff, Commander of the French Naval Forces in the Indian Ocean Rear Admiral Didier Malterre, French Ambassador to Kuwait Marie Masdupuy, members of the military defense council and other officials.