BRUSSELS: Belgium and Kuwait are planning to hold a major economic forum in the port city of Antwerp next year, with the aim of boosting bilateral economic and trade relations.
This was agreed upon between KuwaitØ¢’s Ambassador to Belgium Jasem Al-Budaiwi and Jill Suetens, Manager of the International Department at the Antwerp Chamber of Commerce and Industry, during their meeting in Antwerp on Thursday. Al-Budaiwi told Kuwait News Agency (KUNA) that they discussed hosting an economic forum in Antwerp with the participation of both public and private sectors and investors.
“Hopefully it will be held next year, we are working on it and are discussing it with the Kuwait Chamber of Commerce. The aim is to hold it in the second quarter of 2017, and it will be a very comprehensive forum,” he said. He noted that Suetens is very eager to go ahead and host this event in their chamber of commerce.
“She liked the ideas and presented her own views as she visited the premises where the conference will be held,” said the Kuwaiti Ambassador. Moreover, he said Suetens underlined that relations between Kuwait and Belgium are very important and historical, adding that the two sides need to build on that to take trade and economics relations to a higher level.
Meanwhile, he noted that 81 percent of all the exports of Belgium comes from the country’s northern Flanders region, while 41 percent comes from the Antwerp region. Antwerp, situated 50 kms north of Brussels, has the second-largest sea port in Europe and is also the centre for international diamond trade.
Al-Budaiwi noted that there “are a lot of opportunities between Belgium and Kuwait, which we are not taking advantage of.” He spoke of the activities of KuwaitØ¢’s Direct Investment Promotion Authority (KDIPA) and how Belgian companies can take advantage of incentives and facilities that it provides for foreign investors in Kuwait.
