The Italian ambassador to Kuwait, HE Carlo Balducci, says 2023 will be special for Kuwaiti tourists visiting Italy since a big number of Kuwait’s are applying for visas this summer noting that “the consular section at the embassy issues between 200 and 300 visas per day, this is a big number equivalent to about 5 times the number of visas granted in the years preceding the Corona pandemic, reports Al-Rai daily. Balducci told the daily on the eve of the Republic Day celebrations which falls on June 2, visas to Kuwaitis are issued within 24 hours and the Italian embassy in Kuwait is considered the fastest in issuing visas among the Italian embassies around the world.
He indicated “the Schengen visa file for the Kuwaitis is moving in the right direction in Brussels, and “we hope that the issue will be resolved next year.” He disclosed many Italian companies are operating in Kuwait, directly or through local partners. When he arrived in Kuwait in 2019, he said, “The Italian exports to Kuwait were estimated at one billion Euros, and in 2022 the exports doubled to two billion Euros, despite the epidemic and the economic crises caused by wars in the region and the world. The volume of Kuwaiti exports to Italy of diesel fuel, oils and petrochemical products increased by 1000 percent from 2021 to 2022, reaching 35 million Euros in 2021, and about 330 million Euros in 2022. This is a remarkable indicator. It is important to develop our economic relations.”
Balducci went on to say, “From today, we will start operating eight direct weekly flights to Italy via Kuwait Airways to Rome and Milan, and in mid- June there will be additional direct flights by the Italian airlines mandated by law, at a rate of 3 flights per week.” He pointed out that “there are about 150 Kuwaiti students studying for a doctorate degree in Italian universities, especially in the medical specialty, and we are working to increase the number of these students, as most courses in Italian universities are given in English, and the distance between the two countries is only 4 and a half hours through direct flights.”
Source- Arab Times.
