Kuwait, Vanuatu ink educational accords worth $500,000
CANBERRA: The State of Kuwait and the Republic of Vanuatu have signed two accords for funding two educational projects. Ambassador Australia Najeeb AlBader signed the agreements for establishing ‘Kuwait Vocational Training Friendship Centre’ and a project named ‘Kuwait Classrooms’ for primary education, funded by Kuwait at a total cost of about 700,000 Australian Dollars (around $500,000), according to a statement issued by the Kuwaiti Embassy in Australia. After the signing ceremony of the two agreements with the Ambassador of the Republic of Vanuatu Kalfau to Australia George Kaloris at the Kuwaiti Embassy in Canberra, Bader stated that the funding of the two projects came in line with guidelines by the Kuwaiti Cabinet, in response to a request by the Government of Vanuatu following natural disasters.
Ambassador Bader explained that the two projects emphasize Kuwait’s keenness to provide humanitarian assistance to many countries in various fields, including assistance related to the development of the education.
He added that the projects would be executed in cooperation with the Ministry of Education and Training in the Republic of Vanuatu and Vanuatu High Commission in Canberra, aiming to improve quality of educational environment and motivate students to pursue their studies and academic goals.
Furthermore, Bader explained that support from the State of Kuwait to the Vocational Training Center at the Hospitality School of the Vanuatu Institute of Technology will be the first of its kind in the capital Port Vila, hoping that these educational development projects will further enhance the friendly bilateral relations between the two countries.
In this regard, Kaloris, who is also the High Commissioner of the Republic of Vanuatu stressed his country’s great appreciation of Kuwait’s generous contribution to development of education in his country, pointing out that the decision of his government to include “Kuwait” in naming the two projects comes as a recognition of its prominent role in funding several development projects in the world and especially in the pacific region.
Kaloris also emphasized that the State of Kuwait’s funding of the two projects enables his country to face many educational challenges and supports its efforts to bridge the gap in the development of education and provide the classrooms that will assist in meeting growing needs.
He has added that Kuwait is the first country in the Middle East to build educational institutions in his country. He also extended his Government’s appreciation for Kuwait’s financial donation in 2015 of $300,000 towards Tropical Cyclone Pam reconstruction efforts. The High Commissioner of the Republic of Vanuatu expressed his sincere appreciation to the Embassy of the State of Kuwait headed by Ambassador Bader and to the members of the Kuwaiti mission for their fruitful cooperation and efforts to achieve these funding agreements. Kaloris also conveyed his country’s aspiration to further develop the existing bilateral relations with the State of Kuwait in all fields.