KUWAIT: The Saud Nasser Al-Sabah Diplomatic Institute, affiliated with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, organized a lecture on Monday titled “Women in Diplomacy: Presence, Competence, and Influence.” The session was delivered by Sheikha Dr Munira Al Khalifa, Director General of the Mohammed bin Mubarak Al Khalifa Academy for Diplomatic Studies in Bahrain, and attended by several heads of foreign missions and diplomats.
Speaking to Kuwait News Agency (KUNA), Al Khalifa shared insights from her diplomatic and academic experience, emphasizing the importance of exchanging ideas, best practices, and experiences to highlight how diplomatic training empowers women and strengthens their role within the diplomatic corps. She noted that while statistics may show relatively low female representation in GCC diplomatic services, this must be viewed in the historical context of institutions established when women’s participation was limited.
Part of the lecture organized by the Kuwaiti Diplomatic Institute “Saud Al-Nasser Al-Sabah”, affiliated with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, entitled “The Diplomatic Woman: Presence, Efficiency and Influence”.
Al Khalifa highlighted the ongoing progress reflecting Gulf women’s competence and capability to excel in foreign affairs. She stressed the importance of institutional policies and procedures that support women’s empowerment while accommodating family needs and scholarship requirements, ensuring their smooth and sustainable integration and advancement in diplomacy. The lecture also addressed aspects of diplomatic recruitment and included innovative initiatives such as the publication of a children’s book, “The Pearl of Diplomacy,” aimed at familiarizing young people with diplomacy and inspiring future careers in the field.
Al Khalifa expressed her appreciation to Assistant Foreign Minister for the Saud Nasser Al-Sabah Diplomatic Institute, Ambassador Nasser Al-Subaih, for his support, noting that the exchange of expertise between Kuwait and Bahrain has been ongoing even before the signing of a formal memorandum of understanding, reflecting the strong bilateral ties and shared approach to addressing regional and diplomatic challenges. — KUNA
