Visit of the Honourable Noël A. Kinsella, Senator, Speaker of the Senate, and a Parliamentary Delegation, Kuwait, Yemen and Oman
From January 6 to 17, 2008, the Honourable Noël A. Kinsella, Speaker of the Senate, led an official delegation composed of the Honourable Senators Donald H. Oliver and James Cowan, as well as Mr. Paul C. Bélisle, Clerk of the Senate and Clerk of the Parliaments, to Kuwait, Yemen and Oman.
In Kuwait, the delegation met with:
- His Highness Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, Emir of Kuwait;
- His Highness Sheikh Saad Al-Abdallah Al-Sabah, Crown Prince of Kuwait;
- His Excellency Sheikh Dr. Mohammed Sabah Al-Salem Al Sabah, Deputy Premier and Minister of Foreign Affairs;
- His Highness Sheikh Nasser Mohammed Al-Ahmed Al-Sabah, Prime Minister;
- His Excellency Jassem Mohammed Abdulmuhsen Al-Kharafi, Speaker of the National Assembly (Majles Al-Ommah); and
- His Excellency Mohammad Al-Sager, Chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee.
In Yemen, the delegation met with:
- His Excellency Ali Abdullah Saleh, President of Yemen;
- His Excellency Ali Muhammad Mujawwar, Prime Minister of Yemen;
- His Excellency Abdul Aziz Abdul Ghani, Speaker of the Consultative Council (Majlis Alshoora);
- Mr. Yahya Al Ra'ee, Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives (Majlis al Nouab);
- His Excellency Abu Abkr Abdallah al Qirbi, Minister of Foreign Affairs;
- His Excellency Abd al-Salman Muhammad Hizam al-Jawfi, Minister of Education;
- His Excellency Dr. Saleh Ali Ba-Surah, Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research; and
- Her Excellency Dr. Huda Ali Abdullatef Alban, Minister of Human Rights.
While in Oman, the delegation met with:
- His Excellency Dr. Yahya Mafhoodh Al Manthri, Chairman of the State Council (Majlis Al Dawla);
- His Excellency Sheikh Salim Hilal Al Khalily, Minister of Agriculture;
- His Highness Sayyid Fahad Mahmoud Al Said, Deputy Prime Minister for the Council of Ministers;
- His Excellency Sheikh Ahmed bin Mohammed Al-Isabee, Chairman of the Consultative Council (Majlis A'Shura);
- His Excellency Maqbool Ali Sultan, Minister of Commerce and Industry; and
- Her Excellency Dr. Rayah Saud al Busaidi, Minister of Higher Education.
The objectives of the visit were to:
- enhance relations between Canada and Kuwait, Yemen and Oman;
- encourage ongoing parliamentary dialogue by further promoting parliamentary exchanges;
- highlight the range of Canada's interests in the region;
- pursue good relations in all fields of contact;
- promote educational exchanges in the region;
- discuss foreign policies with respect to issues of international and mutual interest;
- support our Canadian troops deployed in the region; and
- observe the HMCS Charlottetown's current mission in the Gulf.