www.bahrainthismonth.com 18 April 2023 interview REPRESENTING BELGIUM His Excellency Marc Trentesau, the Ambassador of the Kingdom of Belgium to the State of Kuwait and the Non-Resident Ambassador to the Kingdom of Bahrain, visited the island last month to receive the oath of Mrs. Martine Kindt, the new Honorary Consul of Belgium to the Kingdom of Bahrain. Furthermore, with the oath-taking ceremony coinciding with the 146 th Inter-Parliamentary Union Assembly being hosted in the Kingdom for the first time, the President of the Belgian Senate, Stephanie D’Hose, was also in attendance. Kristian Harrison sat down with both of them to discuss the importance of the Honorary Consul position, the current state of bilateral relations between the two countries and more. HE Marc Trentesau is a seasoned diplomat, having previously served as the Belgian Ambassador to Indonesia, Turkey and Morocco before assuming his position in Kuwait whilst also remotely serving as Belgium’s chief diplomatic presence in Bahrain. His support in Bahrain has been heavily bolstered by the appointment of Mrs. Kindt, who now serves as the Honorary Consul. She will assist Belgian nationals in Bahrain with consular duties and also promote Belgian interests and the community in the Kingdom. “I am delighted to be here in Bahrain to open the Honorary Consulate of Belgium in Bahrain,” His Excellency said. “It’s been long overdue for us to have a presence like this here. We used to have one many years ago but the position was unfulfilled until Mrs. Kindt graciously agreed to take the position. It’s a proud moment for the Belgian community in Bahrain to see her take her oath and I have no doubt that she will do a fantastic job. “Honorary Consuls are volunteers who graciously support Belgian interests, especially in countries such as Bahrain without a permanent embassy. There is a relatively large community here with approximately 200
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