Britain's Queen Elizabeth II has bestowed a rare honour on Kuwait's ambassador Khaled Al Duwaisan, following 30 years of service in the country.
Mr Al Duwaisan was appointed to the Order of St Michael and St George, an honour reserved for those who “render extraordinary or important non-military service in a foreign country”.
Marshal of the Diplomatic Corps Alistair Harrison said the order was a rare and exceptional honour, presented by the queen to an outgoing foreign ambassador in appreciation of his efforts in boosting ties between the two countries, Kuwaiti news agency Kuna reported.
Mr Harrison praised Mr Al Duwaisan’s three decades as ambassador to the UK.
The queen sent a “special car from the Buckingham Palace to bring the ambassador and his wife for the honouring”, Kuna reported.
Mr Al Duwaisan had a video meeting with the queen while at Buckingham Palace and reportedly told her that his success in representing Kuwait in the UK had been thanks to the support of his government.
He has been Kuwait’s ambassador in London since 1992 and became Dean of the Diplomatic Corps in London in 2002. This title is given to the senior diplomatic representative of the diplomatic corps who has served the longest in the country.
His latest award is not Mr Al Duwaisan's first from the British monarch. In 1995, he received an Honorary Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order.
The Order of St Michael and St George was founded in 1818 by the Prince Regent George, on behalf of his father George III.
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New process leads to panic among jobseekers
As a UAE-based travel agent who processes tourist visas from the Philippines, Jennifer Pacia Gado is fielding a lot of calls from concerned travellers just now. And they are all asking the same question.
“My clients are mostly Filipinos, and they [all want to know] about good conduct certificates,” says the 34-year-old Filipina, who has lived in the UAE for five years.
Ms Gado contacted the Philippines Embassy to get more information on the certificate so she can share it with her clients. She says many are worried about the process and associated costs – which could be as high as Dh500 to obtain and attest a good conduct certificate from the Philippines for jobseekers already living in the UAE.
“They are worried about this because when they arrive here without the NBI [National Bureau of Investigation] clearance, it is a hassle because it takes time,” she says.
“They need to go first to the embassy to apply for the application of the NBI clearance. After that they have go to the police station [in the UAE] for the fingerprints. And then they will apply for the special power of attorney so that someone can finish the process in the Philippines. So it is a long process and more expensive if you are doing it from here.”
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Global state-owned investor ranking by size
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China |
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UAE |
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Norway |
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Canada |
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Torque: 1,000Nm
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Total received: €4,756
The UAE bank transfer was far quicker – around two to three working days, while the online platform took around four to five days, but was considerably cheaper. In the online platform transfer, the funds were also exposed to currency risk during the period it took for them to arrive.
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Age: 35
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Education: Masters of arts in cultural communication and tourism
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Favourite hobbies: Art and horseback ridding
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Favourite cuisine: Definitely Emirati - harees is my favourite dish
