Representatives of Turkish Airlines,
Excellencies,
Distinguished guests,
Ladies and gentlemen,

I am pleased to be with you this evening on the occasion of the Ramadan Ghabga program, organised by the Turkish Airlines Office in Kuwait. Ramadan Mubarak!

I have always felt time flies very fast. Every year, the Holy Month of Ramadan seems to be looming ahead in a short notice, or so it seems. Once it comes, before we know it, it’s over and Muslims all over the world will be emotional to see it go and look forward to the next one.

And this year, it is not different. We are already turning into the second half of Ramadan. Eid will be here sooner than we think. The days have passed by so quickly, similar to our life in this world, and what we get out of it, is our deeds.

Dear Guests,

Fasting in the month of Ramadan is a powerful institution of Islam. It develops in a person the real spirit of social belonging, of unity and brotherhood, and of equality before Allah. When we fast, we feel that we are joining the whole Muslim society in observing the same duty, in the same manner, at the same time, for the same motives, and for the same end.

As soon as the fasting ends at dusk, another good time starts for people to share traditional Ramadan hospitality. Community members get-together and socialise in iftar and sahoor meals. In this context, Ghabga is a unique Kuwaiti tradition that we admire.

Last week, I hosted the Turkish Embassy's Ghabga event with outstanding participation. Today, I am glad to join a Ghabga hosted by Turkish Airlines. As can be seen, ''Turkey in Kuwait'' is truly part of this meaningful Kuwaiti tradition.

Ladies and gentlemen,

We, as Turkey, have achieved reforms and records of historic proportions in almost every area over the past 17 years. We have worked hard for the total economic growth of our country. It is noteworthy that transportation and logistics sector has become one of the fastest growing industries, tripling in value since 2002. The export, tourism and investment figures over this period show the distance Turkey has taken. Our exports have increased from 36 billion USD in 2002 to 168 billion USD in 2018. In the same period, Turkey achieved a significant growth rate of 5.6%. We ended last year with a growth rate of 2.6% despite previous speculations.

We have been, at the same time, trying to further and diversify our relations with countries not only in neighbourhood, but also far across the world. In this process, Turkey’s national flag carrier Turkish Airlines, which flies to even the farthest corners of globe, plays a tremendous role. Turkish Airlines flies to more destinations than any other airline in the world, and the success of the company is internationally recognized. It has been leading the Turkey’s Fortune 500 list since 2008. Turkish Airlines is our ''rising star''.

Dear Guests,

Turkey and Kuwait established diplomatic relations 55 years ago. Turkish Embassy in Kuwait was opened 48 years ago. And, Turkish Airlines started its operations in Kuwait 40 years ago. It means, Turkish Airlines has mostly been on the scene in our bilateral relations.

As I mentioned, time flies. So does Turkish Airlines. However, being a ''rising star'' is not an easy job. It comes with more responsibilities. We all have raised our expectations from Turkish Airlines. It will race against time, deal with a more competitive environment, and contribute increasingly more to the Turkey-Kuwait relations, particularly in the fields of tourism and commerce.

300 thousand Kuwaitis visited Turkey in 2018. I am glad that the figures keep rising. In the first three months of this year, the number already reached 69 thousand, which corresponds to an increase about 20% compared to the same period last year.

As you know, new Istanbul Airport started its operations on April 6th. In April, less than a month-time, Istanbul Airport hosted more than 4 million guests and around 27 thousand flights. Istanbul Airport is the new global aviation hub. And, it is waiting for more and more guests from Kuwait. Visit and enjoy Turkey!

Distinguished Guests,

While concluding my remarks, I want to pray for peace, security and stability of our region. May Allah bless us with happiness, and grace our countries and world with warmth and peace. May this Ramadan bring all of us joy, good fortune and prosperity.

I would also like to thank Turkish Airlines Kuwait Office for organizing such a nice event. And, congratulations on the 40th anniversary!

Ramadan Kareem! Thank you.