I returned to Kuwait on 12 November 2008 just over 44 years after leaving in 1964. I was born here in 1959 and spent my early childhood in the country so it is a particular pleasure to return here as the British Ambassador. Being born in Kuwait inspired me to study Arabic at University and having studied Arabic a career in the Foreign Office was an obvious choice. So in a sense I have completed a full circle!

Having recruited an Arabic speaker the Foreign Office sent me to Brazil for my first posting. In fairness this was because I had married another diplomat and Brasilia offered the possibility of a joint posting for Rachel and me - Rachel was the Head of Chancery and I did economic and commercial work. I have since served overseas at the UK Mission to the United Nations in New York, where I dealt with all Middle East related issues in the Security Council and the General Assembly, as Deputy Head of Mission at the Embassy in Amman, Jordan and as Political Counsellor at the UK Permanent Representation to the EU in Brussels. Most recently I was seconded to the Scottish Government as their EU Director, dividing my time between Edinburgh and Brussels.

Unfortunately my wife Rachel will not be joining me here in Kuwait for the time being. She is currently the British Ambassador to Belgium, where she will be staying with our two younger children. Our two elder children have left school and are living in London. But the whole family are looking forward to visiting Kuwait soon.

This Embassy has a number of important roles. One is to provide the Foreign Office and the rest of the British Government with advice about Kuwait and to ensure that the Kuwaiti Government is well informed about the British Government's policies in the region. Another key role is to provide a wide range of important services: consular support to British citizens, visas for Kuwaiti and other nationals resident here and commercial services to British companies interested in the Kuwaiti market. We also provide support for the British Embassy in Baghdad and the Consulate General in Basra. At all times and with all our interlocutors, our intention is to be professional, efficient and courteous.

The intention of this website is to provide information about Britain's relations with Kuwait and our work in the Gulf region. Our website is divided into sections so as to provide easier navigation and access to all areas of the site. We hope you will find our site helpful and easy to navigate. Do not hesitate to contact us with feedback or if you are having trouble locating information.

Michael Aron