Breaking New Ground on the Global Stage: Memoirs of Kuwait's First Woman Ambassador

"In the 1960s, the State of Kuwait's early days were marked by jubilation and apprehension in equal measure. Kuwait achieved independence on 19 June 1961 under the reign of Sheikh Abdullah Al-Salim Al-Sabah. While concern arose due to Iraqi threats, a sense of urgency for viable government and public institutions to replace historic reliance on British administration also pervaded the country. Immediate needs included the establishment of a functioning Foreign Affairs office, if only to elicit recognition of the fledgling Gulf nation and seek membership in the United Nations.

"The Secretary of Government, my late brother Bader Al Mulla, was delegated the responsibilities of signing letters seeking recognition and asking the Security Council to discuss ominous threats by Iraq. Bader was pulled out of his undergraduate studies in the United Kingdom in 1955 to follow in the footsteps of our father, Abdullah Al Mulla, and grandfather Saleh Al Mulla, who had successively served as Secretary of Government to the Amirs of Kuwait since 1906, starting with Sheikh Mubarak Al-Sabah.

"Kuwait's new government initially faced a serious shortfall of foreign-affairs expertise and manpower. Given the close-knit relationships within Kuwaiti society, it drew upon prominent personalities to serve as ambassadors and officials in the Foreign Ministry. My maternal uncle Khalifa Khaled Al-Ghuneim was selected by Sheikh Abdullah Al-Salim Al-Sabah to be his first envoy to the United Kingdom. Meanwhile, in October 1961 the Secretary of Government merged with the new Department of Foreign Affairs, with Sheikh Sabah Al-Salim Al-Sabah at the helm. In January 1962, Sheikh Sabah Al-Salim Al-Sabah was then named the first Minister of Foreign Affairs of the State of Kuwait. He served in that capacity until February 1963 and was succeeded by Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, who held that position for forty years until 2003, making him the second longest serving Foreign Minister.

"During the course of my own decades-long diplomatic career, I have been fortunate to work for long periods under the guidance of Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, as well as that of Sheikh Salim Sabah Al-Salim Al-Sabah, and their successors Sheikh Dr. Mohammed Sabah Al-Salim Al-Sabah and Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Sabah.

"Some years ago, I toyed with the idea of writing the history of my family, but this was a feat accomplished by my diligent niece Shaimaa, who in 2023 published a well-documented book entitled Al-Mulla: In the Realm of History and Politics, concerning three Al Mulla Secretaries of Government-my grandfather, father, and brother. I decided to take a different angle with this memoir. Here, I aim to register my own narrative and experiences. I obtained from the UN archives some letters signed by my brother on behalf of Sheikh Abdullah Al-Salim Al-Sabah that were previously seized during Iraq's 1990 invasion. Those letters are included in the annex of this book, as few people are aware of the nascent history of the Kuwait Foreign Ministry. It is astounding to think how far it has come.

"It has now been over six decades since independence and the Foreign Ministry's tumultuous beginning. Kuwait is blessed with a professional team of men and women educated and trained in the art and conduct of foreign policy. I owe it to this institution that I have served for over three decades and to the younger generation to shed some light on my own experience."

-Ambassador Nabeela Al Mulla
Kuwait, 2024

Ambassador Nabeela Al Mulla is the first woman ambassador from the Gulf region, the first Arab woman to chair the IAEA Board of Governors, and the first Arab woman Permanent Representative to the United Nations.