Tue, Jun 23, 2020
News Summary Report
EXTERNAL AFFAIRS
State of Kuwait Strongly Condemns Terrorist Operation in Britain
An official source at the Kuwaiti Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Monday expressed the State of Kuwait strong denunciation of the terrorist operation that happened in the city of Reading, the United Kingdom, where a number of people were killed and wounded.
The official source affirmed the State of Kuwait solidarity with the United Kingdom with respect of measures it may take to face various forms of violence, terrorism and extremism. Moreover, the foreign ministry source expressed sincere condolences and solace for the victims’ families wishing the injured quick recuperation.
KUNA
ECONOMY
OPEC Crudes’ Price at $ 39 pb
Price of OPEC’s basket of crudes climbed 75 cents to settle at $ 39.45 per barrel last Friday compared to $ 37.70 pb the previous day (Thursday), the organization said in its bulletin on Monday.
Average price of the basket per month of May stood at $ 52.43 pb. OPEC, in its latest report, forecast drop of demand for its crudes, in the course of this year, to 24.3 million bpd, 5.6 million bpd as compared to 2019.
KUNA
Local Banks Offered $ 8.9 Billion-Worth Credit Facilities to Business in 100 Days
The Central Bank of Kuwait (CBK) unveiled on Monday that the local banks have provided credit facilities at a total value of KD 2.7 billion (about $ 8.9 billion) to different businesses since the launching in early last April of a government package to stimulate national economy.
In statements obtained by KUNA, the CBK said that 80% of finances, KD 2.16 billion or $ 7.1 billion were given to the businesses impacted by the novel coronavirus outbreak.
It pointed out that all economic sectors have benefited from the granted facilities.
On April 2, the CBK announced that it has adjusted its regulatory instructions and macro prudential policy tools to empower local banks’ ability to perform their vital
role, provide financing to productive economic sectors, and offer liquidity to help businesses continue operations. It pointed out that the move aims to avoid turning a shortage in liquidity from turning into long-term solvency issues. The CBK also noted that the instructions issued include a reduction in liquidity requirements such as the liquidity coverage ratio, the net stable funding ratio, and the regulatory liquidity ratio.
In addition, they increase the maximum limits for the negative cumulative mismatch and the maximum lending limits to providing financing. In an effort to target more support for small and medium enterprises, the credit risk weigh has been reduced from 75% to 25% to calculate the capital adequacy ratio, in order to empower banks to provide more financing to this sector. Moreover, the CBK instructions allowed banks to release capital conservation buffers within the capital base, thus reducing capital requirements. On financing for private housing and development, the new instructions included increasing the ratio of loans to value of the property or the cost of development.
KUNA
Kuwait ranks fifth in Arab world, 37th globally for internet speed
Kuwait ranked 37th globally and 5th in the Arab world on internet speed with an average speed of 42.44 Mbps, according to the monthly report issued by the
“speed test” website released last month, reports Al-Anba daily.
Report added that UAE ranked second in the world and first in the Arab world with an internet speed of 99.67 MB per second, and Qatar came fourth globally and second in the Arab world with Internet speed of 89.11 MB per second. In this context, Information Technology Expert Engineer Qusay Al-Shatti stressed in a special statement that Kuwait, in its current position, finds itself in a gap between the three frontline Gulf states that precede it at the speed of the Internet due to a major difference in speeds, which is up to almost a double, pointing out that Kuwait has made good steps in developing its infrastructure by defining 5G service at the level of the three telecom operators in Kuwait.
Al-Shatti added the 5G service does not cover all regions in Kuwait until now and needs further development, which is normal, especially as the service has not completed two years since its entry to Kuwait. He pointed out that the link for home internet service is still through copper networks, especially in the old areas.
It does not depend on the optical fiber system except in the new areas negatively impact the available capacities and contributes to slowing down the Internet speed compared to the modern system in the new regions.
He pointed out that Kuwait is the least expensive country in terms of internet services compared to other Gulf countries. Nevertheless, the services are almost equal, whether in the business sector or individuals. He stressed that Kuwait is considered in the advanced quarter and ranks among countries with excellent
infrastructure and similar to the countries that precede it in ranking. “I recommend concerned officials in the sector to continue working to develop the services provided and try to cover the entire Kuwait with modern services as much as possible.”
Returning to the report of the “speed test” website, Saudi Arabia ranked tenth globally and third in the Arab world with speed of 62.33 MB per second, Lebanon came fourth in the Arab world and 34th globally with an internet speed of 44.65 megabytes per second. It is worth noting that South Korea ranked fi rst with internet speed of 100.22 MB per second, followed by the UAE, then China ranked third globally with speed of 97.10 MB per second.
Arab Times
Coronavirus is an Opportunity to Change the World Economic Model: Chief for the Economic Section at the French Embassy
Chief of the Economic Section at the French Embassy Mr. Arnaud BOULANGE stressed on the importance and strength of French-Kuwaiti relations and described such relations as developed.
Kuwait is an important trading partner for his country in the region. He remarked that France is in the 1st position in terms of European foreign direct investments in Kuwait with an estimated total value of $ 250 million. However, Kuwait is in the 4th position in the GCC in terms of the volume of foreign investments in France with a total value of 215 million euro.
Mr. BOULANGE pointed out in a special interview with Al-Anbaa newspaper that the volume of trade exchange between the two countries in 2019 reached 750 million euro, including 536 million euros’ French exports and 214 million euros as imports from Kuwait.
He indicated that there are 26 French companies that have permanent works in the State of Kuwait and there is great possibility to increase the number of those companies to participate in future projects.
He stated that his country is ready to set all internationally recognized French expertise in Kuwait to enhance partnership between the two countries. He pointed out that there is a visit by a great delegation from representatives of French companies to Kuwait by the end of this year or the upcoming year.
He indicated that it is necessary to go towards sustainable development and to depend more on renewable energy as well as environment-friendly projects. He stated that the crisis of coronavirus outbreak is considered as a prime opportunity to change world economic model.
Al-Anbaa
DOMESTIC AFFAIRS
641 New Coronavirus Infections, 4 Deaths
Kuwaiti Ministry of Health announced on Monday that 641 people in the country were infected with the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) during the past 24 hours putting whole figure of contamination cases at 40,291.
Official spokesperson of the Ministry Dr. Abdullah Al-Sanad said in his daily briefing about the pandemic at the local level that the virus took lives of four people during the same period, with the total number of deaths from the infectious disease amounting to 330 since its outbreak in the country months ago.
Among these cases were individuals who contracted the virus due to mingling;
others remained under tracing to examine whom they had mingled with. The total caseload of the infections included 383 Kuwaiti citizens and 258 non-Kuwaitis, Dr. Al-Sanad added.
Dr. Al-Sanad said 195 of the cases were recorded in Al-Jahra district, 180 in Al- Ahmadi, 120 in Al-Farwaniya, 81 in Hawally and 64 in Al-Assimah (the capital).
There are currently 181 critical cases at intensive care wards, where overall count of cases that continue to receive medical care amounts to 8,191.
Up to 75 patients were discharged from quarantines, in past 24 hours, however they would sequester themselves at their houses.
Dr. Al-Sanad put the number of swab tests, conducted during the past 24 hours, at 3,216 with overall figure of these examinations standing at 357,594.
He appealed anew upon citizens and expatriates to abide by precautionary measures against the contagion, such as maintaining social distancing.
The Kuwaiti Ministry of Health declared, earlier today, that 530 people contaminated with the germ recovered, during the past 24 hours, putting the whole count of those who recuperated at 31,770.
KUNA
MoE getting prepared for next scholastic year
The Director of the Supplies and Stores Department at the Ministry of Education (MoE), Matrouk Al-Mutairi said 4,400 pieces of school furniture have been stored at the ministry’s warehouses in Sabhan as the ministry prepares for the next academic year, reports Al-Seyassah daily.
Al-Mutairi told the daily, great efforts are being made during these days to complete the needs of the school and follow up on the contracts and tenders signed by the ministry to provide it all the requirements.
This includes various devices, such as cameras, and the different kindergarten and orientation needs in the context of preparing the necessary equipment at the beginning of the next academic year. He added since the decision to suspend work in the ministries and government agencies on March 12, 2020, because of the Corona pandemic, the administration is making great efforts by forming work
teams whose task is to follow up all the work of the ministry that is of urgent importance in preparation for return to work.
Arab Times
Nazaha Organizes Financial Skills and Projects Management at
“Coronavirus Crisis” for Non-Governmental Organizations
The Public Anti-Corruption Authority (Nazaha) announced organizing an online training workshop for non-government organizations and charity societies in the field of “financial skills and projects management in view of outbreak of the novel Coronavirus”, which will be held in partnership between the UN Development Program (UNDP), the Secretariat-General of the Supreme Council for Planning and Development, Ministry of Social Affairs and Labor and Financial Investigation Unit on June 24, 2020.
The Secretary-General of Protection in “Nazaha”, engineer, Abrar Al-Hammad said that this workshop aims to provide support to non-government charity organizations to development their abilities in the field of managing financial expenses and managing their activities with efficiency and transparency pursuant to governance frameworks that minimize opportunities of corruption suspicions in view of repercussions of health crises.
She indicated that the importance of this workshop lies in its efficient contribution in encouraging such entities for an ideal establishment of abilities, and to improve its performance to face challenges imposed by such phase, and to provide
specialized training that supports the awareness side to protect from corruption and to limit its occurrence. This is in coincidence with activating priorities and initiatives of Kuwait’s strategy to enhance integrity and combat corruption (2019 -2014), which are relevant to enhancing integrity between the efforts of the public sector and the civil society in the field of enhancing integrity and combating corruption.
Al-Hammad pointed out that the precautionary procedures adopted by Kuwait to help the Kuwaiti community and the economy after handling the impacts of the pandemic showed the need for the material popular support to face its repercussions due to the great pressure on services and information.
Non-government societies have provided humanitarian support to needy categories locally and internationally, and also those who were impacted by the pandemic. The online workshop will be held on two days, including 5 applied lectures and a number of presentations for practical models.
Al-Anbaa
Minister of Justice Promised to Study the Bill of the Independent Supreme Authority for Elections: Kuwait Transparency Society
As part of the efforts of Kuwait Transparency Society to request statement of a group of national laws, which conform to the world requirements for enhancing integrity and combatting corruption, the Chairman Majed Mefrej Al-Mutairi
representative of the Civil Society Organizations at the membership of the Supreme Coordination Committee to implement the national strategy for enhancing integrity and combating corruption and based on the Society’s main system ( Promoting Kuwait’s Image internally and externally), the Society has contributed, in cooperation with several civil society organizations, to request the executive and legislative authorities to set a group of bills that have national and international priorities, and which aim to improve transparency, integrity and accountability environment, including conflict of interest law, freedom of circulation of information act and the independent authority for elections law.
Al-Mutairi said that the Society’s board of directors met with the Minister of Justice, Counsellor Dr. Fahad Al-Afasi to urge the government to state a group of important national legislations that are conforming to the international requirements of the UNCAC, and the recommendations of TI in order to improve Kuwait’s position in Corruption Perception Index (CPI).
Further, Al-Mutairi pointed out that the Minister of Justice commended the role of the civil society in cooperating with the executive authority, and he indicated that the government is serious in stating the law of banning conflict of interests and the law of freedom of information circulation before the end of the fourth
session of the fifth legislative chapter of the National Assembly, which is expected to end its works next September. Meanwhile, the Minister of Justice promised to study the bill of the independent supreme authority for elections and the attempt to find a consensus on it during the upcoming period.
Al-Anbaa
Isolation of Some Regions in Al-Jahraa --- is Possible
Coronavirus infection among Kuwaiti citizens recorded yesterday a great leap to reach 60% of the total daily announced infections. From 641 infections during 24 hours, out of which are 383 citizens (representing 59.75%).
Informed sources said that there are two reasons for this increase in number of infections, the first is the increase of the number of swabs taken from citizens’
regions during the last two days, and the second reason is non-commitment of many citizens of the procedures of social-distancing, their breach of the health instructions, holding diwaniyas and family gatherings.
Due to the increase of the infection rates in citizens’ housing areas, especially Al- Jahraa and Al-Ahmadi, government sources uncovered that there is a tendency to the Cabinet to impose an isolation at some regions of Al-Jahraa governorate, which witness an increase in the number of infections, including Al-Naseem, Taimaa, Al-Qaser and Saad Al-Abdullah.
Sources said that the government waits the opinion of health authorities and their study of the need of such regions for isolation to be submitted to the Cabinet in its session next Thursday to take the decision, in case the Ministry of Health sees that it is necessary to limit the number of cases.
Meanwhile, Al-Qabas sources pointed out that the Ministry of Health will grant free from coronavirus certificate to citizens who are obliged to travel (like students and others) to countries which require such certificate when they enter their lands.
Al-Qabas
Judicial Petition Against “Judicial Suing”, and the Government Studies Legal Response
After the National Assembly states during the last session on Wednesday the law of judicial suing, the Cabinet received a legal memo stressing that this law has flaws that breach Article 163 of the Constitution, and therefore, the Government studies a legal response regarding its rejection.
Al-Jareeda has been informed by its sources that more than 300 judges and consultants all over the state’s courts have filed to the President of the Supreme Judiciary Council, Chancellor Yousef Al-Mutawa’a a petition requesting the government to reject this law as it has Constitutional breaches. They stressed that
they are not against the principle of suing, however, they are against the mechanism of this law and its articles that might target them.
Sources said that judges stressed in their petition that they don’t protest against stating the right of payment of damages to those affected from judiciary, however, on the contrary, they see that this a due right since a mistake is committed.
However, they stress that it is fair to let them alone bear the repercussions of this mistake, especially that it is not an intentional mistake. Therefore, they see that disciplining the judge who mistakes is fair, but not to hold him accountable for the damages that might reach millions of Kuwaiti dinars.
Moreover, sources said that this law included weak language structures that makes its phases away from the legal responsibility of works undertaken by the judge and the member of the prosecution.
Al-Jareeda
PAM sets up work teams to complete transactions
While the Ministry of Social Affairs has postponed the return of its employees to work based on the decision of the Council of Ministers to extend the activity of the first stage of the plan to return to normal life, Public Authority for Manpower (PAM) continues its work through inspection tours and completing transactions (remotely) from homes, reports Al-Rai daily.
An official source in the Ministry of Social Affairs said, “According to directives of the Council of Ministers, the return of business will be postponed until a decision is made on the return, provided that the work of some departments that are still in operation since the beginning of the crisis - including the cooperative and social welfare sectors, will continue with the same percentage of the workforce.” In PAM, the official spokesperson for the authority and Director of Public Relations Department Aseel Al-Mazyad confirmed that the resumption of working hours depends on the directives of the Council of Ministers to extend the first stage of the plan for the gradual return to normal life, including official working hours. She added that “in the interest of the authority not to disrupt the work of its visitors with regard to disbursing graduate benefits and allowances for the national workforce and other services provided by the authority to employers and expatriate workers since the beginning of the new coronavirus crisis, many work teams have been established to complete the transactions, whether through groups that work at the authority’s headquarters or who work online from their homes”.
And, on the departments assigned to work during the period of delay in official working hours, it indicated that work is continuing in about 16 departments in the authority, including the public relations department that works to raise awareness and publish procedures issued by the authority.
Others include the departments for the disbursement of benefits, financial and legal affairs, human resources, financial management and services management.
“This is to supervise the buildings to ensure their readiness for work, then manage need assessment, in addition to information systems, automated services and the Shelter Center, in addition to managing government contracts and working on projects related to the final cancellation of travel for government contracts workers and managing recruiting domestic workers, which receives complaints,”
she added.
She noted that inspection teams will continue to work around the clock during the disruption period to ensure the extent to which business owners and expatriate workers comply with laws and regulations related to labor law, especially those related to occupational health and safety.
She stated the authority, through the Department of Guidance and Employment, receives alumni transactions, inquiries and their completion through the
“WhatsApp Service” by the authority’s employees through working from home.
Arab Times
Sources:
KUNA: http://www.kuna.net.kw/Default.aspx?language=en
Al Rai: http://www.alraimedia.com/
Kuwait Times: http:/36Y5/www.news.kuwaittimes.net/website/
Arab Times: http://www.arabtimesonline.com/news/
MEED: http://www.meed.com/
Al Anbaa: http://www.alanba.com.kw/newspaper
Al-Seyassa : http://al-seyassah.com/
Al-Anbaa: https://www.alanba.com.kw/newspaper/
77777 Al-Jareeda: http://www.aljarida.com/
