News Summary Report Tue, May 17, 2021
External Affairs
Rescue Palestinians from the Brutal Attack: Kuwait to the UNSC
State of Kuwait rang the alarm bells to direct the attention to the brutal attacks and breach of international treaties in Palestinian; and it asked for immediate international movement to rescue innocent brothers, who are confronting brutal crimes, and to provide protection to them from killing and destruction.
This came during Kuwait’s word at the UN Security Council Session, which was held yesterday regarding the condition in the Middle East and the Palestinian Cause, by Foreign Minister and State Minister for the Cabinet Affairs Sheikh Dr. Ahmad Al-Nasser.
Al-Nasser stated that the world community is following-up with high concern the dangerous escalation seen in Palestine, including Eastern Jerusalem through the crimes and aggressions committed by Israel, the authority occupying the Palestinian people’s land.
“Kuwait reiterates its strict condemnation of such crimes and aggressions committed by the Israeli occupation forces in the occupied Palestinian territories, including the city of Jerusalem”, he said.
“Further, Kuwait condemns and denies all Israeli illegal settlement plans, and its attempts to seize all the houses and properties of Palestinians, especially the properties of citizens of Jerusalem in Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood, which is an attempt to evacuate the holy city from its residents, expel its indigenous residents in order to Judaize the city and change facts”, he added.
“We all regretfully saw the Israeli forces storming into Al-Aqsa Mosque hall, and its targeting of worshippers. Further, these occupying forces along with illegal settlers still continue targeting children and women mercilessly”, he added.
We are now in a dangerous crossroad that threatens of blowing up any just or comprehensive solution to the central cause of the Arab and Islamic nation. We are facing accelerating expansion plans, which are not exclusive to expanding illegal settlements or seizing of Palestinian lands or properties, but also judaization of Eastern Jerusalem, and evacuating it from its indigenous residents, he said.
Kuwait stresses its full rejection of all the illegal settlement plans on the occupied Palestinian lands, including Eastern Jerusalem, and that such settlements are null and void as per the International Law, and the relevant UNSC decisions.
Kuwait spares no effort to alleviate the suffering of the brethren people of Palestine, since the beginning of the recent Israeli aggressions. “ we have
communicated with our friends and allies. In addition, we’ve held meetings with our brethren in the Arab League and Islamic Cooperation Organization”.
Al-Qabas
Al-Nasser Discussed with Tunisian Counterpart Dangerous Repercussions in Gaza
Foreign Minister and State Minister for the Cabinet Affairs made a phone call yesterday with Tunisian Foreign Minister Othman Al-Jarandi.
Foreign Ministry said in a statement that during the phone call, both sides discussed the dangerous repercussions of the Israeli attacks on Gaza, and consultations and coordination regarding the Security Council session to consider this escalating condition.
The statement indicates that this phone call is made as Tunisia is a non-permanent member at the UNSC, and it is Arab’s representative in it.
Meanwhile, Al-Nasser received a copy of the credentials of the British Ambassador to Kuwait Belinda Luis and the Nigerian Ambassador to Kuwait Gazouli Emam Gladenshi.
Al-Qabas
Blurring Jerusalem’s Distinctive Facts is Part of a Criminal Plan:
Kuwait’s Word at Islamic Cooperation Organization Meeting
Sheikh Dr. Ahmad Al-Nasser headed Kuwait’s delegation at the emergency meeting of the Executive Panel of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), which was held yesterday virtually, on the level of foreign ministers to discuss the current updates in Palestine, and the aggressions and violations committed by the Israeli occupation forces in Jerusalem.
Al-Nasser started his word by quoting a verse from Quran as follows:
“ Believers, be patient, and race in patience, be steadfast, fear Allah, in order that you will be victorious”.
Our brethren in Palestine are confronting one of the biggest and most violent military attacks launched by the Israeli forces, which targeted children, women and civilians without any mercy or respect for international laws or treaties, said Al-Nasser.
While Kuwait is showing respect and pride for our brethren, who are patient and steadfast in Palestine in the face of such brutal Israeli crimes, it reiterates its strong condemnation and denunciation of such systematic crimes on the Palestinian people in Jerusalem and all the occupied Palestinian territories, which already led to destabilize the Middle East region and threatened global peace and security, he added.
The history is repeated. Our old organization has been established because of Al-Aqsa fire in 1969, and after 52 years, the brutal Israeli procedures that aim to blur the facts of Jerusalem as part of a continuous criminal plan to change its identity.
Al-Qabas
Kuwait, Spain Foreign Ministers Eye Closer Ties Amid Talks
The foreign ministers of Kuwait and Spain held talks on Monday over bilateral relations, marking the 60th anniversary of diplomatic ties with a common push to bolster cooperation.
Sheikh Dr. Ahmad Nasser Al-Sabah’s talks with his Spanish counterpart Arancha Gonzalez Laya underscored the mutual desire to improve bilateral ties, bringing to fruition the ambitions of the two countries’ respective leaders, which serve the best interests of their people, according to a statement by the Kuwaiti Foreign Ministry.
The talks come as the Kuwaiti top diplomat started an official visit to Madrid, sealing a number of major deals, chief among them a memorandum of understanding of bilateral political talks, an agreement for diplomatic cooperation and mutual visa exemption treatment for diplomatic passport holders.
KUNA
Kuwait’s Cabinet Condemns Israeli Coercive Evacuation of Palestinians from E. Jerusalem
The Kuwaiti Cabinet, during its weekly meeting on Monday voiced its great condemnation and denunciation of Israel’s continued construction of settlements and the forced displacement of Palestinians from East Jerusalem and Sheikh Jarrah’s area.
It stressed seriousness of continued building settlements, which run counter to international law principles and endanger international efforts aiming to reach a final solution to the Middle East conflict as well as destabilize the region.
In this regard, the Cabinet welcomed the joint statement issued by Britain, Germany, France, Italy and Spain in which they called on Israel to suspend its decision on building further settlements and end settlement expansion in the occupied West Bank and halt the evacuation process in East Jerusalem mainly in Sheikh Jarrah district.
The Cabinet stressed the necessity of doubling international community’s efforts to force Israel to stop such unilateral decisions and create atmospheres to resume the peace talks. The Cabinet affirmed that Kuwait fully stands with Palestinian people and supports all international efforts seeking to reach a fair and comprehensive solution to the Palestinian cause, including the
establishment of the Palestinian State on the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital, in accordance with the international legitimacy’s resolutions and the Arab peace initiative.
The ministers condemned the “terrorist” Afghan school blast that left dozens of people dead and wounded.
They affirmed Kuwait’s firm stance rejecting all these terrorist acts, violence and terrorism in all its forms and manifestations.
The Cabinet expressed their sincere condolences to the Afghan Government and people, and the families of victims. Finally, the Cabinet focused on the political affairs, in light of the latest developments on the political arena at the Arab and international levels.
KUNA
Domestic Affairs
Delivery of Oxford Third Shipment Within Two Weeks
An official source at AstraZeneca Company disclosed to Al-Qabas the details of the whole story of delay of arrival of Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine to the country.
The source said that AstraZeneca Company doesn’t manufacture the vaccine, however, it invented its formula with Oxford University. In order to distribute it around the world, an agreement has been made with more than one factory around the world to manufacture it.
The source added that these factories are distributed in many countries around the world, including Italy, Belgium, Korea, Australia, India and others. Further, the source pointed out that the agreement mechanism is based on contracting to provide the vaccine quantities by granting each factory the right to manufacture equal quantity of the vaccine.
Moreover, the source said that AstraZeneca factory, which was chosen to import to Kuwait with other 52 countries is Russia factory, which produces for the Middle East, Africa, Russia and Eastern Europe. This factory doesn’t have the right to supply to any other country but the above countries.
In addition, the source said that demand on AstraZeneca vaccine is double the demand on Pfizer or others for two reasons, the first is its cheap price ( the dose is $ 5.2 and 8,8), however, the price of Pfizer dose is between $ 25 and 30, and Moderna does price is between $ 20 and 30. The second reason for high demand on AstraZeneca is its easy storage ( at temperature 2 to 5 C), however, Pfizer needs storage in less than -70 C under and Moderna in less than -20 C.
With the global high demand and international pressure, and delay of Russia factory in providing quantities, the local agent, in cooperation with the Ministry of Health, asked to get an exclusion from AstraZeneca and the Russian factory to supply from Serome factory in India, which delivered Kuwait the first shipment of the vaccine ( 200,000 doses in February), however, the second shipment arrived in April ( 127 thousand, which is much less than desired by Kuwait due to the high global demand).
The source said that the local agent is in the pursuit of saving time to overcome the problem of delay of the third shipment of the vaccine. Therefore, the local agent asked its supply to his warehouses till its formal papers and licenses are completed upon arrival. This made it arrive early, adding that at present there is nearly 388 thousand doses of AstraZeneca at the warehouses of the local agent, which await completion of formal papers to be delivered to the Ministry of Health.
Further, the source pointed out that all European countries have adopted the step of giving the first dose of the vaccine to protect from death and minimize ICU cases, and thus, Kuwait wasn’t an odd one out – Al-Qabas
PAM Set up Regulations for Above 60 Years’ Residence Renewal
The Public Authority for Manpower (PAM) has approved a mechanism for expats who are over 60 years old to register their approved academic certificates to help them renew their work permits online in accordance with the legal procedures and regulations that allow for their renewal, reports Al-Qabas daily.
If the employee holds a diploma or university degree and has not previously registered his/her certificates with the labor departments, he/she can do so through the automatic certification approval system, the daily quoting informed sources.
The sources added that it is necessary for the certificates to be approved by the Kuwait Ministry of Foreign Affairs, complete with all other required signatures, and with the details clearly filled on the forms of the automated system.
Arab Times
Community Immunity by End of September
Kuwait will achieve community immunity in September as three million people are expected to be vaccinated by then and the country continues its vaccination campaign to achieve this goal with the number of vaccinated people reaching two million in the next few weeks, reports Al-Rai daily quoting reliable sources.
Reaching the three million target will ensure community immunity as it will pave the way for return to normal life, considering 65 to 70% of the population will be vaccinated before the next school year begins in September, sources said.
Sources highlighted the importance of vaccinating workers in central shopping malls in preparation for gradual return to normal life; while affirming the completion of the second phase of the field vaccination campaign during which more than 30,000 people were vaccinated in 13 commercial complexes. So far, the number of people vaccinated through the mobile units exceeded 60,000 people working in several establishments such as cooperatives, mosques, banking sector, food manufacturers and cinemas, sources disclosed.
Spotlighting the breakthrough in the current coronavirus curve, sources voiced optimism over the indicators of the epidemiological situation; particularly this week’s decline in the number of new corona cases to less than a thousand – the first time since the end of February.
Sources are hoping for the immediate completion of the vaccination of employees in restaurants and food supply companies registered on the COVID-19 vaccination website during the Eid Al-Fitr holidays in preparation for the safe and complete opening of these establishments after the holidays.
Restaurant owners are being encouraged to quickly register their workers’
details on the vaccination site and they should choose essential workers in restaurants and catering establishments in the job category to ensure all employees in these businesses are vaccinated, sources added.
Arab Times
Economy
Kuwait Oil Gain 82 Cents Mon. to $ 68.13 pb – KPC
Kuwait oil edged 82 cents higher during Monday’s trading sessions to close at
$ 68.13 per barrel (pb) against $ 67.31 pb the last Friday, Kuwait Petroleum Corporation (KPC) said Tuesday.
Benchmark Brent crude gained four cents to $ 68.32 pb and West Texas Intermediate rose two cents to $ 64.92 pb.
KUNA
Implementation of Integrated Tax System to Take 3 to 4 years
There is still an open discussion locally about the possibility of imposing taxes as part of implementing financial and economic reform programs, rationalizing expenditures and diversifying the sources of income. However, informed sources revealed that it will be difficult to achieve this in the short term, as imposing taxes requires time and prior measures.
The sources explained that an international consultant whom the Ministry of Finance is seeking advice from in this regard expects the implementation of an integrated tax administration system in Kuwait will take between three and four years, especially if the fractured relationship between the executive and legislative authorities continues to impede policy-making and undermine the State’s ability to implement this procedure.
Analytically, this advisory opinion was based on a number of considerations, the first of which is that there are two tax laws that were submitted to the National Assembly previously as part of the Gulf Cooperation Council agreements. They are the excise tax imposed on tobacco, soft drinks and energy drinks, and the Value-Added Tax, which is different from the income tax, which is completely ruled out. Despite this, a great parliamentary resistance was noticed to the extent of rejecting the two tax bills in spite of the government’s assurances that the ordinary citizens will not be affected by these two taxes.
Amid a lack of agreement by the parliament to approve the law, the government was forced to postpone the implementation of the Value-Added Tax until 2021. It is likely that the law will not be approved, especially if the state of political inconsistency persists.
In Kuwait, there are no direct taxes on citizens, but only agreements with the countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council either in selective taxes or value added tax. There are unified tax procedures, which are regulatory procedures.
There are taxes imposed on companies at about 4.5 percent of their net profits, including zakat and financial support, and the percentage determined for the Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Sciences.
Of course, the growing differences between the two authorities do not constitute all the challenges facing the application of local taxes.
The sources indicated that the tax procedures do not only need tax laws, but modernizing the tax system in the country would be made possible by providing the infrastructure for direct and indirect taxes.
They explained that this technically requires the application of a new and integrated tax system to replace the current system, and this will take into account digitization, integration and speed of implementation according to one of the global tax systems. However, it should be able to accommodate any laws that may emerge in the future in a way that helps in facilitating tax inventory and collection.
Arab Times
