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News Summary Report Wed / Nov. 21, 2018
Domestic Affairs
Indemnification for Houses
Informed sources told Al-Anbaa that the provisions and controls set by the team assigned by Minister of Social Affairs and State Minister for Economic Affairs, Hind Al-Sabeeh shall determine those who were really harmed from the downpours crisis, and who could apply for indemnification including their basic data, the harmed premises, proof documents of harm and its volume.
Sources clarified that the number of harmed houses, which are eligible to indemnification are very few, and application for indemnification should be by person.
“This needs a big technical and supervisory team, and we don’t have capability to do that”, said sources about the possibility that the government shall render some reforms. Sources added that indemnification center is the suitable authority to render indemnification procedures from a logistic perspective (place and occupational position). Sources remarked that other issues like harmed vehicles should be examined with insurance companies. Al-Anbaa
Banning Six Companies and an Engineering Office from Housing Welfare Tenders: Bu Shehri
Minister of Housing and State Minister for Services, Dr. Jenan Bu Shehri announced banning of six corporations and an engineering office from the tenders of the Public Authority for Housing Welfare, which are being offered at present or shall be offered in the future.
This decision is taken upon completion of the report of the technical team counting infrastructure damages of Sabah Al-Ahmad Residential City, which demonstrated existence of damages in the projects undertaken by those companies due to the last downpours. Al-Seyassa
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Al-Hajeri to Al-Anbaa: A Permanent Committee to Provide Assistance to Those Needy in Casualties
Assistant Undersecretary for Development Sector at the Ministry of Social Affairs, Hanaa Al- Hajeri indicated the formation of a special committee for emergency aids for needy families.
“The ministry met with representatives of 16 charities to examine provision of aids to families that were harmed from the downpours, said Al-Hajeri, and she remarked that all societies showed their readiness to provide aids to those harmed from the downpours, as some of them proposed to provide residence to those who lost their houses or lease allowance or any other needed assistance.
Al-Hajeri indicated that this committee is continuing to handle any emergency, and she remarked that any public utility society could participate in it. Al-Anbaa
All Plants and Sectors Are Ready: Ministry of Electricity and Water
Assistant Undersecretary for Electric Power stations and Water Desalination at Kuwait Ministry of Electricity and Water, engineering, Fouad Al-Oun emphasized yesterday readiness of all plants and sectors at the Ministry for downpours.
Al-Oun said to Kuwait News Agency, KUNA that all those working at all sectors of the Ministry are continuously coordinating to benefit from the last experiment of the last downpours. He further added that all water and electricity plants are stable and that there are regular meetings between leaders at the various sectors as well as close follow-up through the timely reports. Al-Seyassa
Kuwaiti team prepares application for floods' compensations claims-official
Kuwait Finance Ministry Undersecretary Saleh Al-Sarawi said Tuesday a government team was preparing applications for people demanding compensations for damages they sustained from recent heavy rainfall and floods.
Al-Sarawi, who is heading the government's compensation team, told Kuwait TV applications were prepared ahead of announcing timings of receiving claims, which would be at headquarters of Kuwait compensation authority in Shamiya Area.
The government formed yesterday a team, chaired by Minister of Social Affairs and Labor Hind Al-Sabeeh, tasked renovating houses damaged by rainfall, and to provide suitable housing
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until completion of renovation.
The team will also determine who was responsible for damage caused by rainfall, capitalizing from experience gained from dealing with rainfall to prevent recurrence, how to gather the rain instead of wasting it, and preparing requests for compensations for the damage caused by the rain as of next week. KUNA
The Prime Minister Meets GCC Engineering Federation members
His Excellency the Prime Minister, Shaikh Jaber Al-Mubarak received yesterday at Bayan Palace Minister of Social Affairs and Labor, and State Minister for Economic Affairs, Hend al- Sabeeh accompanied by the Secretary General of GCC Federation, Dr. Kamal Al-Hamad and the members participating in the celebration on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of establishing GCC Engineering Federation. Al-Anbaa
First Deputy Meets the World Bank Regional Manager
The First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense, Shaikh Nasser Al-Sabah received the World Bank Regional Manager, Dr. Essam Abu Solieman and his accompanying delegation at Bayan Palace yesterday morning on the occasion of his visit to Kuwait.
Shaikh Nasser Al-Ahmad welcomed the guest and his accompanying delegation. During the meeting, they discussed issues of mutual concern. Al-Anbaa. Al-Anbaa
Completion of Downpours Damages Inventory in Sabah Al-Ahmed Residential City:
Minister of Housing
Minister of State for Housing Affairs and State Minister for Services Affairs, Dr. Jenan Bu Shehri affirmed that the government activated the contingency plan to face the impacts of the unprecedented downpours in the last days. She also affirmed the government’s readiness to any coming downpours.
Bu Shehri said in a press statement for journalists at the People’s Assembly that MPW started forming a Fact-Finding Committee presided by the Minister of Works to consider damages that inflicted roads, streets and infrastructure due to downpours and flooding in general.
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Investigating damages in the infrastructure of Sabah Al-Ahmad is one of the tasks of the committee.
She added that she formed teamwork in the Public Institution for Housing Welfore to make damages inventory in the city, and the committee prepared a complete report about damages, and their degrees. The report is referred to the Fact-Finding Commission.
“The Cabinet was clear in its statement, as a Committee chaired by Minister of Social Affairs and Labor and State Minister for Economic Affairs, Hend Al-Sabeeh was formed for this purpose”, said the Al-Sabeeh in response to a question about the mechanism of handling damages that inflicted houses and properties. Al-Anbaa
Education, Culture, and Guidance Committee Asks Authorization of the National Assembly to Probe Forged Degrees
Education, Culture, and Guidance Committee decided during its meeting yesterday (Tuesday) the most significant priorities in the third session. The Chairman of the Committee, MP Dr.
Ouda Al-Rouei indicated that the file of forged degrees has not been discussed in the Committee because there was no authorization from the People’s Assembly to do so.
Meanwhile, he confirmed that the Committee shall submit an application to the People’s Assembly to authorize it to probe into this issue. Al-Anbaa
Providing Health Insurance for Policemen: Khaled Al-Jarrah
While Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, Shaikh Khaled Al-Jarrah announced the approval of the MOI to establish Tourism Police Department as is applicable in most countries around the world, he confirmed that the MOI applied for health insurance for policemen to the Cabinet.
“ MOI applied for health insurance provision for policemen, however, as for temporarily leasing a building to be used as a hospital, the Ministry is committed towards supervisory authorities not to expand in leased premises, knowing that it is allowed to officers of the Ministry to be treated at Jaber Al-Ahmed Hospital”, said Al-Jarrah in response to two proposals submitted by MP Askar Al-Anzi.
In other news, Al-Jarrah reported that MOI doesn’t spare an effort to secure tourists, and it takes all security precautionary measures to provide security, safety and assurance to tourists since their arrival to ports and also during their existence in Kuwait.
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“ The Ministry doesn’t mind establishing tourism police department as is applicable in most countries around the world”, he added. Al-Rai
Kuwait Warns of Severe Weather Conditions This Weekend
Kuwait’s meteorological office has warned of the possibility of unstable weather across the country during the weekend.
The Gulf State, which has been hit by a spate of heavy rains and flooding, will continue to see severe weather conditions from Thursday till Monday, Meteorologist Abdulaziz Al-Qarawi told the Kuwait News Agency KUNA.
Friday’s weather will see sporadic rainfall during the day with wind speeds expected to reach 60km/hr, leading to seven foot rise in sea levels, Al-Qarawi said.
The strong winds are forecast to cause low visibility in some areas. “The capricious weather patterns” are expected to continue until Monday morning”, he added. Gulf News
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Economy
Kuwaiti –Japanese Businessmen Discuss Investment, Joint Projects
Kuwait and Japan on Tuesday discussed measures to enhance business cooperation between the two countries with focusing on infrastructure projects and small and semi-sized business.
The 22nd meeting of the Kuwaiti-Japanese Businessmen’s Committee held here featured three sessions – Economic analysis, “ New Kuwait 2035” development plan, and Cooperation in the field of training Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs).
The one-day forum, co-chaired by Tareq Al-Mutawa and his Japanese counterpart, Hiroshi Saito, brought together some 90 government officials and business people from various sectors of both countries.
In his opening remarks, Al-Mutawa pointed out it was the first annual meeting since the official ratification of an agreement on technical cooperation between the two governments, saying,
“ it is considered the main relevant event witness during 2018”. The agreement is a great achievement crowning the constant efforts of this committee for more two decades, said Al- Mutawa.
The pact gives significant focus to the human resources development activities, such as providing technical training to Kuwaiti nationals, dispatching Japanese missions to Kuwait to conduct, with their Kuwaiti counterparts, surveys of economic and social nature, according to Al-Mutawa, who is a board member of Kuwait Chamber of Commerce and Industry. KUNA
Kuwaiti oil price down USD one to USD 64.39 pb Tues.
The price of Kuwait's crude oil went down USD one on Tuesday to stand at USD 64.39 per barrel (pb) after it was at USD 65.39 pb the day before, said Kuwait Petroleum Corporation (KPC) on Wednesday.
In the global markets, prices fell significantly due to a huge drop in Wall Street market and concerns about slowing world economic growth. The price of the Brent Blend went down USD 4.26 to settle at USD 62.53 pb, as well as did the West Texas Intermediate, which declined USD 3.77 to reach USD 53.43 pb. KUNA
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External Affairs
Al-Khaled Received a Copy of Iranian Ambassador Credentials
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Shaikh Sabah Al-Khaled received a copy of the credentials of the new Ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Iran to Kuwait, Mohamed Irani during the meeting that happened yesterday morning at his office in MOFA.
Al-Khaled expressed his well wishes to the new ambassador to achieve success in his works in Kuwait and he also wished more growth and prosperity of relations between the two countries.
The meeting was attended by Deputy Foreign Minister, Ambassador, Khaled Al-Jarallah, and Assistant Foreign Minister for Deputy Prime Minister’s Affairs. Al-Anbaa
King Salman briefs Saudi Cabinet about His Highness Amir's message
Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz briefed the Saudi Cabinet on Tuesday about contents of a message he had received from His Highness the Amir (of Kuwait) Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah.
The cabinet, following its weekly session, chaired by the King and held in the city of Tabuk, expressed in a statement gratitude to brotherly, friendly states and other parties that had welcomed the recent statement by the Saudi Public Prosecution on investigations in the case of the citizen, Jamal Khashoggi, and rejection of politicizing this humanitarian issue.
It affirmed keenness on tackling humanitarian and economic conditions in Yemen. KUNA
Kuwait Supports the Diplomatic Approach to Solve the Syrian Crisis
Kuwait expressed its hope to achieve progress in activating the Syrian diplomatic approach prior to the end of this year, otherwise, Syrians shall resume their eighth year of dispute without any real or tangible prospects of permanent and sustainable peace.
This came during the speech of Kuwait’s permanent Ambassador to the UN, Mansour Al- Otaibi at the UN session on Syria the previous day.
“Sochi agreement concluded at the beginning of last January regarding formation of a Constitutional Committee was a glimmer of hope for a transitional political process, however, no progress has been achieved after the passage of nearly 11 months from that agreement. This is very disappointing”, said Al-Otaibi.
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Al-Otaibi affirmed the contents of the closing statement of the Quadripartite Summit between Turkey, Russia, France, and Germany, which was held in Istanbul on the 27th of last October, especially the call to launching the works of the Constitutional Committee prior to the end of this year. He expressed his motivation to the UN special envoy to resume communication with the concerned parties in order to form the Constitutional Committee as soon as possible to be balanced, credible and representative of all categories of the Syrian people.
He pointed out that the Constitutional Committee is a pivotal milestone in the path of the transitional political process, and also a basis for other significant milestones as stated in the UN decision “2254” regarding drafting of a new constitution and conducting free and unbiased elections in Syria under the supervision of the UN.
He further clarified that “elections should be made with the participation of all Syrians including Syrian refugees abroad as Sochi’s declaration was clear in terms of determining the role of the special envoy and Geneva pathway in the final formation of the Constitutional Committee. Al-Anbaa
Kuwaiti Amb. Discusses Security Council issues with French official
Ambassador of Kuwait to France Sami Al-Suleiman met with the Secretary-General of the French Foreign Ministry Maurice Gourdault-Montagne along with Ambassadors of Security Council's non-permanent members to discuss a number of to be discussed by the Council.
In a statement to KUNA on Tuesday, Al-Suleiman said the meeting that was held at the Kuwaiti Embassy in Paris on Monday was an opportunity to exchange viewpoints on many issues and to have a better understanding over France's opinion about them.
Al-Suleiman assured that Kuwait, a non-permanent member itself, is in contact with the permanent member states on the same issues.
He also praised the stances France has taken towards the majority of regional issues which are generally intertwined with Kuwait's views, confirming the consistent cooperation between both countries in many cases. KUNA
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Kuwait expresses appreciation, pride to peacekeepers in Africa, world
Kuwait has expressed its appreciation to the peacekeepers in Africa and around the world who have given their lives to preserve peace, renewing support for the efforts of African countries in the Security Council, including their intention to present a draft resolution on peace support operations.
This came during a speech by Kuwait at the Security Council meeting on the strengthening of peacekeeping operations in Africa, which was delivered by the Permanent Representative of Kuwait to the United Nations Ambassador Mansour Al-Otaibi.
"The Charter of the United Nations provided us with an umbrella for regional cooperation and 73 years later, the majority of the member states of the Organization agreed to adopt the Declaration of Common Commitments, which dealt with topics such as partnership, as stated in the Secretary-General's initiative for peacekeeping," he said.
"We will never find an example of this cooperation between the United Nations and the African Union, so it is up to our Council to advance its cooperation with the Peace and Security Council, guided by its resolutions 2320 (2016) and 2378 (2018), which highlight the commitment to strengthen collective security and take steps towards greater cooperation, including funding of missions", he noted.
"The 2017 common framework for improving the partnership in peace and security, in addition to the annual meetings between the Security Council and the Peace and Security Council, as well as membership of the United Nations on the Board of Trustees of the African Union Peace Fund, will provide us with a renewed opportunity to increase and sustain dialogue between the two organizations, "he said. KUNA
Kuwait Attends UNAOC Meeting
The 8th Global Forum of the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) started its sessions at the UN Headquarters on Tuesday with participation of Member of Kuwaiti Parliament Safaa Al-Hashem. Al-Hashim, who is also the Chairperson of the Standing Committee for the United Nations Affairs in the Arab Parliamentary Union, briefed Kuwait Television and KUNA about subjects to be discussed during the UNAOC meetings.
“International peace and security, preventing conflicts, extremism and violence, promoting dialogue among civilizations and religions are all topics to be discussed during the forum’s
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sessions,” she added. The forum will shed light on four key axes related to youth, education, media, and immigration, Al-Hashem noted. It will also discuss developing of educational curricula to cope with the latest technology and smart applications without the need for a traditional study system, calling to benefit from the Scandinavian experiences in this fi eld. She confirmed her presence as a representative of parliamentarians of Kuwait’s National Assembly and representative of the fourth UN standing committee at the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) in such global event is very important. In her statement, Al-Hashim pointed to the subject of enabling women to fight violence against her in all its forms whether verbal, physical, or even at work. Arab Times
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Sources:
KUNA: http://www.kuna.net.kw/Default.aspx?language=en
Al Rai
: http://www.alraimedia.com/Kuwait Times: http://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/
Al-Jareeda: http://www.aljarida.com/
