Thur, Jan 07, 2021
News Summary Report EXTERNAL AFFAIRS
Ambassadors Congratulate Al-Nasser of “Order of Kuwait”
Saudi Ambassador: A deserved honoring for a character endowed with virtuous qualities and fine manner,
Italian Ambassador: Settlement of Dispute Increases Stability of the Region, Tahbob: Your Efforts Are Immense and Your Services Are Great,
Korean Ambassador: He worked hard to bring peace and stability to the region, Jordanian Ambassador: A success added to the series of Kuwaiti diplomacy's acclaimed Arab and international successes
Ambassador of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques to the State of Kuwait, Amir Sultan Bin Saad congratulated the Foreign Minister Sheikh Dr. Ahmad Nasser Al-Mohammad Al-Sabah for being awarded “the Order of Kuwait of the First Class”.
“It is a deserved honoring for a character endowed with virtuous qualities, fine manners, and continuous efforts”, said Amir Sultan, remarking that it is considered honoring of all diplomats who worked with him.
Further, Ambassador of Palestine to the State of Kuwait Rami Tahbob said that on behalf of himself and on behalf of the Palestinian community in the State of Kuwait he congratulates Al-Nasser for being honored by His Highness the Amir Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad by “the Order of Kuwait of the First Class as a sign of appreciation for “your immense efforts, your great services to the State of Kuwait”, and for development of brotherly relations between Kuwait and other member states in the GCC as well as Arab countries in pursuits for unity.
Italian Ambassador to the State of Kuwait Carlo Baldocci welcomed the results of the GCC Summit. He said that his country welcomes the results of the summit on the 5th of January; approval of Al-Ula statement, which represents return of normal relations between the GCC countries; and declaration of reopening airspace between Saudi Arabia and Qatar.
Settlement of internal disputes between GCC countries is considered a key provision for maximizing stability and security in the region. He voiced appreciation of his country for the continuous intermediation efforts of Kuwait
and the support by the USA as well as the constructive commitment of parties to settle the dispute. This is an objective that has been supported by Italy.
Further, ambassador of the Republic of Korea to the State of Kuwait Dr. Hong Youngki congratulated Al-Nasser for honoring his efforts and his persistent efforts, remarking that Minister Al-Nasser worked hard to bring peace and stability to the region under the leadership of His Highness the Amir Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad and the late Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad.
Moreover, he congratulated the leadership and people of Kuwait for the remarkable results of Al-Ula summit, which culminated in settling the GCC rift, and restored cohesion to the GCC states, which will contribute to the stability of the region.
Similarly, Ambassador of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan ambassador Saqer Abu Shtal congratulated Foreign Minister Sheikh Dr. Ahmad Al-Nasser for being awarded “the Order of Kuwait of the First Class” as a sign of appreciation for his efforts and his persistent efforts under the leadership of His Highness Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad, and the late Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad, and his role in returning relations to normalcy in the GCC.
Moreover, he congratulated the leadership, government and people of Kuwait of the results of Al-Ula Summit, end of the GCC crisis and return of brotherly relations, which enhances solidarity and stability in the GCC region; serves aspirations of the peoples; and contributes to achieving Pan-Arab solidarity and the efforts of confronting joint challenges. He stressed that this success could be added to the series of Kuwaiti diplomacy's acclaimed Arab and international successes.
Al-Rai
FM Urged to Open Direct Flights from Egypt
Head of the National Union of Kuwaiti Students (NUKS)-Egypt branch Ahmad Al-Maadi has appealed to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to open airspace for direct travel from Egypt to Kuwait to allow Kuwaitis who are studying in Egypt to return home, especially since these students are on school break until Feb 20, reports Al-Anbaa daily. In an exclusive statement to the daily, Al-Maadadi disclosed the closure of airspace between the two countries had a negative impact on students due to high prices of plane tickets and the suffering they could experience while in transit in other countries.
He is surprised that both the transit and direct flights have been suspended. He then argued that it is possible to open the way for direct flight by requiring the
conduct medical checkups for them at Kuwait International Airport before they enter the country.
He affirmed such measures are very appropriate during this period. He added the cancellation of flights for Kuwaiti students coming from Egypt with transit in the United Arab Emirates due to rescheduling of flights at Kuwait International Airport led to remarkable increase in plane ticket prices; thereby, adding to the burdens of the students and their parents.
Meanwhile, the Public Prosecution has asked the Central Bank of Kuwait to lift the banking confidentiality code for 13 persons based on the request of Kuwait Anti-Corruption Authority (Nazaha), considering that the son of a former senior official and four former undersecretaries of the Ministry of Health are among the names on the list, reports Al-Qabas daily.
Arab Times
Japan Lauds Kuwait’s Mediation Efforts for GCC Reconciliation
The Japanese Government on Wednesday praised mediation efforts by Kuwait and the US for the successful reconciliation among the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states.
“ We welcome these positive developments and highly appreciate the mediation efforts by those, including Kuwait and the US for the settlement of the issue, “ Foreign Ministry Press Secretary Tomoyuki Yoshida said in a statement.
“ The unity among the Gulf countries is important to ensure peace and stability in the Middle East. The Japanese government of Japan hopes that the agreement will lead to further improvement of the relations among the countries concerned as well as to easing tensions and stabilization in the region”, said Yoshida.
The spokesman also affirmed that Japan will continue working to realize peace and stability in the Middle East in cooperation with the countries related.
At the GCC Summit held in Saudi Arabia city of Al-Ula on Tuesday, leaders of the six- member states issued the Ula declaration and they agreed to restore normal track and amity of the region. On Monday, Saudi Arabia and Qatar also reopened their borders.
KUNA
Russia Welcomes Outcome of GCC Summit
Russia welcomed Wednesday the outcome of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) leaders’ summit, held Tuesday in Al-Ula, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and described decisions as important.
In a statement, the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said that Russia welcomes the agreements reached during the Al-Ula summit, which reflect the good will of the GCC countries and Egypt, and came due to mediation efforts of Kuwait.
Al-Ula summit is an evidence of GCC countries intend to put an end to the rift and restore mutual trust and good-neighborly relations, the statement added.
The settlement of the situation of Qatar would contribute in addressing the situation in the Middle East and North Africa region, it added.
KUNA
The Netherlands Lauds Kuwait’s Mediation Role in the GCC Reconciliation The Netherlands Wednesday welcomed the reconciliation within the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and praised Kuwait’s efforts to achieve normalization of relations among some of the council member states.
“I join (EU High Representative) Joseph Borell in welcoming the normalization of relations between the countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council”, said Dutch foreign minister Stef Blok on his Twitter Account today.
Blok said he “commends the mediation effort of the State of Kuwait”, and added
“these are significant steps for stability and cooperation in the region”.
KUNA
Tunisia Lauds Kuwait’s Role for Mending Fences Among GCC Countries Tunisia on Wednesday lauded the efforts that had been exerted by the State of Kuwait for mending fences among the GCC countries.
The foreign ministry said in a statement that the Tunisian leadership had followed up with interest on the GCC summit, held in Al-Ula, Saudi Arabia, praising its outcome namely the decisions aimed at bolstering the inter-GCC ranks.
It also acclaimed Kuwait’s efforts for restoring the brotherly ties hoping the summit resolutions would ultimately contribute to bolstering inter-Arab solidarity.
KUNA
Germany Applauds Kuwait’s Mediation at GCC Level
The German Government on Wednesday praised mediation efforts by the State of Kuwait and the United States of America that led to positive outcome at the end of the latest GCC Summit.
The German Foreign Ministry said in a statement that results of yesterday’s summit came due to the relentless mediation efforts, exerted by the State of Kuwait and the US.
Germany and the European Union have always supported a solution to this crisis, the statement said, applauding in particular the agreement on reopening borders between Qatar and Saudi Arabia.
Reopening these borders will positively impact on GCC countries’ solidarity, it affirmed.
KUNA
UN Lauds Kuwait Role in Mending Gulf Rift, Al-Ula’s GCC Summit
UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres lauded the role played by the State of Kuwait in mending the Gulf rift, and also commended the final statement, which came out of the GCC Summit held in Al-Ula, Saudi Arabia.
Farhan Haq, Deputy Spokesperson for the Secretary-General, said in a statement Tuesday “ The Secretary-General expressed his gratitude to those from the region and beyond, including the late Amir of Kuwait and late Sultan of Oman, who worked tirelessly towards resolving the Gulf rift.
“ The Secretary-General welcomes the Al-Ula declaration on “ solidarity and stability” announced at the Summit of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia today.
“The declaration recognizes the importance of unity among the GCC states and aims to strengthen regional security, peace, stability and prosperity”, indicated the official, adding that “ He (Guterres) also welcomes yesterday’s announcement on opening the airspace, land and sea borders between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Egypt and the State of Qatar.
“The trusts that all countries concerned with continue to act in a positive spirit to strengthen their relations”. Leaders of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) pressed, during Al-Ula’s Gulf summit Tuesday, for enhancing Pan-GCC cooperation to reach full integration and unity among its six member states.
GCC leaders also hailed Kuwait’s relentless efforts over the past year to resolve the Gulf crisis and restore unity of the Gulf states.
KUNA
ECONOMY
Kuwait Oil Price Down $ Two to $ 50.75 pb – KPC
The price of Kuwaiti oil went down by $ two to $ 50.75 per barrel (pb) on Tuesday after being at $ 52.75 pb a day before, said Kuwait Petroleum Corporation (KPC) Wednesday.
Globally, the price of Brent crude went up by $ 2.11 to $ 53.60 pb, the same case with the West Texas Intermediate, which increased by $ 2.31 to $ 49.93 pb.
KUNA
Moody’s Negative on GCC Outlook
The negative 2021 outlook for sovereign creditworthiness in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) reflects the coronavirus-related fall in oil revenue, which is driving year’s deterioration in fiscal strength, while constraining government spending and slowing the economic recovery, Moody’s Investors Service said in a report today.
Moody’s expects that it will take 2-3 years for real GDP in GCC sovereigns to return to pre-Pandemic levels, with the recovery most protracted in the more economically diversified sovereigns, where key sectors, such as transportation and tourism will be slow to return to health. “ Our negative outlook for GCC sovereigns reflects the coronavirus pandemic’s impact on oil revenue and our expectations for the erosion of fiscal strength experienced last year to extend throughout 2021, said Thaddeus Best, a Moody’s Analyst and the report’s co- author.
“ The still elevated cost of funding for lower-rated sovereigns in the region will amplify these strains”. The lingering economic effects of the Pandemic also mean that citizen employment rates are unlikely to recover soon given high targets for citizen employment in private sector industries, which have been hard hit by the shock.
Arab Times
DOMESTIC AFFAIRS
DGCA to Equip Weather Dept. with State-of-the-Art Systems
According to informed sources, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has prepared an integrated strategic plan to provide Kuwait Meteorological Department with highly advanced systems and devices to provide accurate and reliable information on weather conditions, and temperatures, as well as warnings about rising dust and sandstorms, and early warnings about winds, by means of internationally accredited scientific measuring devices, reports Al-Anbaa daily.
They explained that the DGCA has finished obtaining the necessary approvals to offer contracts for developmental operations of Kuwait Meteorological Department. These projects will be as follows:
(1) Designing, manufacturing, supplying, installing and operating training warranty, maintenance and technical support services for automatic weather monitoring systems (AWOS) at Kuwait International Airport. The project will be offered in the form of a limited practice to a number of specialized companies,
(2) Presenting a project for National Sand and Dust Storm Warning and Advisory System (N-SDSWAS) at Kuwait International Airport inclusive of design, manufacturing, delivery, installation, commissioning, training, maintenance, technical support and warranty, and also the Meteorological Data Processing System Second Generation (MDP-2G).,
(3) Low Level Wind Shear Alert System (LLWAS), a Runway Oriented turbulence Detection and Advisory System (ROTDAS/LIDAR), Composite Doppler Weather Radar Network (CDWRN) – inclusive of design, manufacturing, delivery, installation, commissioning, training, maintenance, technical support and warranty.
(4) An Airport Surface Observance System (ASOS), and AMS Aviation Meteorological system, which are inclusive of design, manufacturing, delivery, installation, commissioning, training, maintenance, technical support and warranty, in addition to the contract for the design and operation of the Integrated Ground Based Remote Sensing Station (IGBRSS).
It should be noted that the Kuwait Meteorological Department of DGCA has about 16 monitoring stations distributed in various regions of Kuwait.
Arab Times
Resignation of the Cabinet – Reassigning Al-Khaled
Al-Qabas has been informed that that Constitutional options to handle the issue of blocked channels of relations between the National Assembly and the Government have culminated in cabinet resignation, providing that he will be re- assigned to be a prime minister.
High level sources disclosed to Al-Qabas that the process of cabinet formation will immediately start upon assigning Al-Khaled, who gains trust of political leadership, remarking that it is an opportunity to ease the tension and re-arrange priorities for the upcoming phase.
The work of the legislative and executive authorities has been stumbled due to three interpellations that were directed to His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled, which was supported by 36 MPs.
The Speaker of the National Assembly Marzouq Al-Ghanim dissolved the complementary session yesterday (Wednesday) due to non-attendance of the government as per Article 116 of the Constitution. He announced that the Government formally informed him that it will not attend.
MPs requested yesterday to form a new cabinet responding to people’s demands.
Meanwhile 5 MPs submitted a bill that sets forth validity of holding sessions without the attendance of the government.
Al-Qabas 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/
