Al-Mishari urges digital transformation to modernize Kuwait’s housing, Municipal sectors
Building Information Modeling (BIM) and smart city technologies vital to boost efficiency and cut project delays; Kuwait’s drive toward a fully smart, sustainable urban system, automated licensing
Minister of State for Municipal Affairs and Minister of State for Housing Affairs Abdul Latif Al-Mishari emphasized today the importance of adopting modern digital technologies to keep pace with development requirements and enhance performance across all stages of design, implementation, management, and operation. He said these tools are essential for advancing Kuwait’s housing sector and modernizing the municipal work system.
Al-Mishari made the remarks during the opening of the Gulf Digital Construction Forum 2025, organized by the Kuwaiti Federation of Engineering Offices and Consulting Firms.
He noted that the forum addresses one of the most critical issues shaping the future of the construction and urban development sector in Kuwait and the Gulf Cooperation Council: digital transformation in construction and city management. This transformation, he said, directly affects the quality of engineering work, the efficiency of infrastructure, and the success of government and private projects.
He highlighted that the Kuwait Municipality and the Public Authority for Housing Welfare are actively employing digital methodologies to improve the accuracy of plans, expedite project completion, and enhance the management of facilities and properties in new cities and residential areas. These efforts align with the State’s vision of developing a more efficient and sustainable urban environment.
Al-Mishari pointed out that recent years have witnessed significant progress in Building Information Modeling (BIM), which has improved project management, reduced waste, and elevated output quality. He also noted the rapid expansion of smart city applications, which have become integral to modern urban development.
The minister praised the Kuwaiti Federation of Engineering Offices and Consulting Firms for promoting the adoption of advanced digital tools and methodologies in line with international standards. He affirmed the commitment of the Ministry of Municipality and the Public Authority for Housing Welfare to support initiatives that achieve sustainable development goals and contribute to Kuwait Vision 2035.
Al-Mishari expressed hope that the forum will produce practical recommendations that strengthen Kuwait’s digital engineering ecosystem and reinforce the country’s position as a regional leader in digital construction and smart cities.
Bader Al-Salman, head of the Kuwaiti Federation of Engineering Offices and Consulting Firms, said the forum’s governmental and private sponsorship reflects a shared desire to translate its outcomes into applied practices in public construction projects and foster cooperation with the private sector.
He added that the forum aims to model information governance for government programs and make engineering data accessible online, thereby accelerating project completion and reducing human intervention.
Al-Salman noted that dozens of Kuwaiti engineering firms already operate with regional and international expertise, conduct electronic transactions, and issue licenses digitally in three dimensions in accordance with BIM standards.
He stressed the goal of building a fully integrated electronic infrastructure that enables engineering studios to obtain licenses automatically, based on the technical requirements of the relevant authorities.
