Kuwait Cabinet examine efforts to curb drug smuggling, roads’ repair
The ministers, during their weekly session on Tuesday, examined efforts to curb bids to smuggle drugs into the country, preparations for the forthcoming Gulf Cup tournament and roads’ overhaul ahead of the coming winter season.
The Cabinet held the regular weekly session at Bayan Palace under chairmanship of Acting Prime Minister, Minister of Defense and Minister of Interior Sheikh Fahad Yusuf Saud Al-Sabah. Following the session, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs Sharida Al-Mousherji stated that the ministers were briefed about letters addressed to His Highness the Amir Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah from heads of sisterly and friendly states on means of boosting bilateral relations and activating cooperation between the State of Kuwait and these states in various sectors.
The ministers were informed about line-up of the official delegation accompanying Representative of His Highness the Amir Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Ahmad Abdullah Al-Ahmad al-Sabah, who headed to Belgium to lead the State of Kuwait’s delegation at the first joint GCC-EU Summit. The Kuwaiti delegation included Foreign Minister Abdullah Al-Yahya and a number of officials from the Prime Minister’s Diwan.
The Acting Prime Minister and Minister of Defense briefed his peers about outcome of the visit he paid last Wednesday to Bahrain, a mission designed to bolster further the distinctive relations and activate mutual cooperation in various domains. He also informed the ministers about his meeting with Bahraini King Hamad bin Isa Al-Khalifa, the Crown Prince and the Prime Minister Prince Salman bin Hamad Al-Khalifa, the General Commander of the Bahrain Defense Force Sheikh Khalifa bin Ahmad Al-Khalifa and the Interior Minister Sheikh Rashed bin Abdullah.
He noted during the session that the talks with the Bahraini leaders dealt with the brotherly and historic bonds and means of promoting mutual cooperation between the two countries.
The ministers listened to a briefing by the Acting Prime Minister and Minister of Defense on the coordinated efforts by the general directorate for combating narcotics and the directorate general of the coast guards for aborting a bid to smuggle a huge amount of drugs into the country via the sea. The acting prime minister expressed sincere condolences on recent martyrdom of Flight Lieutenant Mohammad Mahmoud Abdul-Rasoul, pilot of the F-18 fighter jet that crashed during a training sortie the north of Kuwait.
For his part, Abdurrahman Al-Mutairi, the Minister of Information, Culture, and Minister of State for Youth Affairs and Chair of the Steering Committee of the Gulf Football Tournament (Khaleeji ’26), along with officials from the Sport Public Authority, gave a visual presentation about preparations for the championship due between December 21, 2024 – January 3, 2025. Minister Al-Mutairi affirmed that a contract had been worked out with a foreign company specialized in gates’ systems, e-tickets and spectators’ movement. He noted that the selected company had taken part in organizing the World Cup held in Qatar in 2022.
Meanwhile, Minister of Public Works Dr. Nora Al-Mashaan addressed the session revealing that up to 18 contracts would be inked, in the coming few days, for full-scale overhaul and pavement of the roads throughout the country. The head of the Civil Service Commission, Dr. Issam Al-Rubaiaan, spoke about a proposal on night time work in the public sector, noting that work at these hours would help in cutting traffic and provide more time for citizens to do their transactions.
Moreover, the ministers were informed about recommendations from the ministerial committee for economic affairs regarding the annual report of the Kuwait Direct Investment Promotion Authority (KDIPA), containing information about investments in industries, information technology, oil and gas services, infrastructures, energy, power, health, education and training. In conclusion, the ministers lauded the great efforts by the Director General of KDIPA Dr. Meshaal Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah and the personnel. – KUNA
