Kuwait development plan 2023-24 receives significant update
A new follow-up report on Kuwait’s development plan for the period 2023-24, issued recently by the General Secretariat of the Supreme Council for Planning and Development shows 55 new public policies integrated into its ambitious development program. 35 of which will be activated through 130 supporting projects.
One particularly significant project initiative in the program is to build new international economic zones, and to institute an independent governance and oversight mechanism in the management of the economic zones.
Another aspect of the plan is activating the legislative and regulatory frameworks for privatization of several government entities, in adherence to the Vision 2035, New Kuwait Development Plan. The privatization program aims to increase citizens’ partnership in specific public sector undertakings.
The policy is reportedly directly linked to the North Shuaiba Station project, which has reached a completion rate of 51 percent. The plan to privatize ‘Northern Shuaiba’ has been in the offing for years and is expected to transform the role of the government from operator and producer, to regulator and monitor of the project.
Privatization is also meant to provide the private sector the opportunity to own, operate and manage the facilities and production units in order to improve their production efficiency in a way that serves the general economy of the country, and enhance the dynamics of the private sector.
The follow-up report on the ambitious development plan also referenced the program titled ‘Strengthening a Dynamic Private Sector’ under which five policies were activated by the end of the last quarter of 2023-2024. These policies are related to 17 development projects implemented through nine government entities, including one project in the delivery stage, seven in the implementation phase, and nine in the preparation stage.
The report also highlighted five activated policies, the most significant of which focuses on developing large-scale, highly efficient productive economies through the enhancement of economic priority sectors. This includes the Al-Zour Refinery Project by the Petroleum Corporation, which is in the handover stage with a completion rate of 99.9 percent.
Additionally, the program ‘Reforming the Systems of Providing Health Care Services and Adopting Modern Treatment Technology and Techniques’ encompasses ten policies, including the completed project ‘New Maternity Hospital’, six projects in the executive phase, and three others in the preparatory phase.
The development plans also included the program ‘Providing Environmentally Harmonious Living Areas’, which comprises five policies, four of which were activated in the annual plan 2023-2024 with 14 development projects implemented through six government entities.
Among the most important of these projects are initiatives to increase the percentage of energy production from renewable sources and improve the solid waste management system. The completion rate for the first project reached eight percent, while the project ‘Rehabilitating Waste Backfill Sites’ is at about 57 percent, and the ‘Converting Solid Waste into Dry Fuel’ project has a 20 percent completion rate.
According to the report, the development plan includes another program titled ‘Promoting the Health and Well-Being of All’, under which the Ministry of Health oversees eight projects, the most significant of which focus on improving the general health of young people, combating drug use, increasing the number of healthy cities, and promoting individual health, which currently has a completion rate of 85 percent.
The Supreme Planning Secretariat periodically monitors the Kuwaiti development plan, which is based on seven fundamental pillars supported by detailed technical data and reports. These pillars have been formulated to work together to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals, including the creation of human capital that aligns with international indicators, and an effective government department aimed at reforming public administration systems while enhancing transparency, accountability, and the effectiveness of the government apparatus.
In addition, the plan includes a ‘Sustainable diversified economy’, which aims to empower the private sector, promote industries, utilize advanced technologies, and create highly efficient infrastructure that meets international standards.
The vision of ‘New Kuwait 2035’ seeks to transform the country into a regional and global financial and commercial hub that attracts investment, with the private sector leading economic activity. It aims to achieve human development, enhance the spirit of competition, and improve production efficiency, all under a supportive institutional framework that reinforces national values, preserves social identity, and fosters human development, while providing the appropriate infrastructure for a conducive and developed business environment.
