The government is committed to ensuring that there are sufficient stocks of essential commodities to meet and overcome any exigencies that may occur over the short- or long-term, stressed Minister of Commerce and Industry and Minister of State for Youth Affairs, Muhammad Al-Aiban.
In a media statement the minister noted that as part of the initiative aimed at bolstering strategic reserves of essential food and commodities to ward off potential shortages and fostering long-term security, the government has enacted three pertinent directives. These actions are in line with an overarching strategy for the management of storage facilities and warehouses throughout Kuwait.
He added that within this context, the government has established a panel tasked with devising strategies to safeguard food and commodity reserves. Heading this committee is Tariq Al-Sharrah, with Saleh Al-Dhafiri as Vice-Chairman. Other members of the committee include, Faisal Al-Ansari, Ghazwa Al-Anzi, Ibrahim Al-Sultan, and Saad Al-Adwani, who will serve as a member and rapporteur.
The committee, set to work for a duration of three months as outlined in the decision, will delve into existing mechanisms for preserving stocks and formulate an all-encompassing approach to enhance and safeguard reserves within cooperative societies and parallel markets. Furthermore, the committee will devise an awareness campaign focused on promoting prudent food consumption practices and minimizing waste.
Simultaneously, the Minister of Commerce has assembled an 11-member committee to oversee the implementation of the recommendations put forth in the government performance follow-up agency’s report. This report pertains to the provision of strategic storage spaces for establishing stores and warehouses.
The committee’s responsibilities encompass creating a procedural guide to manage and supervise these strategic storage zones and making available lands designated for storage purposes.
Pursuant to this decision, the committee will develop a comprehensive plan and automated system to monitor the strategic stockpile, facilitating its integration with Kuwait Flour Mills and Kuwait Catering companies.
Collaborative efforts with the Kuwait Municipality and relevant authorities will be undertaken to allocate lands for constructing multi-story facilities aimed at distributing subsidized and discounted supplies. Additionally, the committee will streamline the establishment of the government-owned company responsible for strategic reserves and assess the viability of new supply center initiatives, proposing optimal implementation strategies.
In a related context, Al-Aiban has issued a decree to restructure the Standing Committee responsible for selecting and incorporating food items and discounted goods into the ration card system. This committee will be composed of nine members.