Kuwait has temporarily suspended the activities of around 11 small and medium-sized exchange companies over failures to adequately update their systems and procedures for combating money laundering and terrorist financing, in a tightening of controls aimed at blocking suspicious and high-risk financial transfers.

The suspensions were imposed in batches rather than simultaneously and will remain in place until the companies correct the identified shortcomings and bring their systems into compliance with requirements set by the Central Bank of Kuwait and the Financial Intelligence Unit.

The companies may continue servicing customers whose transfers were processed through their systems before the restrictions took effect, according to the regulatory measures. To resume normal operations, the suspended companies must strengthen safeguards for identifying the true beneficiary of transfers, improve controls over high-risk transactions and implement enhanced due diligence procedures for complex or unusual financial activity.

They must also strengthen early-warning systems capable of detecting suspicious patterns, including unusual transaction volumes, frequency, size and structures that could potentially be used to conceal the identity of the actual beneficiary or facilitate illegal activity.

The regulatory measures also require exchange companies to ensure that no financial or related services are provided to individuals, entities or groups whose funds are subject to asset-freeze decisions, in line with requirements associated with the Financial Action Task Force (FATF).

Kuwait currently has 33 licensed exchange companies operating under Central Bank supervision. The intensified monitoring of transfers to and from Kuwait forms part of broader efforts to strengthen the country’s anti-money-laundering and counter-terrorist-financing framework.

Red flags under scrutiny

Particular attention is being given to transactions involving high-risk geographical areas, weak financial-control environments and jurisdictions subject to sanctions or other restrictions. Regulators are also requiring exchange companies to improve their ability to detect attempts to bypass financial controls through complicated transaction structures, multiple intermediaries or different locations and agents.

Such patterns can make it harder to determine who ultimately benefits from a transfer and can create opportunities for financial crimes, prompting authorities to demand stronger monitoring and verification systems. The companies have also been instructed to apply enhanced due diligence to complex transactions and activate early-warning mechanisms when customer activity does not match a known financial profile or declared purpose.

Examples of suspicious indicators include customers transferring large amounts and rapidly converting currencies without an apparent economic purpose, conducting transactions involving several parties without a clear legal relationship, or making unusually large transfers to multiple recipients, particularly overseas.

Regulators are also watching for repeated transfers involving offshore financial centers or jurisdictions considered vulnerable to money laundering and terrorist-financing risks. Other warning signs include inactive or irregular customers suddenly making high-value transfers, particularly when the transactions are inconsistent with their established customer profile.

Stronger safeguards against hidden beneficiaries

A central focus of the crackdown is the ability of exchange companies to identify the actual beneficiary of funds transferred from Kuwait and determine whether the person or entity receiving the money is the legitimate intended recipient.

Authorities are therefore pressing exchange companies to upgrade their systems so that suspicious patterns can be detected before transactions create avenues for concealing beneficial ownership or circumventing financial restrictions, Al-Rai daily reports.

The measures form part of Kuwait’s wider efforts to strengthen financial-sector safeguards and ensure that exchange companies can identify, assess and report transactions presenting heightened money-laundering or terrorist-financing risks.

The regulatory action does not, by itself, establish that the suspended companies engaged in money laundering or terrorist financing. Rather, the suspensions relate to deficiencies in their compliance systems and procedures that regulators require them to correct before resuming full activity.

The Ministry of Education has approved new rules governing tuition fees at Arabic-language private schools and Pakistani schools, allowing a one-time increase of 10 to 15 percent while introducing tighter controls on how fees are collected and stronger safeguards for students whose families have outstanding payments.

Under the decision, schools charging between 250 and 450 dinars will be permitted to raise tuition fees by 15 percent, based on the approved fee structure of each school. Schools whose fees start at 451 dinars or more may increase charges by 10 percent.

The increases are to be applied only once, with schools required to provide educational services corresponding to the level of the approved increase. The decision therefore links any higher financial burden on families to the continued provision of the services covered by the school’s approved fee structure.

Fees to be collected in three instalments

The ministry has also established a standard payment mechanism, requiring tuition fees to be collected from parents in three equal instalments. The first instalment is due during the first week of the student’s attendance at the beginning of the academic year and includes the registration fee.

The second instalment is payable during the first week of the second academic period, in line with the approved academic calendar. For Pakistani schools, the third instalment is due during the first week of the third academic period. The decision places clear limits on schools’ ability to alter this arrangement.

Fees cannot become a barrier to education

Covered schools may not increase fees beyond the percentages and amounts approved by the ministry, nor may they change the number, value or payment dates of the instalments specified in the decision. One of the most significant elements of the decision concerns student rights.

Schools are prohibited from preventing students from receiving educational services because of unpaid tuition fees. They may not bar students from sitting for mid-year or final examinations, remove them from school, or withhold their academic results because fees remain unpaid during the school year.

The provision puts the continuation of a student’s education and access to academic assessment beyond the reach of fee-collection disputes, ensuring that outstanding payments do not automatically translate into a loss of classroom access or examination rights.The ministry has laid down specific rules for students who transfer between schools during the academic year.

Rules also cover students changing schools

If the due date for the first instalment arrives and the student has already begun attending classes during that period, the school is entitled to half of the tuition fees. If the second instalment becomes due while the student is attending the school, the school is entitled to the full tuition fee.

For a student who transfers to another school or leaves education during the academic year, the fees due are determined according to the instalment schedule and the applicable circumstances. The receiving school cannot charge tuition for the period the student spent at the previous school, preventing families from being charged twice for the same period of study.

There is a specific exception for students who are academically expelled or transferred from one school to another under the school regulations. In such cases, the Examinations and Equivalencies Department, in coordination with the Administrative Affairs Department of the General Administration of Private Education, may reorganise the fees due during an instalment period according to the actual length of time the student spent at the original school.

Indian schools had already received a similar increase
The latest decision follows a similar move involving private schools operating under the Indian curriculum. In November last year, the Ministry of Education approved a 15 percent increase for Indian schools whose fees started between 300 and 500 dinars, while schools charging more than 500 dinars were permitted a 10 percent increase.

Because the decision concerning Indian schools was issued after the academic year had already begun, roughly two months after classes started, some schools opted not to implement the increase immediately and instead deferred its application until the beginning of the current academic year.

Parents to get clearer view of approved fees

The ministry has also strengthened requirements for disclosure and transparency. Schools covered by the decision must submit a list of their approved tuition fees to the Financial and Administrative Affairs Department of the General Administration of Private Education. The list will be reviewed to ensure that schools are not exceeding the fees authorised by the ministry.

Once reviewed, schools must make the approved fee schedule readily available to parents by displaying it prominently on a noticeboard at the school or publishing it on the school’s website. The aim is to give parents a clear picture of what they are expected to pay for the academic year and make it easier to identify charges that fall outside the officially approved structure.

Academic results must remain accessible

The ministry has further required private schools to allow both parents and students to view their results in mid-year and final examinations even when tuition fees have not been paid.

Schools must also notify parents of students who fail one or more subjects and are required to sit for a second examination. Notification must be made through a recognised communication channel that has been clearly communicated to the parent in advance, including text messages, electronic messages, email or postal correspondence.

Taken together, the new regulations establish a framework that not only permits private schools to adjust tuition fees, but also places greater emphasis on predictable payments, fee transparency and the protection of students’ access to education and academic results.

The Ministry of Interior has reiterated that the ban on aerial photography and the operation of drones remains in force across Kuwait until further notice.

The ministry has urged citizens and residents to fully comply with the instructions, stressing that any violation will result in the necessary legal action against those responsible in accordance with the laws and regulations in force.

The ministry also called on everyone to cooperate with the authorities and adhere to the instructions that have been issued to help safeguard the security and safety of Kuwait, its citizens and residents.

Kuwait banks are becoming more selective in lending to expatriates, shifting from broad-based expansion toward a more risk-focused approach. Lenders are placing greater emphasis on employment stability, the financial strength of employers and the likelihood that borrowers will maintain a regular income to service their loans.

Several banks are reportedly developing a “grey list” of expatriate professions considered vulnerable to Kuwaitization, workforce reductions or uncertainty over the future operations of employers. The shift comes as Kuwaitization policies accelerate across government entities and the private sector.

The Ministry of Education’s plan to address staffing surpluses, including the termination of services for around 7,019 expatriate teachers in its first phase, has heightened banks’ concerns about employment-related credit risks. Government teachers in specialties targeted for Kuwaitization, retirement or identified as surplus are therefore facing greater scrutiny. Expatriate employees of cooperative societies and public-benefit organizations are also receiving closer attention.

Banks are particularly cautious about employees with new employment contracts, lower salaries or lower educational qualifications, with financing for these categories likely to be more selective and subject to lower credit limits. However, the approach does not amount to a blanket ban on expatriate lending, as decisions continue to depend on each customer’s individual circumstances.

At the same time, banks continue to favor expatriates working in professions considered more secure or difficult to replace. Doctors, engineers, healthcare professionals, technicians, technology and artificial-intelligence specialists, as well as workers in other specialized and scarce occupations, remain among the more attractive borrowers. Teachers working in specialties considered less exposed to Kuwaitization over the medium term also continue to receive relatively favorable treatment.

Years of service have become an increasingly important credit factor. Expatriates with stable employment, a good credit record and around 10 years or more of service are viewed more favorably because their accumulated end-of-service benefits provide an additional financial cushion. Banks may take these benefits into consideration when determining financing eligibility.

The strength of the employer is another major consideration. Employees of Kuwait Stock Exchange-listed companies or companies already approved by a bank can receive more favorable treatment because lenders have greater visibility over the employer’s financial position and salary-payment record. For companies that are not listed or approved, banks may instead assess their market reputation, operational presence and ability to maintain regular salary payments.

Minimum salary requirements vary between banks. According to the source, some lenders require expatriate borrowers to earn at least 400 dinars per month, while others set the minimum at 600 dinars. Employers that maintain strong governance and transparency practices, including notifying banks of changes affecting employees’ salary transfers, can also improve the credit profile of their workers.

Some banks are going further by seeking assurances regarding end-of-service benefits. In certain cases, borrowers may be required to provide an undertaking from their employer confirming that any end-of-service payment will be transferred to the lending bank if employment is terminated before the loan is fully repaid.

Eligible Kuwaiti and expatriate borrowers who satisfy regulatory and banking requirements can obtain combined consumer and housing financing of up to 95,000 dinars. Monthly loan installments are generally restricted to 40 percent of net salary, making income level a key factor in determining borrowing capacity.

Under the examples cited in the source, a borrower requiring a monthly installment of 1,100 dinars would need a salary of around 2,750 dinars. For a 25,000-dinar loan, a monthly installment of 490 dinars would correspond to a salary of around 1,225 dinars, based on the financing assumptions outlined.

Despite tighter lending policies for some expatriate categories, wealthy non-Kuwaiti customers remain highly attractive to banks. Expatriates classified as “platinum” customers can continue to receive preferential treatment, including specialized banking services, competitive interest rates and investment products.

These high-value customers typically have substantial deposits, strong financial capacity, shares, exceptional end-of-service benefits or other valuable collateral. As a result, banks continue to compete for such expatriate customers and may provide financing close to the maximum limits permitted by the Central Bank of Kuwait.

Overall, the banking market is moving toward a two-tier approach to expatriate lending. Workers in jobs exposed to Kuwaitization, restructuring or employment uncertainty face greater scrutiny, while highly skilled professionals, long-serving employees, workers at financially stable companies and wealthy expatriates with strong collateral remain attractive customers.

The key change is that job security and employer strength are increasingly being considered alongside salary and credit history when banks assess expatriate borrowers.

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres on Monday urged the creation of a global governance system to regulate artificial intelligence, warning that the technology is advancing at “runaway speed” and without sufficient oversight.

Speaking ahead of the first Global Dialogue on AI Governance in Geneva, which brings together governments, technology companies, academia and civil society, Guterres said AI is already transforming societies, but cautioned that the world is witnessing “an experiment being run on our own societies, without a plan and without consent.”

He stressed that the key question facing humanity is whether AI will be shaped collectively or allowed to evolve unchecked.

Guterres warned that modern AI systems are increasingly operating beyond their original function as tools.

“They are writing code, acting online and making choices with less and less human oversight,” he said, adding that existing institutions were designed for machines that follow instructions, not systems capable of independent decision-making.

He also raised concerns over the growing difficulty of distinguishing between truth and falsehood in the digital space, noting that AI is accelerating misinformation and over-reliance on automated outputs.

While acknowledging that so-called “vibe-coding”, using AI systems to generate solutions based on natural language prompts, can be useful, Guterres warned against overdependence on such tools.

“Vibe-coding can do wonders,” he said, “but we cannot vibe-code the truth. We cannot vibe-code the future of humanity.”

The UN chief highlighted concerns that AI development is increasingly concentrated in a small number of companies and countries, leaving much of the world without meaningful input into its direction.

He warned that this imbalance risks deepening global inequality and widening the digital divide unless addressed through coordinated international action.

Guterres also pointed to the potential benefits of AI in healthcare, education and development, but stressed that these gains must be matched with safeguards rooted in human rights, safety standards and accountability.

He urged the establishment of common global methods to assess and verify AI risks, particularly in systems accessible to children.

Comparing AI regulation to safety standards in medicine and toys, he said children are already interacting with AI in sensitive areas such as learning and personal communication without adequate protections.

Guterres called for an AI Child Safety Pledge, requiring companies to ensure systems accessible to minors are safe, with zero tolerance for sexual exploitation and mechanisms to connect vulnerable users with real human support.

“No child should be a guinea pig for unregulated AI,” he said.

Guterres expressed particular concern over the use of AI in military applications, especially lethal autonomous weapons systems.

Describing them as “killer robots,” he warned against machines that can select and engage targets without human judgment or control, calling such systems “morally repugnant” and urging an international legal ban.

The UN chief also proposed the creation of a Global AI Fund to help developing countries build technical capacity, access computing power and develop data infrastructure, warning that otherwise the global digital divide could deepen into an “AI divide.”

He further called on technology companies to disclose the environmental impact of AI systems and to commit to powering data centres with renewable energy by 2030.

Guterres concluded by stressing urgency in establishing global guardrails for AI development, warning that the window to act is limited.

“We may be the last generation able to set the terms on which humanity and machines coexist,” he said. “The door is still open. It will not stay open long.”

Kuwait has issued Decree-Law No. 89 of 2026 regulating the use of unmanned aircraft (drones), light sport aircraft, air sports and related activities.

The law was published in Issue No. 1808 of the Official Gazette, “Kuwait Al-Youm,” on September 12, 2026, and took effect from the date of publication. The legislation is specifically designed to regulate drone operations and protect the security and safety of Kuwait’s airspace.

Among the key provisions:

• Article 23 prohibits using a drone before obtaining approval from the Ministry of Interior.
• Drone operators must also comply with the licensing and authorization requirements of the Public Authority of Civil Aviation (PACA).
• Drones must be registered, carry identification/registration markings and meet airworthiness requirements before use.
• Importing, manufacturing, assembling or programming drones and their systems or components requires the relevant authorization.
• Flying in airport areas, prohibited or restricted zones and designated sensitive locations is prohibited.

Security and military authorities may intercept, disable, take control of or bring down a drone flying over prohibited/restricted areas or around military and security facilities if it poses a threat to state security or the safety of people and property.

The legislation contains different levels of punishment for different violations. The published decree identify penalties reaching up to three years’ imprisonment and a fine of up to KD 5,000 for specified serious violations.

Another provision specifically says operating a drone without the required approval can carry up to two years’ imprisonment and a fine of up to KD2,000.

The next big industrial story in India may not be found inside a semiconductor clean room. It could be hidden inside something much smaller: a permanent magnet.

These compact components are essential to the motors of electric vehicles, wind turbines, advanced electronics, aerospace platforms and defence systems. Their importance has grown alongside the global shift towards electrification, automation and high-technology manufacturing.

India is now moving decisively to build a domestic ecosystem around them. The latest signal came in August, when the Ministry of Heavy Industries received 20 bids from companies seeking to establish integrated rare-earth permanent magnet manufacturing facilities in India.

The bidders include Larsen & Toubro, Coal India, ReNew, Attero Recycling, 20 Microns, Lohum Magnets & Energy Solutions, NEO Performance Materials of Singapore and Proterial India, among others. The technical bids were opened on August 13 after the August 12 submission deadline.

The response has given fresh momentum to a policy effort that goes beyond securing a raw material. It is about creating the industrial capacity to convert India’s rare-earth resources into high-value products needed by some of the country’s fastest-growing sectors.

Rare-earth permanent magnets are among the most powerful available and are used where high strength, compact size, and efficiency are essential. Electric motors, wind turbines, sophisticated electronic equipment, aerospace platforms and defence systems all rely on these materials.

The most important category for India’s industrial ambitions is sintered neodymium-iron-boron, or NdFeB, magnets. Neodymium and praseodymium, commonly referred to as NdPr, form an important part of the production chain.

The government’s objective is not simply to increase the extraction of rare-earth minerals. It is to create an integrated chain stretching from NdPr oxide to finished magnets.

That distinction is important. India’s broader critical-mineral strategy increasingly focuses on value addition, processing and manufacturing rather than stopping at the extraction stage. The Ministry of Heavy Industries’ latest initiative provides a clear example of that approach.

The Union Cabinet approved the Scheme to Promote Manufacturing of Sintered Rare Earth Permanent Magnet in November 2025 with a financial outlay of $7.74 billion (₹7,280 crore). The scheme targets 6,000 metric tonnes per annum of integrated REPM manufacturing capacity in India.

The capacity will be allocated among up to five beneficiaries selected through global competitive bidding, with each beneficiary eligible for up to 1,200 MTPA.

The scheme has a seven-year duration from the date of award. It provides for two years to establish the manufacturing facilities, followed by five years of incentive disbursement linked to the sale of rare-earth permanent magnets.

The financial architecture includes $6.86 billion (₹6,450 crore) in sales-linked incentives and a capital subsidy of $776.6 million (₹730 crore), according to the government’s scheme details.

The design places production at the centre of the programme. Rather than focusing solely on creating facilities, it links government support to the actual manufacture and sale of magnets.

The response to the global tender has strengthened the programme’s industrial dimension.

Twenty companies and consortia submitted bids, bringing together established engineering companies, public-sector enterprises, recycling specialists, energy companies, magnet manufacturers and international participants.

The list includes Larsen & Toubro, Coal India, ReNew, Attero Recycling, 20 Microns, Lohum Magnets & Energy Solutions, NEO Performance Materials of Singapore, Proterial India and Prozeal Green Energy.

The bidding process itself reflects the government’s attempt to create capacity through competitive selection. The Ministry of Heavy Industries issued the request for proposal on March 20, 2026, and subsequently extended the submission timeline to August 12 to facilitate wider participation.

The 20 bids now provide the basis for selecting manufacturers that will contribute to the targeted 6,000-MTPA domestic capacity. For India, the significance extends beyond the number of plants eventually selected. The participation of companies from different industrial backgrounds indicates that rare-earth processing and magnet manufacturing are increasingly being viewed as part of a wider industrial opportunity.

India already possesses substantial rare-earth resources. According to the Atomic Minerals Directorate for Exploration and Research, the country has approximately 7.23 million tonnes of rare-earth oxide equivalent contained in 13.15 million tonnes of monazite resources.

A further 1.29 million tonnes of in-situ rare-earth resources have been identified in hard-rock terrains in Gujarat and Rajasthan. These resources occur across several states, including Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Jharkhand and West Bengal.

India’s policy emphasis is now shifting towards connecting these resources with industrial value chains.Government assessments have identified a significant gap between upstream capabilities and industrial-scale midstream and downstream manufacturing.

India has capabilities in mining, separation and refining rare-earth oxides, while the new REPM programme is intended to establish the industrial stages required to turn those materials into finished magnets.

The result could be a more complete domestic chain, with value being created at multiple stages rather than concentrated around raw materials.

The rare-earth initiative forms part of a much wider national strategy. The National Critical Mineral Mission, approved in January 2025, was created to establish a framework for securing critical minerals and strengthening the value chain from exploration and mining through beneficiation, processing and recovery from end-of-life products.

The mission has an expenditure of $17.34 billion (₹16,300 crore), with an expected investment of another $19.15 billion (₹18,000 crore) from public-sector enterprises and other stakeholders. The Geological Survey of India has been tasked with carrying out 1,200 exploration projects between 2024-25 and 2030-31.

The programme is already expanding India’s mineral exploration base. By June 2026, the Ministry of Mines said 56 critical and strategic mineral blocks had been successfully auctioned. Separate exploration programmes are also examining rare-earth resources in coastal sands, inland placer deposits and hard-rock formations.

The timing of the rare-earth push is closely connected to India’s broader technology and manufacturing ambitions. The country has spent the past decade building capacity in mobile phones and electronics and is now expanding into semiconductors, electric mobility, renewable energy equipment and advanced manufacturing.

Permanent magnets sit at the intersection of many of these sectors. An electric vehicle requires efficient motors. Wind turbines depend on powerful generators. Advanced electronics require compact high-performance components. Aerospace and defence platforms use specialised systems in which size, weight and efficiency matter.

A domestic magnet industry can connect several strategic manufacturing priorities at once. This is also why the rare-earth programme complements, rather than competes with, India’s semiconductor strategy. Semiconductors provide the electronic intelligence behind modern systems, while permanent magnets provide critical physical components for motors, generators and other advanced equipment. Together, they represent different layers of the same technology-driven industrial ecosystem.

The policy push is also acquiring a geographical dimension. The Union Budget 2026-27 announced dedicated rare-earth corridors in Odisha, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu for mining, processing, research and manufacturing of rare-earth permanent magnets.

These corridors are intended to bring different stages of the value chain closer together, linking resource availability with processing, research and manufacturing capabilities.

Such an approach can give rare-earth production a more organised industrial structure, while also creating opportunities for supporting industries, technology development and specialised manufacturing.

The government’s strategy is consequently moving from individual projects towards an ecosystem model.

Another significant development has come from Indian Rare Earths Limited, which has opened technologies related to rare-earth and titanium applications for commercialisation.

The technology-transfer package includes process know-how, engineering information, equipment specifications, quality-assurance protocols and training for technical personnel.

This creates another link between government-owned technical capabilities and commercial manufacturing.

The larger policy architecture is beginning to cover exploration, extraction, separation, refining, technology transfer, magnet production, recycling and end-use industries. That breadth is what gives India’s rare-earth strategy its significance.

India’s rare-earth push represents a new chapter in its manufacturing story. The semiconductor drive is building capabilities around chips and advanced electronics. The rare-earth programme addresses another essential layer: the specialised materials and components that allow modern machines, vehicles, generators and defence systems to function.

The immediate milestone is the selection of manufacturers from the 20 bids received under the $7.74 billion (₹7,280-crore) scheme. he longer-term objective is considerably broader  to establish 6,000 MTPA of integrated permanent-magnet capacity and connect it with India’s emerging critical-mineral, clean-energy, electronics and advanced-manufacturing ecosystems.

India’s rare-earth strategy is increasingly about turning geological resources into industrial capability. The movement from mineral deposits to processed oxides, from oxides to alloys and from alloys to finished magnets represents precisely the kind of value addition that can deepen domestic manufacturing.

Beyond the semiconductor, electronics and electric-mobility stories, another strategic industrial chain is now taking shape — one built around materials that are small in physical size but increasingly important to the technologies defining the global economy.

The Environment Public Authority is continuously monitoring air quality across the country, with data from monitoring stations collected and analyzed every five minutes to track pollutant levels and assess environmental conditions.

Sharif Al-Khayat, Director of the Authority’s Air Quality Monitoring Department, told KUNA on Monday, marking the International Day of Clean Air, that the authority uses a network of fixed and mobile monitoring stations to provide detailed data on pollutants in the ambient air.

He said the stations measure a range of pollutants and other factors affecting air quality, with readings collected and analyzed continuously. The data helps authorities identify changes in pollutant levels and assess the overall environmental situation.

Al-Khayat stressed that the authority regularly operates, maintains and calibrates monitoring equipment to ensure the accuracy and continuity of the data.

He said Kuwait has expanded its air-quality monitoring capabilities by adding fixed and mobile stations and specialized equipment, allowing authorities to monitor different locations and conditions and gain a broader understanding of pollution sources and their effects.

Kuwait’s climate, including high temperatures and dust storms, can directly affect air quality, Al-Khayat said, making continuous monitoring and analysis important for understanding changes and identifying the factors behind them.

Al-Khayat said the authority is working with the Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research and the Harvard School of Public Health on research into the effects of air pollutants on air quality and human health.

The cooperation covers both local and transboundary pollutants and includes training national personnel to analyze and study monitoring data and link it with prevailing climatic conditions in the region. The project is scheduled to be completed in December 2027.

He said air-quality monitoring data is an important tool for environmental decision-making and can also help raise public awareness about pollution levels and the factors that affect them.

Al-Khayat emphasized that improving air quality requires cooperation among government agencies, the private sector and individuals to reduce emissions and comply with environmental standards.

The Environment Public Authority said it will continue developing its air-quality monitoring system and improving the efficiency of its stations and equipment as part of Kuwait’s efforts to protect the environment and support sustainability.

Al-Khayat urged the public to adopt sound environmental practices and reduce activities that contribute to air pollution, stressing that clean air is essential to protecting public health and improving quality of life.

The Gulf Cooperation Council’s unified tourist visa is set to come into effect in the near future, according to GCC Secretary-General Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi.

Albudaiwi said the project has reached its final technical and regulatory stages, following coordination between passport authorities across the six GCC states.

Speaking at the “Security and History Dialogue” conference in the Saudi capital Riyadh on Sunday, Albudaiwi said the unified visa represents an important step toward strengthening Gulf integration and facilitating the movement of visitors among GCC countries, according to Saudi newspaper Okaz.

He added that the visa would support the tourism sector and enhance the GCC states’ position as an integrated regional destination.

GCC interior ministers had approved the unified Gulf tourist visa project at a meeting in Muscat in November 2023, while the necessary technical and regulatory arrangements for implementing the project are still underway.

The unified visa aims to facilitate travel for tourists and visitors between Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Kuwait, Bahrain and Oman.

Five residential areas in Kuwait are home to about 1.47 million people, accounting for approximately 27.7 percent of the country’s total population of 5.31 million, Salmiya has the largest population, with about 358,800 residents, followed by Farwaniya with 310,600, Jleeb Al-Shuyoukh with 285,500, Hawally with 257,800 and Mahboula with 257,200.

The data highlights significant differences in population size between Kuwait’s residential areas, while also showing continued concentration in established communities alongside the growth of newer residential cities in the north and south.

Khaitan ranks sixth with about 202,900 residents, followed by Al-Manqaf with 146,800, Jaber Al-Ahmad with 132,300, Al-Fahaheel with 110,200 and Sabah Al-Ahmad City with 107,300.

New residential cities are becoming increasingly prominent on Kuwait’s population map. Al-Mutlaa in the north has about 43,400 residents, while Sabah Al-Ahmad City in the south has more than 107,000, making it one of the largest population centers in southern Kuwait.

The data shows that southern Kuwait accounts for about 1.21 million residents across the areas included in the map. Al-Manqaf leads the southern areas with 146,800 residents, followed by Al-Fahaheel with 110,200 and Sabah Al-Ahmad City with 107,300.

Other major population centers in the south include Al-Sabahiyah with 81,600 residents, Ali Sabah Al-Salem with 67,200, Al-Riqa with 62,100, Abu Halifa with 60,700, Al-Egaila with 58,900 and Al-Fintas with 55,800.

Al-Qurain has about 49,000 residents, followed by Sabah Al-Salem with 48,800, Mubarak Al-Kabeer with 40,900, Fahad Al-Ahmad with 32,700, Hadiya with 29,200, Shuaiba Industrial with 24,500, Al-Dhahr with 23,600 and Al-Funaitees with 21,900.

The remaining southern areas have smaller populations, including Jaber Al-Ali with 17,800, Al-Wafra Farms with 15,200, Al-Adan with 10,200, Abu Fatira with 9,600, Bar Al-Ahmadi with 6,100, Al-Zour with 1,900, Al-Wafra Residential with 1,700 and Al-Khairan Chalets with 1,200.

In northern Kuwait, Jaber Al-Ahmad has the largest population at 132,300, followed by Al-Waha and Northwest Sulaibikhat, each with 73,800. Al-Naeem has 68,100 residents, while Al-Jahra has 59,800.

Al-Mutlaa has 43,400 residents, followed by Al-Oyoun with 43,200, Al-Naseem with 39,500, Sulaibikhat with 34,000 and Doha with 30,300. Al-Qasr has 23,500, Al-Abdali Agricultural has 18,800 and Granada has 10,900.

Population remains relatively high across several central areas. Al-Andalus has 50,900 residents, followed by Bayan with 50,800, Al-Riqaq with 42,900, West Abdullah Al-Mubarak with 41,900, Al-Zahra with 41,100 and Seville with 40,800.

Al-Rawda has 39,800 residents, Qortuba 36,700 and Al-Salam 34,100. They are followed by Hitteen with 27,600, Al-Qadisiyah with 24,300, Al-Shuhada with 20,100, Al-Daiya with 19,600, Al-Shaab with 17,500, Mubarak Al-Abdullah with 16,000, Al-Nuzha with 14,500, Al-Siddiq with 8,200 and South Abdullah Al-Mubarak with 7,600.

The Public Authority for Civil Information (PACI) has urged citizens and residents to approve Mobile ID authentication requests only when they have personally initiated the related service or transaction.

Users should verify the service provider’s information and the purpose of the authentication request before approving it, PACI said, stressing that the precaution is intended to protect personal information and ensure safe use of the digital identity service.

The Ministry of Commerce and Industry has activated a new service allowing customers to submit complaints over transactions with providers of electronic platforms and applications, coinciding with the implementation of Ministerial Resolution No. 109 of 2026.

The ministry said the service is designed to regulate the relationship between customers and electronic platform and application providers while speeding up the review and resolution of complaints in line with approved procedures.

Customers can access the service through the Commercial Control Portal, where they can submit complaints related to transactions with electronic platforms and applications. A specialized committee will examine complaints and disputes arising between customers and service providers and take the necessary measures in accordance with the applicable regulations.

The ministry said the new mechanism is intended to provide a clear framework for handling disputes and ensure that complaints are dealt with through established procedures.

The Ministry of Health has warned the public about an account impersonating Al-Farwaniya Hospital and using the Ministry’s logo to promote services and practices in violation of the law.

According to the ministry, the account is promoting services such as issuing sick leave certificates, medical consultations and prescriptions.

The ministry stressed that the account has no connection whatsoever to the Ministry of Health or Al-Farwaniya Hospital, and urged the public not to engage with it or provide any personal or financial information.

It also confirmed that necessary legal measures will be taken against the account, while warning the public against responding to or using the services it promotes.

Minister of Health Dr. Ahmed Al-Awadhi has issued Ministerial Resolution No. 298 of 2026 establishing the Epidemiology and Cancer Registry Department at the Kuwait Cancer Control Center (KCCC).

The Ministry said the decision aims to build an integrated and accurate national database of cancer data and indicators and develop a system for monitoring and tracking cancer cases. The new department will work to improve the quality and analysis of cancer data according to medical and scientific standards.

This will allow authorities to monitor cancer incidence, mortality and survival rates, as well as changes over the years, and use statistical indicators to anticipate future trends and support prevention, diagnosis and treatment efforts.

Under the decision, the department will include two specialized units: the Cancer Epidemiology and Medical Statistics Unit and the Cancer Registry Unit. The Cancer Epidemiology and Medical Statistics Unit will review, evaluate and analyze cancer registry data, issue the annual report, and follow up on research and scientific cooperation.

The Cancer Registry Unit will collect and document diagnosed cancer cases in Kuwait from various health sources, including government and private entities, laboratories and mortality data, covering all ages and nationalities.

The decision also calls for developing cancer registry databases and linking them with health systems related to prevention, diagnosis and treatment. It includes the use of technical solutions to accelerate data entry and processing, as well as the electronic publication of the registry’s annual report and linking its statistics to an interactive dashboard to facilitate access to and use of health indicators.

The decision also stressed strengthening Kuwait’s scientific presence through the participation of the Cancer Registry in studies and cooperation with relevant international bodies and institutions, including the World Health Organization and international organizations specializing in cancer registries and research.

Such cooperation will be carried out in accordance with ethical approvals, audit and review mechanisms, and the Ministry of Health’s controls governing the use of data for research.

The establishment of the department represents an organizational step toward strengthening cancer epidemiological surveillance and converting data into indicators that can be used for health planning, scientific research and assessment of the quality of care. It will also support the development of national cancer control programs and health decisions based on data and scientific evidence.

Officials at Kuwait’s Ministry of Commerce and Industry are studying a package of structural and regulatory reforms for commercial licenses covering freelance business activities, aimed at modernizing licensing procedures, supporting investors and improving the local business environment.

The proposed changes are also intended to reduce the practice of registering businesses in the names of people who are not the actual beneficiaries, particularly when legal restrictions prevent the real owners from holding licenses themselves.

Freelance activities cover micro-enterprises and specialized businesses that can operate without a commercial establishment. The current list includes 120 activities, ranging from consulting, software and website development to fashion, clothing and jewelry design, event photography and beekeeping.

Freelance licenses are currently issued through a one-person commercial company structure, with restrictions on who can own such entities. The proposed reforms would restructure the ownership and beneficial-owner framework and, most notably, allow Kuwaiti government employees to own freelance business licenses, provided they hold the required license for each activity they undertake.

The proposed change would bring freelance businesses closer to the existing rules for one-person companies, one of the seven legal forms recognized under Kuwait’s Companies Law. Government employees can already own 100 percent of a one-person company when it operates from a commercial headquarters such as an office or shop, subject to the appointment of a suitable manager, including a retired Kuwaiti or private-sector employee.

Under the proposed system, government employees would also be able to own freelance entities without a physical commercial headquarters, while retirees and private-sector employees would remain eligible under the relevant conditions, including the appointment of a Kuwaiti manager.

Another proposed reform would allow the business owner to appoint a manager from outside the ownership structure. This would ease the current requirement under which the founder generally has to serve as the manager and meet conditions including Kuwaiti nationality, full legal capacity and being over 21, or having prior authorization to engage in commercial activity.

The restriction that one-person freelance licenses remain available only to Kuwaiti citizens would continue. For specialized freelance activities, the proposed rules would also link licensing to the applicant’s university or specialized qualification and relevant professional experience, including experience in areas such as consultancy.

The draft improvements would also provide greater flexibility in expanding licensed activities. A license holder could add activities included in the approved list when those activities are complementary, similar, necessary or directly related to the original licensed activity.

Officials believe these changes would increase transparency by allowing genuine business owners to be formally recorded in commercial registers rather than relying on relatives or other nominal owners.

The approach is also consistent with the objectives of Kuwait’s recently approved rules against commercial concealment and efforts to strengthen identification of beneficial owners.

Allowing government employees to own freelance licenses could play an important role in strengthening Kuwait’s compliance with beneficial ownership requirements and FATF recommendations.

The proposed system would reduce the incentive for government employees to register businesses under the names of parents, spouses, relatives or other people who are not the true beneficiaries simply because existing regulations prevent government employees from owning freelance businesses.

By enabling genuine owners to appear legally in ownership records, the reforms could address a significant part of the challenges associated with commercial concealment while improving oversight of who ultimately controls businesses.

The proposed reforms reflect what the Ministry views as a more practical approach to developing Kuwait’s business environment and supporting entrepreneurship within a transparent legal framework.

Recent Ministry statistics show 139,776 active commercial licenses in Kuwait, with limited liability companies accounting for 65,980, or about 47 percent; one-person companies numbering 43,105, or nearly 31 percent; and sole proprietorships totaling 21,045, or about 15 percent.

The remaining licenses include 3,178 partnership companies, 2,768 closed joint-stock companies, 2,642 limited partnership companies and 1,058 public shareholding companies. If approved, the proposed freelance licensing reforms could give more citizens the ability to conduct legitimate business activities while strengthening transparency, compliance and the broader objectives of Kuwait’s economic development plans.

Kuwait Municipality is accelerating its transition to a fully digital operating model, with electronic building permits, online licensing, smart inspections and digital archiving becoming increasingly integrated into its daily operations.

The municipality’s Development and Information Sector, headed by Deputy Director General Engineer Yousef Al-Azmi, has made digital transformation a central component of its plans, supported by Decree Law No. 148 of 2025 on electronic transactions and digital signatures. The municipality aims to eliminate paper-based transactions across its sectors and governorates by the end of 2026.

The transformation has been under way since 2022, when Kuwait launched the unified government services application Sahl. Since then, the municipality has transferred most of its services to electronic platforms, reducing the need for citizens, businesses and property developers to visit municipal offices in person.

By 2026, the electronic systems for issuing building permits and licensing engineering offices will have reached full digital operation. According to official statistics , the new engineering-office system has reduced the time required to issue private-housing building permits from several weeks to less than 48 hours.

The faster processing is supported by electronic verification and direct data links with the Public Authority for Civil Information and the Public Authority for Manpower, allowing information required for municipal transactions to be checked automatically. Digital services have also expanded beyond construction permits.

Municipal reports issued in early January 2026 recorded a significant increase in the issuance and renewal of various municipal licenses through the electronic portal. Electronic payment has likewise been incorporated into transaction and auction fees, contributing to higher digital collections.

Electronic documents gain legal standing

Decree Law No. 148 of 2025 has provided the legislative foundation for the municipality’s wider shift away from paper. Under the law, electronic documents and digital signatures are given legal validity equivalent to their paper counterparts.
The municipality has consequently moved to digital procedures in areas including tenders and contracts, public auctions, submission of company documents and contractor qualification.

The 2025/2026 bidding and tendering processes, including auctions involving advertising sites, are being conducted electronically, with the stated aim of improving transparency and providing equal access for qualified companies.

Inspectors move to smart enforcement

The digital transformation has also reached municipal inspection operations. Inspection teams working in areas including health, sanitation and road occupancy have been equipped with tablets connected directly to the municipality’s central system. Inspectors can use the devices to record violations, issue warnings, attach photographs and transmit the relevant notifications electronically to property owners through Sahel.

The system is intended to allow violations and encroachments to be documented and processed more quickly while creating a digital record of inspection activity. The municipality has also been digitizing its property and planning records. Survey-plan data is updated electronically on a daily basis, allowing property owners, investors and consulting offices to check the legal and geographical status of properties online.

This is complemented by the Electronic Technical Building File project, under which millions of old and modern engineering plans and historical documents have been digitized and archived. Some of the records date back decades. The electronic archive is designed to protect documents from deterioration or loss while allowing municipal personnel to retrieve historical records within seconds when required for a transaction.

According to the figures cited in the report, more than 85% of direct municipal services for individuals and businesses are now available and can be completed through Sahel. The municipality’s stated objective is to reach 100% paperless operations across all sectors and governorates by the end of 2026, marking a broader shift toward digitally integrated government services.

Source discrepancy note: The supplied material attributes the detailed account and several figures to Al-Rai and municipal Development and Information Sector reports, but does not provide the underlying statistical reports or a separate official municipal release for every figure. Accordingly, figures such as the 85% digital-service rate, less-than-48-hour permit time and the scope of the “millions” of archived documents are presented as figures cited by those sources rather than independently verified here.

Using a mobile phone while driving carries a 75-dinar settlement fine under Kuwait’s new traffic law, while a case referred to the Traffic Court may result in a fine of up to 300 dinars, according to the Ministry of Interior.

The clarification was given by Lieutenant Colonel Shaheen Al-Gharib, head of the Television Section at the Ministry of Interior’s Security Media Department, during an interview on the Second Radio Program.

Al-Gharib said the new traffic law establishes a comprehensive system for handling traffic violations, with the aim of improving compliance, road safety and the protection of lives.

He stressed that the purpose of enforcing the law is not to collect fines, but to reduce dangerous driving practices that have contributed to accidents resulting in deaths and injuries.

Settlement and court procedures

Al-Gharib explained that most traffic violations can be settled through a settlement order, subject to the applicable procedures. However, violations classified as serious offenses are treated differently because of their severity and their direct impact on road users. Such cases are referred to the Traffic Court, where a settlement order is not permitted.

Regarding mobile phone use while driving, Al-Gharib said the violation carries a 75 dinars settlement fine. If the case is referred to court, the fine may rise to 150 dinars, but cannot exceed 300 dinars, or the offender may face imprisonment for up to three months, according to the Ministry of Interior official.

The clarification comes as authorities continue implementing the new traffic law and emphasizing compliance with road-safety rules.

When people in Kuwait and in the Gulf Region think about doing business in India, the first images that may come to mind are a vast and growing consumer market, Indian professionals working across the Gulf, major infrastructure projects, pharmaceuticals, automobiles, textiles and technology.

Beyond these, another India is emerging, less visible to the casual visitor and increasingly important to global business. Across Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Mumbai, Chennai, Pune, Delhi-NCR and a growing number of smaller Indian cities, teams of Indian engineers, scientists, accountants, designers, software developers and business professionals are working every day on products and services used around the world.

These are India’s Global Capability Centers, or GCCs, which could become an important new bridge between India and Kuwait and the Gulf Region. A GCC is no longer simply a low-cost back office. The best centers today work on artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, financial analytics, semiconductor technology, engineering, product design, digital platforms, research and global business strategy. India has more than 1,700 such centers, employing almost 2 million professionals.

For Kuwaiti or Gulf companies looking to become more international, this offers an interesting proposition: India can become the place where they build the capabilities needed for their next stage of growth.

The mega-cities and beyond

India’s strength lies partly in the extraordinary variety of its cities. Bengaluru is perhaps the best-known example. It has become a global center for software, AI, engineering and deep technology. Hyderabad has developed strong capabilities in technology, pharmaceuticals, healthcare and aerospace. Mumbai is India’s financial capital and naturally suited to banking, investment, insurance and financial analytics.

Pune brings together engineering, manufacturing, automobiles and technology. Chennai has deep expertise in automobiles, electronics, industrial engineering and digital services. Delhi-NCR combines technology and professional services with proximity to India’s government and regulatory institutions.

And then there is the next layer of India. Cities such as Ahmedabad, Jaipur, Kochi, Thiruvananthapuram, Coimbatore, Kolkata, and Indore are increasingly attracting technology and business operations. For a company, this means that India is not one talent market but many, each with different skills, costs, cultures, and areas of expertise.

This is particularly useful for a Kuwaiti or a Gulf company. It could, for instance, have financial analytics in Mumbai, engineering in Pune, technology in Bengaluru, and specialised operations in Ahmedabad, Kochi, or Jaipur.

Close familiarity between Kuwait/Gulf and India

Kuwaiti traders and businesses have been investing and operating in India for centuries. Companies such as Alghanim Industries, Alshaya Group, Asiya Investments and Agility Logistics have established a presence in the Indian economy. Alghanim Industries’ Kirby India, for example, has manufacturing facilities in Hyderabad, Haridwar and Halol.

There are examples also from the wider Gulf Region. UAE-based DAMAC Group established a shared services and capability center in Noida, supporting functions such as finance, human resources, sales operations, commercial activities and digital initiatives. It is developing another center in Pune.

What is changing in India is the nature of the opportunity. A Kuwaiti company operating in India traditionally needed factories, shops, hotels, warehouses or investment assets. Today, it can also build a team that works for the company globally.

The significance of such a move goes beyond the number of employees in the center. It represents a change in thinking: India is now not merely a market, but an attractive place from which to run and grow an international business.

What India offers that is difficult to replicate

Perhaps India’s greatest advantage is its people. Every year, millions of young Indians enter the workforce. Among them are engineers, scientists, doctors, finance professionals, software developers, designers, and management graduates. Many have studied or worked internationally and are comfortable operating across cultures and time zones.

But numbers alone do not explain India’s attraction. Over several decades, India has developed an ecosystem around this talented workforce, investing in universities, technology companies, start-ups, professional services firms, research institutions, tech parks, and increasingly sophisticated digital infrastructure.

This makes it possible for a company to start small and grow quickly. As an example, a Kuwaiti business might begin with 50 specialists in India. With expansion in international operations, that team can grow from 500 to 5,000. It can move from accounting and customer support to data science, product development, engineering, and research. The Alshaya Group’s GCC in Bengaluru is an excellent example. That journey, from support function to strategic capability, is one of the defining features of India’s GCC story.

A natural fit for Kuwaiti companies

Kuwaiti companies have strong expertise in sectors such as energy, banking, investment, logistics, retail, real estate, and hospitality. India offers complementary strengths in technology, engineering, analytics, pharmaceuticals, digital services, and a large pool of skilled professionals.

Imagine a Kuwaiti bank using India for cybersecurity, digital services, and AI. A logistics company developing its global digital platform from Bengaluru. An energy company using Indian engineers and data scientists to improve operational efficiency. A Kuwaiti investment company building a research and analytics team in Mumbai or GIFT City. These are not distant possibilities. The building blocks already exist.

There is also an important financial connection emerging through GIFT City in Gujarat, India’s international financial center, which is developing capabilities in international banking, capital markets, insurance and financial technology. India and Kuwait have already established institutional cooperation between Kuwait’s Capital Markets Authority and India’s International Financial Services Centers Authority in April 2024.

A relationship entering its next chapter

India and Kuwait have a relationship that is much older than today’s business statistics, built through trade, seafaring, pearls, dates, textiles and, above all, people. Generations of Indians have lived and worked in Kuwait, while Kuwaiti businesses have developed relationships in India.

The next chapter of that relationship can be built around something new: knowledge and capability. For Kuwait, establishing a GCC in India need not mean moving jobs away from Kuwait. It can mean creating an additional arm of a Kuwaiti enterprise, one that draws on India’s talent while supporting the company’s operations in Kuwait and other international markets.

And for India, Gulf investment brings something equally valuable: international capital, entrepreneurial experience and access to markets where Indian talent and technology can create new value. The most interesting question, therefore, is not whether India can provide skilled people at competitive cost. That question has largely been answered.

The more important question is: What could a Kuwaiti company build in India that it could not build as easily anywhere else? The answer could range from a technology center to a global research team, from an investment-analytics platform to an engineering hub.

India’s GCC story is ultimately a story about people. It is about talented young Indians working on global challenges, and about international companies discovering that the capabilities they need for tomorrow can be built in Indian cities today.

For Kuwait and the wider Gulf, that makes India more than an investment destination. It makes India a potential partner in building the future.