According to a recent study on the impacts of extreme heat on people's health and wellbeing in Kuwait, further temperature increases could have a negative influence on people's health, including a spike in the number of heat-related deaths. The study also suggested that by the end of this century, harsh climate conditions brought on by altered weather patterns as a result of global climate change may be responsible for 14 out of every 100 deaths in Kuwait.

Dr. Barak Al-Ahmad, an assistant professor in the Department of Environmental and Occupational Health at the College of Public Health at Kuwait University, collaborated with foreign academics on the study, which was published in the journal "Environmental Research Letters." The study was supported by the Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Sciences, in association with the Yale Center for Health and Climate Change, the Berne Institute for Preventive Health Studies, and the Harvard Center for Climate, Health and Global Environment in the United States.

According to the environmental study, Kuwait has experienced a "unprecedented" rate of temperature rise since the 1990s. By 2059 and 2099, average temperatures are expected to rise by 1.8 to 2.6 degrees Celsius and 2.7 to 5.5 degrees Celsius, respectively. This means that more than four months of the year could see temperatures rise above 40 degrees Celsius.

The study also noted that exposure to high temperatures worsens the health of those with chronic diseases, which may directly or indirectly result in mortality. As a result, an increase of 5 to 11 percent in the death rate is anticipated owing to the increased heat.

In related news, information made public last week by Kuwait's Ministry of Power, Water, and Renewable Energy (MEW) showed that the electricity load index on August 9 was the highest ever recorded.

The electricity flow of 16,180 megawatts at 2:30 p.m. on Tuesday, August 9 surpassed both the 15,670 megawatts recorded last year and the previous maximum output of 15,800 megawatts on August 4 of this year. The increase in electricity use has been attributed to the current hot temperatures as more people turn on their air conditioners and leave them on lower temperatures for longer periods of time.

While Kuwait set a new record for high temperatures on Monday with temperatures reaching 53 degrees celsius in Al Jahra and 52.1 degrees in Al-Sulaibiya, the temperature on Tuesday was just 51 degrees Celsius. Throughout last week, high temperatures were being recorded at meteorological stations across the nation.

The weather is expected to be extremely hot for the remainder of the week, with strong northwesterly winds producing dust and diminishing horizontal visibility in some regions, according to meteorological department authorities.

According to Sheikh Talal Al-Khaled's instructions, the Ministry of Interior cordoned off the Jleeb area again on Saturday to arrest residents violating the residency law. Three hundred and ninety-four residents of Jleeb and Mahboula were arrested during the campaign on Friday.

Lieutenant-General Anwar Al-Barjas and Major General Jamal Al-Sayegh are leading the campaign in Jleeb on Saturday. To besiege the lawbreakers, the team closed the area's entrances and exits.

The Directorate- General of Civil Aviation has sent a circular to all airlines operating at Kuwait International Airport, that all companies operating at Kuwait International Airport must adhere to the guideline and not bring in passengers into Kuwait in violation of standing rules and regulations, reports Al- Qabas daily. Meaning to say those who come for the purpose of residence and hold one of the visas mentioned below, unless they get in touch with the Kuwaiti embassies or consulates in their respective countries to get the entry visa endorsed on their passports before travel. The DGCA clarified that it was noticed recently that some airlines did not comply with the instructions issued by the Immigration at the Ministry of Interior.

Approval
The DGCA said people will not be allowed to enter Kuwait unless an approval for the entry visa is obtained, and the passengers who violate the instructions will be returned to the country of departure at the expense of the airline. Categories of passengers who enter with visas approved by embassies are those who come to work in the government or public institutions, in the private sector, to practice a commercial or industrial activity, a profession or a craft, private domestic workers and the like, to join a family and to study.

Categories that are forbidden to enter and are returned to their country at the expense of the airline include if they do not carry a “passport/visa”, expiry date of the passport/visa/residency, if the visa is not certified by the embassy or consulate abroad, if the visa is not original, if the person has valid residence permit but exceeded six months of residence abroad, residents of the Gulf countries if the validity of the “passport/residency” is less than six months, or the professions are not permitted, according to Circular No. “46/2016” issued on Nov 11, 2016 and if they do not carry a police clearance certificate.

Behind the towering concrete walls, some schools open their doors to female students, and the educational journey continues in that way, in an atmosphere that brings sadness to female teachers and students, and contradicts the elements of the attractive educational environment that all educational institutions in the world call for, reports Al-Rai daily.

Towering the schools compound walls that do not exceed the number of fingers on one hand in the Jahra area, and some other educational areas were rejected — according to an educational source — by the former Minister of Education Nouria Al-Sabeeh in 2009 because of their unacceptable external appearance. The source told the daily “the height of the opaque concrete walls in these schools is very exaggerated, and contradicts the elements of an attractive educational environment, as these walls leave a harsh psychological impact on the student, and leave an unpleasant memory of the place where she spent most of her school days.”

The source said, “The educational facilities sector has the sufficient budget to replace these fences before the comprehensive return in the next academic year, especially since the number of schools with high walls is limited and does not represent any financial burden on the ministry,” stressing the need to replace them to be like other schools with an aesthetic view acceptable for the educational environment. At the same time, the source called for not paying attention to the unacceptable justifications made by some under the pretext of the conservative society and the privacy of the people, as there is no violation of privacy or an infringement on the preservation and evidence of the presence of dozens of other girls’ schools in the same area with decent compound walls that give comfort to the eye of the beholder.

For their part, engineers in the educational facilities sector spoke of the reasons for raising the height of the walls, stressing that the most important factor is to prevent the female students from escaping and to avoid incidents of theft that schools in the region are exposed to from time to time.

The engineers admitted that the external appearance of the schools is really ugly, and the justifications for their elevation of their presence between the houses are rejected, as all girls’ schools are located between the houses and no complaints were observed in this regard, noting that removing them and replacing them with other walls is easy, and it does not cost the facilities sector anything if it has the desire to do so.

The psychological counselor at the Ministry of Education, Huda Al- Haddad, described the height of the walls of some girls’ schools as one of the negative things that leave the student with nothing but bad memories that will have psychological repercussions in the long run. The authorities gave five justifications for the high rise compound walls saying 12 schools in Jahra were robbed and vandalized, the frequent escape of female students, complaints from parents about the privacy of female students, desire of its school administrations to protect the privacy of teachers and the location of the schools between the houses makes them vulnerable to onlookers.

According to local media, the interior ministry is ready to detain hundreds of thousands of people who have violated residency laws. The sources noted that the ministry of interior leadership has been given instructions to continue going after people who violate residency laws and step up inspection activities. In the meanwhile, the interior ministry will offer a new location to house people being held at the deportation prison in anticipation of their removal from the country.

According to the sources, the sources emphasized that the deportation procedures won't take long and that the ministry of interior will cooperate with relevant authorities to deport violators within three days of their arrest, with the exception of those whose cases necessitate their detention while their cases are being tried. The sources noted that in addition to covering the expense of deporting the expatriate, directives were also given to punish sponsors of individuals who are detained and bar them from sponsoring foreigners for a minimum of two years. The deported foreign nationals would always be prohibited from entering Kuwait.

To mark the 75th anniversary of India’s independence and 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations between India and Kuwait the Indian Embassy in Kuwait, today, August 11, 2022 launched ‘Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav’ bus campaign at the Embassy premises along with friends of India in Kuwait The Indian Ambassador to Kuwait HE Sibi George jointly with HE Mazen Al Ansari, Assistant Undersecretary, Foreign Media Relations, Ministry of Information, Kuwait flagged off the advertisement campaign on around 100 KGL buses in Kuwait to celebrate these two milestones together – 75th anniversary of India’s Independence & 60th anniversary of diplomatic Relations between both countries. Speaking on the occasion Ambassador George said today’s event is a celebration of the vibrant and dynamic partnership between our two friendly countries, India and Kuwait.

Indian Ambassador to Kuwait HE Sibi George with HE Mazen Al Ansari, Assistant Undersecretary, Foreign Media Relations, Ministry of Information during the ribbon cutting ceremony

He said that in this rich history of India-Kuwait unique partnership the year 2021-22 bears a remarkable significance and with this bus campaign, concludes the year-long celebrations to mark the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between India and Kuwait. The campaign was launched in June 2021 during the visit of India’s External Affairs Minister of Dr. S. Jaishankar to Kuwait. 

Strengthening
For his part Chief Guest for the event, HE Mazen Al Ansari recalled the historic relations between India and Kuwait and wished for further strengthening of ties in all spheres. He said the relations between both countries are robust; the friendly bonds are historic and continue to develop on the basis on strong foundations laid down by our forefathers. This relationship, he said, will continue to develop for mutual benefit of our countries.

The chief guest remarked that in difficult times of Covid-19, Kuwait extended a helping hand to India by supplying medical Oxygen. India too sent medical teams to Kuwait in those desperate times. This signifies the deep rooted ties between the two countries. He mentioned that today’s event marks the ‘Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav’ buses flagging off campaign and celebrates the two significant milestones: India-Kuwait@60 and India@75, in a unique way. “So, over the coming times, everyone will witness the glimpses of India in this friendly country of Kuwait embodying the essence of India-Kuwait close, strong and everlasting friendship,” he added. In his concluding remarks, the Indian envoy thanked the friends of India and the Kuwaiti authorities for their support in facilitating this event and being a part of this bus campaign.

The Ambassador also urged the Indian Diaspora in Kuwait to join the campaign ‘Har Ghar Tiranga’ under the aegis of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav and encouraged all to bring the Tiranga home and to hoist it to mark the 75th year of India’s independence. The presence of about a million Indian nationals in Kuwait (the largest expatriate community here) forms an important aspect of our strong bilateral ties with India. Indians are present in all segments of society in Kuwait, happily working in almost every field, and are considered as largely disciplined, hard – working, and law-abiding, Ansari added. All Indians living in Kuwait are invited to join India’s 75th Independence Day celebrations (virtually) on Aug 15, 2022, at 8:00 am.

The number of deaths due to heat among non-Kuwaiti workers could increase by around 15 percent towards the end of the century, reports Al-Jarida daily quoting a study conducted by Kuwait University. The environmental research carried out by Barrak Al-Ahmad from the Department of Environmental and Occupational Health in the College of Public Health revealed that 14 out of every 100 deaths in Kuwait could be caused by heat; taking into consideration the climate change by the end of the century.

At this point, no one really knows the impact of climate change on the people and countries in the hot desert environment of the Arabian Peninsula; “not only because these countries are already hot, but they also have unique demographic structures. Expatriates could be more vulnerable and they constitute a large percentage of the population. Two-thirds of the population here are expatriate workers and extremely high temperatures are already common,” the study added.

Quantifies
The study quantifies temperature-related mortality in Kuwait in the middle of years 2050 to 2059 and end of the century (from 2090 to 2099) as moderate (SSP2-4.5) and extreme (SSP5-8.5). “We fitted time series distributed lag non-linear models to estimate the baseline temperature–mortality relationship which was then applied to future daily mean temperatures from the latest available climate models to estimate decadal temperature-mortality burdens under the two scenarios,” the study explained. In the middle of the century, the average temperature in Kuwait is predicted to increase by 1.80 degrees Celsius (SSP2-4.5) to 2.57 degrees Celsius (SSP5- 8.5), compared to the 2000–2009 baseline.

At the end of the century, there will be an increase of up to 5.54 degrees Celsius. In a moderate scenario, climate change could increase heat-related mortality by 5.1 percent (95 percent empirical confidence intervals: 0.8, 9.3) by end-century, whereas an extreme scenario increases heat-related mortality by 11.7 percent (2.7, 19.0), the study disclosed.

“Climate change induced warming, even under more optimistic mitigation scenarios, may markedly increase heat-related mortality in Kuwait. Those who are already vulnerable, like expatriate workers, could bear a larger impact of climate change,” the study added. Ahmad conducted the study entitled, “Climate Change and Health in Kuwait: Temperature and Mortality Projections under Different Climatic Scenarios,” in cooperation with Ana Maria Vicedo-Cabrera, Kai Chen, Eric Garshick, Aaron S Bernstein, Joel Schwartz and Petros Koutrakis. Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Sciences, US Environmental Protection Agency and Harvard Chan National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences Center for Environmental Health supported the study.

By the end of the year expats who hold family visa (dependent) will not be able to stay outside Kuwait for more than 6 months as their visa will be forfeited. The Residency Department of the Ministry of Interior decided to approve cancellation of residency permits of Article 18 (Private Sector) for those who have been outside Kuwait for more than 6 months starting from November 1. Those who have left Kuwait before May 1st must return before November 1st back to Kuwait if they don’t wish their residence to be cancelled.

Same procedure will be adopted for those holding Article 22 (Dependent/Family visa) and also Article 24, reports Al Rai. From a humanitarian point of view due to the pandemics, expats were allowed to stay outside Kuwait and renew their residence online.

According to five cleaning contracts with the Ministry of Education, the total compensation rise for a cleaner is KD 15 retrospectively, or almost KD 6 million, according to the Al-Anba daily. The Central Agency for Public Tenders (CAPT) granted a request for a KD 15 wage rise for one employee starting on April 1 and lasting until May 1, 2022. For the contract No. 85 of the offer for the implementation and supply of cleaning and service work in the Capital Education Zone, this comes to a total of KD 960,930.

Additionally, it was decided to raise salaries by the same amount for each employee covered by the contract in Ahmad Educational Zone from June 1, 2017, to May 1, 2022, up to a maximum of KD 1.77 million. For the period from June 1, 2017, to March 1, 2022, the total growth in the educational zones of Hawally and Jahra was around KD 1.166 million. The entire rise in Mubarak Al-Kabeer Educational Zone from June 1, 2017, to March 1, 2022, was almost KD 933,900.

According to the country's civil aviation ministry, the fare caps it imposed on domestic airlines during the COVID-19 pandemic will be lifted by August 31.

To prevent pent-up demand due to the easing of restrictions on air travel from driving up ticket prices, the government, in a rare move, regulated fares by imposing a minimum and maximum band based on flight duration.

As a result of the decision, IndiGo, SpiceJet, Air India, and Vistara, as well as new entrant Akasa Air, will be able to freely price tickets.

The domestic air travel industry in India is seeing a strong rebound, with passenger numbers reaching pre-COVID levels. Fuel prices, however, are eating away at their profitability.

After two months of grounding all planes to curb the spread of the virus, the government imposed the fare caps in May 2020.

The report said that for a two-hour flight between Mumbai and Delhi, airlines could charge a minimum of Rs3,500 ($44) and a maximum of Rs10,000 ($126), while ensuring that 40 percent of tickets sold were priced below the median.

Kuwait ranks 86th internationally in terms of economic complexity according to the Economic Complexity Index from the Harvard Kennedy School, although the indicator also revealed that this complexity has been declining over the previous ten years. Saudi Arabia was placed 42nd globally, followed by Bahrain at 56th, Qatar at 71st, Oman at 79th, and the UAE at 99th. The economic complexity index gauges how much the nation knows about productivity and how much data is available on such skills. Additionally, it considers the volume of exports and compares it to the diversity and development of other exporting nations.

Kuwait's economic complexity as shown by the index is apparent despite the country's exports' growing diversification, which has had an impact on less complex items. This showed that Kuwait's manufacturing capacity has few prospects to be diversified utilizing its current knowledge. The data also indicated that the nation's income structure is less complex, which leads to a more gradual expansion of its economy.

Kuwait will expand by about 0.7 percent yearly over the next ten years, which puts it in the bottom half of the world in terms of growth, according to market projections for 2030. In this regard, the "Atlas of Economic Complexity" published by Harvard Kennedy School lists Kuwait as the 27th most prosperous economy by a population out of 133 nations and describes it as a high-income nation.

Additionally, it was stated that Kuwait's population of 4.27 million people has a GDP per capita of approximately USD 24,811 and that during the past five years, the average growth in per capita output has been lower than normal for the area at 3.9 percent. After Qatar, which came in at number 10 globally, and the United Arab Emirates, which came in at number 21, Kuwait was the richest Gulf state, followed by Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, and Oman.

 Minister of Health Dr. Khaled Al-Saeed inspected on Tuesday the final preparations for the plan to open and operate the new Farwaniya Hospital soon, which includes various medical specialties, as part of the ministry’s plan to improve the quality of health services provided to citizens.

The Minister of Health Dr. Khaled Al-Saeed listens to an explanation of the components of patient rooms equipped with state-of -the-art medical items

The minister listened to an explanation about the operating plan, which will be in accordance with specific stages, praising the cooperation of the various state authorities to overcome all obstacles and challenges in order to reach the readiness of the opening and operating plan. (KUNA)

The Ministry of Commerce and Industry has completed its recommendations to address the effects of high food prices and the food security file in Kuwait, reports Al- Qabas daily. The document submitted to the Council of Ministers states the food security file submitted by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, includes several recommendations that require quick measures that may limit the effects of high food prices in the short term, which requires speedy implementation and seriousness without any delay that may result in adverse consequences and affect the stability of the domestic market.

The Ministry of Commerce and Industry stressed the need to develop a food security strategy in the country through a comprehensive system based on enabling sustainable food production. The study demands increase in financial support for government food companies such as the Kuwait Catering Company, the Kuwait Flour Mills and Bakeries Company, and the Kuwait Livestock Transport and Trading Company, with the state bearing the price difference for its products in case of high prices while selling it to citizens and consumers at the acceptable fixed price.

The Kuwait International Bank (KIB) revealed that the private housing real estate sector in the governorates of Kuwait witnessed a relatively small increase during the last six months, compared to last year, despite the price infl ation reaching record levels, which resulted in a reduction in trading volume and a decline in its rates, reports Al-Qabas daily. In its semi-annual real estate report, KIB stated that the private housing real estate sector in Kuwait continued to take a conservative curve in its rate of increases, until the end of the first half of this year, where the rates of price increases, compared to last year, ranged between 4.7% and 6.1% for different governorates. The report’s data showed the varying rates of change in prices between the end of 2021 to mid-2022 for each governorate, so that during that period Ahmadi recorded the highest rate of change in the increase in primary prices per square meter, while Mubarak Al-Kabeer witnessed the lowest.

The director of real estate appraisal at KIB, Eng Ali Al-Shas, stated that the continuous increase in demand, coinciding with the growth of the population, is offset by a lack of supply in light of the housing crisis, with a scarcity of land and desirable locations, especially with the allocation of plots in relatively remote areas.

Moreover, the continuation of infrastructure works in the new residential areas, he also pointed to the continuity of speculation and investment in residential real estate, as one of the reasons for this decline in the rates of rise in private housing.

According to what was stated in the report on real estate registration contracts in the first five months of this year, the total number of registered contracts was 2,693, led by the private housing sector contracts with a rate of 74.68%, and the investment sector witnessed a noticeable increase in trading rates.

Demand
The relative demand currently came with the return of residents to the country after the repercussions of the health crisis, and the resolution of some laws that will lead to the stability of the occupancy rate of the units, anticipating a rise in the rate of rents in the future. Focusing on the transactions of private housing real estate in the governorates of Kuwait, the KIB report showed that the Ahmadi Governorate led its movement by 43.7%, of the total contracts registered for private housing properties in the past six months, and the person explained this by increasing the concentration of trading and demand for land and housing in the Sabah Al-Ahmad coastal area noting that it represents a recreational outlet for citizens, adding that villas and houses in some areas of the Ahmadi Governorate are still affordable for a large segment of citizens, in light of the high prices of land in and around the interior regions, as well as the high cost of primary building materials, such as iron, cement, aluminum and others not to mention the cost of labor.

The report indicated that the residential areas of Shuwaikh, Al-Siddiq, Saad Al-Abdullah, Al-Masayel, Ishbiliya and Al-Aqeelah regions recorded the highest average price per square meter for land prices in all regions while Sulaibikhat, Salwa, Al-Waha, Sabah Al-Salem, Khaitan and Sabah Al-Ahmad residential areas recorded the lowest price per square meter.

The person indicated that despite the relative increase in prices for the private housing sector in the first half of the last period, there is an expected correction movement that is expected to decrease prices during the coming period, with several indicators, including:

• The rise in the value of private housing prices and the cost of building materials so that they are no longer commensurate with the financial capacity of a large segment of citizens.
• The new expansion of Saad Al Abdullah residential suburb, which will increase the supply of housing units.
• The number of registered deals decreased by 51.33% compared to the first half of 2021.
• The recent rise in the discount rate from the central bank.

According to astronomers, Al-Marzam, the thirteenth season in Kuwait, is the country's warmest time. This period, often referred to as the "ember of heat," is the most intense of the year, according to Khaled Al-Jamaan, the Astronomical Center's director of public relations and media. The equinox in Kuwait occurs in September, which coincides with the astronomical beginning of fall and end of summer, according to the al-Ujairi calendar's astronomical calculations. The sun's rays will be less penetrating after this season, when the Suhail star first appeared.

The name of the Star of Al-Marzam, which refers to the astronomical name of the extraordinarily bright star Sirius, which is adrift at a distance of 8.6 light-years from Earth, is the Marzam season. The brightness of this star is around twice that of Suhail. Al-Jamaan noted that the Kulaybin season, or the wet season, comes after Al Marzam and comes before the Suhail season.

 Kuwait Fire Force (KFF) called on citizens and residents on Tuesday to remain cautious due to the unstable weather in the country and the presence of dusty winds. 

In a statement, the Department of Public Relations and Media at KFF said that no one should hesitate to contact the emergency phone number 112 in case of danger. (KUNA)

The recruitment agencies for the house maids, unskilled and semi-skilled workers in Kuwait and other middle eastern countries are cashing in on the innocence of the people. The data with the Government of Andhra Pradesh revealed that the agents are cheating the people who want to work in Kuwait, by issuing fake visas, and are extorting money to bring them back. 

The Indian state of Andhra Pradesh, has warned about increased recruitment of unskilled workers to Kuwait. According to official statistics  37,208 visas for marginal workers have been issued by Kuwait from Jan 2022 to April 2022.  During the verification process 10,280 visas were valid visas; the remaining 27,000 visas were either forged or tampered with, only after reaching Kuwait the victims came to know that they have been cheated.

The State Police Chief Mallika Garg stated that the investigation revealed an increase in the number of local recruitment agencies that defraud innocent victims who wish to travel to work to Kuwait and other Gulf countries with fake visas, reports The Hans India. The matter does not stop here, the fraud recruitment agents blackmail the victims for more money who discovered after reaching Kuwait that their visas were fake.

Mallika Garg further stated that there have been increasing complaints about fraud agents on a daily basis from many people that they were cheated by the travel agents and are asking for money to bring them back.

The SP advised the people to go to the other countries for work on valid work visas only. She asked the public to inform the local police on the suspicious agents or complain to SB DSP at +91 9121102104 against the people who are cheating in the name of work in the Gulf countries.

Head of the Kuwait Union of Domestic Labor Recruitment Offices Khaled Al-Dakhnan affirmed that the decision of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry to set a higher limit for the recruitment of domestic workers makes it difficult for the offices to recruit skilled workers, especially considering the existing competition with other countries that depend on the open market system, reports Al-Anba daily. In a press statement, he said, “Kuwait was and still is the cheapest among the Gulf countries in terms of the recruitment price.

Other countries offer much higher prices than what is offered in Kuwait. It is unreasonable for offices in the exporting countries to provide us with skilled and distinguished workers when other countries are paying much higher amounts”. Al-Dakhnan indicated that the owners of the domestic labor recruitment offices incur a lot of the fees imposed by Kuwait and the labor-supplying countries.

He said he was surprised to know that the ministry did not seek the opinion of the union, even though it is the official body responsible for the recruitment offices in Kuwait. Al-Dakhnan appealed to the concerned authorities to reverse the decision in favor of the citizens and the recruiting agencies.

He indicated that the Ministry of Commerce, in its decision, set the prices for the recruitment of African domestic workers even though the concerned authorities had not originally signed any memorandum of understanding with any one of the countries to bring in their workers. Al-Dakhnan said the union has been waiting for years to sign a memorandum of understanding with Ethiopia, but it has not yet signed it.

 According to informed sources, the Central Bank of Kuwait has informed banks that they must Kuwaitize the position of Director of the Anti-Money Laundering and Terrorism Financing Unit. It emphasized the importance of localizing sensitive banking jobs, including senior and middle management, and making the necessary efforts to achieve this, reports Al-Rai daily.

They explained that the Central Bank was initially pushing the banks to present plans to adjust their situation in this regard. However, it later allowed to extend the deadline but it is not likely to extend beyond the year 2023. The Central Bank indicated that the appointment of non-Kuwaitis in leadership positions in general for a limited period should be linked to qualifying Kuwaiti competencies to fill these jobs within the framework of career development plans and the required replacement. Some banks responded by affirming that they have already Kuwaitized such positions, while others responded that they are working on it.

The Central Bank’s moves to localize sensitive jobs include reviewing the banks’ plans individually to ensure they make the required job succession. The position of “Director of Anti- Money Laundering” is the second job that the Central Bank obliges banks to ensure it is occupied by a Kuwaiti, after the position of Director of Strategic Planning and Follow-up Unit, which was approved through supervisory instructions issued in January 2020, related to the establishment of an independent sector to support and follow up the framework of work related to the strategic plan of the banks. It should be noted that all banks have already fulfilled this requirement, and the eye is currently open on risk management as well. In general, the primary role of the Anti-Money Laundering and Terrorism Financing Unit is to ensure that all transfers set at the supervisory ceiling are in accordance with the relevant laws and regulations, and compliant with the bank’s internal policies and regulations.

It is noteworthy that an independent unit is assigned in each department to monitor the implementation of the bank’s anti-money laundering policy. It is directly reporting to the bank’s chairman and responsible for implementing the bank’s policies and procedures in combating money laundering and terrorism financing. The sources explained that the Central Bank’s request to Kuwaitize the position of Director of Anti-Money Laundering Unit in the banks comes within its plans aimed at ensuring Kuwaitis fill the banking positions, specifically in the middle and leading executive departments.. They admitted that some banks face great challenges in Kuwaitizing some jobs, especially the specialized ones, including the Director of the Anti-Money Laundering Unit, due to the increasing demand for such jobs versus the availability.

This contributes to fierce competition among them to meet the requirements, and may include courting some talents in other banks with additional financial benefits to persuade them to move out from their banks. All banks are seeking to raise their Kuwaitization rates in various sectors, but on the ground, the obstacles to the abundance of supply cannot be ignored, especially to fill sensitive banking and supervisory jobs. Among the challenges that are difficult to overcome are the conditions of the Central Bank itself in accepting candidates for some jobs due to their failure to meet the specified conditions. This narrows down the banks’ opportunities to choose, and the ability to replace some departments with the targeted supervisory speed. Since April 2021, the Central Bank has requested the banks to provide it with a plan approved by the boards of directors showing a clear path to reach a Kuwaitization rate of at least 70 percent in the senior and middle management, and not only at the level of the bank as a whole, in a manner that clarifies the path it will follow to achieve this replacement by no later than the end of 2023.

The Central Bank’s move in this direction is part of its strategic endeavor to enhance the presence of national competencies in the banking sector at all functional levels, and its constant interest in developing career opportunities for Kuwaiti cadres, while giving national cadres priority in filling leadership positions in technical and administrative fields, and taking measures to train and qualify them to fill those positions.

 As part of its objectives to provide the best options to its valued customers, Kuwait Airways announced the launch of its new food menus, which will be introduced shortly on-board Kuwait Airways, to suit the tastes and preferences of valued passengers and meet their requirements. Accordingly, Kuwait Airways held a presentation of these new menus, in the presence of various specialized chefs, culinary experts and international hotel officials, to evaluate the Company’s latest launch of diverse and distinguished menus, who in turn expressed their appreciation and admiration for the menus, skillfully prepared by national cadres.

On this occasion, the Director of Customer Services Department at Kuwait Airways, Mishal Al-Mutairi stated, “Kuwait Airways’ launch of new menus, arises from within the framework of the Company’s keenness to provide various, diverse services to its valued customers, which is in accordance with its strategic plans towards developing and improving procedures and systems, so as to meet the requirements and preferences of our dear customers, as well as to achieve the desired objectives that will enable the Blue Bird to reach wider horizons.”

Mutairi added, “Inviting chefs and hotel officials is a new and unique experience, as it evaluates the general preferences and aspects of the food offered to passengers included in the new menus and also provides us with the opportunity to re-introduce distinguished new products, as well as delicious food and beverages, that suit the tastes and enhances the experiences of the passengers and meets their preferences, as they enjoy a comfortable and pleasant journey on board the National Carrier’s state-of-the-art fleet of aircraft.”

Mutairi continued by saying, “Kuwait Airways bestows enormous attention to every detail in the service of customers and spares no effort to provide innovative and unique facilities, as well as to attain the highest levels of service excellence for passengers, from their check-in at Terminal 4, completing their travel procedures with ease and enjoying the best services on board, which are provided by our cadres with extensive experience in the field of aviation and hospitality.”

Mutairi concluded his statement by extending his sincere thanks and appreciation to the international hotel officials and specialized chefs for accepting Kuwait Airways’ invitation and participating in this important event and was hopeful that the new menus would meet the expectations of the passengers and ensure an enjoyable travel experience.