Cabinet urged to prioritize economy

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ASSEMBLY BEGINS FIRST SESSION OF 17th LEGISLATIVE TERM

KUWAIT CITY, Oct 17: His Highness the Deputy Amir and Crown Prince Sheikh Mishal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah Monday urged the new government to execute development projects, improve healthcare and education, provide housing units, as well as tackle corruption and crack down on the corrupt. “You have before you major issues and many files which are of great importance to us.

Each one of you has to apply the law in a fair and equal manner, boost integrity and transparency, execute issues of priority for the political leaders and faithful people of Kuwait. “These include preserving security of the nation citizens, executive development projects, improve health system, develop education, provide housing care citizens, addressing economic and investment affairs, fight corruption and pursue the corrupt,” His Highness the Deputy Amir and Crown Prince addressed the ministers after they took the constitutional oath.

He said loyalty for the nation and His Highness the Amir, respect of constitution and application of laws, protecting freedoms and interests and funds of people were foundation of the government’s action. This action, he added, would be remembered by the future generations. His Highness the Deputy Amir and Crown Prince reaffirmed that His Highness the Amir Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah was supporting every person seeking to serve the nation.

“Let us join hands for this service, and put aside differences and cooperate for the sake of the nation,” he affirmed Following the oath taking, His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Ahmad Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah addressed His Highness the Deputy Amir and the Crown Prince, noting that that he and the ministers sensed the grave responsibility after being assigned and performing the swear-in.

“This is a grave oath, and we implore His Almighty (Allah) to help us in fulfilling the duties and accomplishing the tasks you have accorded to us.” His Highness the prime minister expressed deep and sincere gratitude to His Highness the Deputy Amir and Crown Prince for “the precious confidence you put in us for shouldering the ministerial responsibility to face the challenges and difficulties that we all aspire to overcome with rigorous and serious action.” He pledged to spare no effort to execute directions of His Highness the Deputy Amir and Crown Prince, namely with respect of putting all resources at the disposal of elevating the homeland status aloft, attaining citizens’ aspirations toward execution of a full-scale reform program in all aspects in line with the pending development priorities.

His Highness the Prime Minister noted that the aspired reforms would warrant positive and constructive cooperation with the National Assembly, all segments of the society and the civil society associations. His Highness the Prime Minister pledged that the Kuwait Constitution and laws would be the “foundation of our work, where we would care for the people freedom, interests and funds, perform our tasks truthfully, aiming to serve Kuwait’s interests firstly and finally.”

He expressed gratitude to His Highness the Deputy Amir and the Crown prince for the sagacious and purposeful advises, “affirming that these advices and instructions will be the guidance for the government in performing its tasks as required and within the available capacities. His Highness the premier finally beseeched His Almighty (Allah) for backing and expressed good wishes for Kuwait and the people of the country under the leadership of His Highness the Amir, Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah.

First session
Amid directives to the legislative and executive authorities to assume national responsibility in a new stage of cooperation between them in an atmosphere of consensus, understanding, work and commitment, the National Assembly will start tomorrow, Tuesday, the first session of the 17th legislative term. The first session of the new legislative term begins according to the agenda with the opening ceremony, where His Highness the Deputy Amir and Crown Prince Sheikh Mishal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah will inaugurate the session. After that, the session is adjourned for a period during which the committee will bid farewell to His Highness the Crown Prince, then the session will resume with items on the agenda.

The National Assembly then moves in its session to elect the speaker and vice president of the Council for the 17th legislative term, in addition to electing the secretary. The Council is scheduled to elect members of the committee preparing the draft answer to the parliamentary Amiri speech and members of the permanent parliamentary committees, which are the committees for petitions, complaints, defense, economic affairs, legal affairs, education, culture, health, social affairs, labor, foreign affairs, budgets and protection of public funds. The Council is expected to elect members of the temporary parliamentary committees, if any.

In this regard, Article 85 of the Constitution stipulates that “the National Assembly’s annual session shall be of not less than eight months duration and the session shall not be finally adjourned before the passing of the budget.”

Also, Article 91 said that a member of the National Assembly shall take an oath before the Assembly in a public meeting before taking up his functions at the Assembly or its committees. Accordingly, Article 93 mentioned that “in the course of the first week of its annual session, the Assembly shall form committees necessary to carry on its work.”

Profiles of Ministers
The Amiri Decree 191 (2022), issued on Sunday, reshuffles the Kuwaiti Cabinet. Following is a synopsis of the Profiles of the new Cabinet members;

His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Ahmad Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al- Sabah.
Born in Kuwait in 1956, he is the son of His Highness the Amir Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah. He got a B.A. in commerce from Kuwait University, joined the military and promoted to the rank of General. He served as Assistant Undersecretary of the Ministry of Interior for Nationality and Passports Affairs and Assistant Undersecretary of the Ministry of Interior for Education and Training Affairs. After retirement from the Ministry of Interior, His Highness Sheikh Ahmad was named as Governor of Hawalli. In November 2020, an Amiri Decree appointed him as Vice President of the National Guard with the rank of a minister. In March 2022, an Amiri Decree appointed him as First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior. On July 24, 2022, an Amiri Decree named him as Prime Minister. On August 1, 2022, and Amiri Decree bestowed on him the title of His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Ahmad Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah.

1 – Sheikh Talal Khaled Al- Ahmad Al-Sabah, the First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior. He got a BBA (bachelor of business administration) from a British college and was named as Minister of Defense in March 2022 under an Amiri Decree. On July 24, 2022, Sheikh Talal doubled as acting Minister of Interior. In March 2019, he served as Governor of Hawalli. Since 1983, Sheikh Talal had served in the oil sector at Kuwait Oil Co. and then at Kuwait Petroleum Corporation (KPC) before being appointed as executive assistant to the managing director in 2001-2004. He served as KPC board member between 2002 and 2007, KPC Chairman and Managing Director between 2007 and 2013, and CEO of Kuwait Oil Tankers Co. until 2019.

2 – Barrak Ali Al-Shaitan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs. He got a B.A. in commerce from Kuwait University and served as Minister of Finance, Director General of the Public Authority for Minors Affairs, Assistant Undersecretary of the Ministry of Finance for Auditing Affairs, board member of Zakat House, member of the board of trustees of Martyr’s Bureau, board member of Kuwait Finance House, and board member of Kuwait Direct Investment Promotion Authority (KDIPA)

3 – Dr. Bader Hamed Al-Mullah, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Oil. He got a PhD in civil law, MA in private law, a bachelor of law and a bachelor in police science. Dr. Al-Mullah was elected to the National Assembly’s 15th and16th legislative terms, and chaired the parliamentary committee on budgets and final accounts. He worked as layer at the Constitutional Court and Court of Cassation, a judge at the commercial arbitration center, assistant professor of civil law at Saad Al-Abdullah Academy For Security Sciences, teacher of private law at Kuwait University, and member of the technical office of general dept. of investigations of the Ministry of Interior with the rank of chief investigator.

4 – Abdulrahman Beddah Al- Mutairi, Minister of Information and Minister of State for Youth Affairs. He got a BA in psychology from Kuwait University and served as Minister of Information in the cabinets of December 2020 and March 2021. In 2016, Al-Mutairi as appointed as Director General of the Public Authority for Youth, after serving as assistant undersecretary of the Ministry of State for Youth Affairs between 2014 and 2015. He also served as director of the technical office of the Minister of Information in 2012 and attache at Kuwait information office in Rabat between 2004 and 2007.

5 – Abdulawahab Mohammad Al-Rushaid, Minister of Finance, Minister of State for Economic and Investment Affairs. He got a B.A. in finance from Kuwait University and MA in business administration from Gulf University for Science and Technology. Al-Rushaid served as Minister of Finance, Minister of State for Economic and Investment Affairs in the cabinet of December 2021 after holding several positions, including; board chairman of Kuwait Economic Society, and head of the technical committee of the National Fund for SME Development.

6 – Dr. Ahmad Abdelwahab Ahmad Al-Awadi, Minister of Health. He holds a PhD in Pediatrics (Kuwait Board) from the Kuwait Institute for Medical Specialization, a PhD in medicine (MD) from the Arabian Gulf University in the Kingdom of Bahrain, and a bachelor’s degree in basic sciences from the same university. He worked as a pediatric consultant and director of Wara Hospital, head of the Kuwait Cancer Control Center in Al-Sabah Specialized Medical District. He also worked as director of the Palliative Care Center in the same area and Mubarak Al-Kabeer Hospital. He served as acting director of Jahra Health District, and director of Jahra Hospital.

7 – Dr. Amani Suleiman Abdel- Wahab Bouqmaz, Minister of Public Works, Minister of Electricity, Water and Renewable Energy. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from Kuwait University, a Master’s degree in civil engineering from the Middle East Technical University in Ankara – Turkey, and a PhD in civil engineering from Columbus Ohio University – USA. She worked as an assistant professor at Kuwait University and a member of the Board of Directors of the Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Sciences. She further served as a civil engineer, a liaison engineer to respond to the notes of the State Audit Bureau of the Implementation Department, and a planning and project engineer.

8 – Dr. Hamad Abdulwahab Hamad Al-Adwani, Minister of Education and Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research. He holds a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from the Kuwait University and a PhD degree in chemical engineering from the University of Texas. He served as director general of the National Bureau for Academic Accreditation and Education Quality Assurance (NBAQ), an assistant professor in the Department of Chemical Engineering, acting Dean of Admission and Registration, Assistant Dean for Admission and Registration, Director of the Master’s Program in the Department of Chemical Engineering at Kuwait University and the Cultural Attache at the Embassy of the State of Kuwait in Washington.

9 – Sheikh Salem Abdullah Al- Jaber Al-Sabah, Minister of Foreign Affairs. He holds Bachelor and Master’s degrees from the American University of Beirut. He served Kuwait’s Ambassador to the United States of America until 2022. He was a member of the Kuwaiti permanent delegation to the United Nations, as Minister Plenipotentiary. He served as Kuwait’s Ambassador to the Republic of Korea from 1998 to 2001, and in the Office of the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and a diplomatic attache at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

10 – Abdulaziz Majed Abdulaziz Al Majed, Minister of Justice, Minister of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs and Minister of State for Integrity Promotion. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in political sciences, and served as director of the office of the Minister of Justice, Assistant Undersecretary for Administrative and Financial Affairs and Administrative Development at the Ministry of Justice, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Justice, member of the Supreme Judicial Council, and Assistant Secretary-General of the Supreme Council for Provincial Affairs at the rank of Undersecretary.

11 – Abdulaziz Walid Abdullah Al-Mojel, Minister of State for Municipal Affairs. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Education from the Arab University. He is a member of the Municipal Council, and head of the Technical Committee, the Capital Committee, and the Fact-Finding Committee for Infringements on State Property, as well as a member of the Municipal Council Office, and the Petitions and Complaints Committee.

12 – Sheikh Abdullah Ali Abdullah Al-Salem Al-Sabah, Minister of Defense. He got a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from the University of Bahrain, a certificate in Financial Analysis from New York University in the United States of America, and a professional license (7 Series) to work for the New York Stock Exchange. He was head of the General Administration of Civil Aviation, Secretary of the Kuwaiti Financial Intelligence Unit, and head of the Anti-Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing Operations Department, and a Banking Controller.

13 – Ammar Muhammad Ammar Al-Ajmi, Minister of State for National Assembly Affairs and Minister of State for Housing and Urban Development Affairs. He got a Bachelor’s degree in commercial aviation from Oxford in Britain, and served head of the Boeing 777 fleet at Kuwait Airways Corporation, operations for deportation affairs in the company, the emergency and rapid intervention team. He was commander of the aircraft, trainer and lecturer on the Boeing 777 fleet, and he elected a member of the National Assembly.

14 – Mazen Saad Ali Al-Nahedh, Minister of Commerce and Industry and Minister of State for Communications and Information Technology Affairs. He passed the General Management Program, Leadership Program, Acquisition and Merger Program at Harvard Business School, and gota Bachelor’s geree in Business Administration, majoring in Finance – California State University, USA. He served CEO of the Kuwait Finance House Group, chairman of the Board of Directors of (KFH Capital) Investment Company. He was a member of the Board of Directors of Kuveyt Turk Bank, and of the Executive Management Committee of the National Bank of Kuwait as wellas general manager of personal banking group and corporate banking group, and a treasury group.

15 – Mai Jassim Muhammad Al- Baghli, Minister of Social Affairs and Community Development, and Minister of State for Women and Childhood Affairs. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from Kuwait University. She was a senior engineer in the State Audit Bureau and a time program engineer at the Ministry of Public Works, and a member of the Kuwait Society of Engineers. (KUNA)

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