KUWAIT CITY, Nov 30: Gulf homes have become “creativity platforms” for promising projects, Kuwaiti Minister of Social Affairs, Family and Childhood Affairs Dr. Amthal Al-Huwailah said Sunday, affirming that Gulf youth “no longer wait for opportunities, but create them with their own hands and turn them into a renewed economic reality.”

Speaking at the opening of the First Gulf Forum for Capacity-Building and Skills Development of Home-Based Entrepreneurs, hosted by Kuwait over two days, Al-Huwailah said the gathering reflects a joint Gulf vision aimed not only at exchanging expertise but “opening new horizons toward a future shaped by the synergy of minds, the dynamism of energies, and a firm belief that Gulf youth can transcend what is possible.”

The forum is jointly organized by the Ministry of Social Affairs, the Executive Office of GCC Ministers of Labor and Social Affairs, and the Federation of GCC Chambers.

Al-Huwailah stressed that home-based projects have proven their ability to grow into competitive economic entities, noting that GCC leaders consistently affirm that these creative energies deserve support and opportunities that match their ambitions. Empowering home-based entrepreneurs in a rapidly changing technological era has become “a national duty and necessity,” she said, emphasizing that the digital world is now “the language of the future,” granting those who master it the keys to the market and the ability to transform small initiatives into distinctive contributors to the Gulf economy.

She added that Kuwait is advancing efforts to provide specialized training, encourage innovation, open access to digital markets, and ease procedures to support the growth of home-based businesses, ensuring that every entrepreneur becomes a partner in an innovation-driven economy founded on honest work. The presence of GCC Executive Office and GCC Chambers representatives, she said, reflects a unified belief that home-based enterprises can be genuine economic drivers where government support complements individual creativity.

Dr. Al-Huwailah affirmed that efforts will continue to build an environment that strengthens trust, provides training, and opens digital gateways, enabling Gulf youth to prove that creativity “does not require massive budgets, but sincere support and belief in human potential.”

Mohammad Al-Obaidli, Director-General of the Executive Office of GCC Ministers of Labor and Social Affairs, praised Kuwait’s distinguished role during its chairmanship of the GCC Social Affairs Committee, saying it set a model for constructive cooperation and Gulf integration. He noted that the forum comes at a time of rising need to establish real empowerment pathways for home-based projects, which have become significant economic drivers and are essential to social sustainability and family empowerment.

Al-Obaidli described the forum as “a practical linking channel” between home-based entrepreneurs and the private sector, opening wider opportunities for investment through financing platforms, training, digital marketing, and technological solutions to move small projects into regionally leading ventures that strengthen growth and competitiveness.

Noura Al-Salem, Assistant Secretary-General of the Federation of GCC Chambers, said on behalf of the Secretary-General that small and micro enterprises and productive families are now key engines of economic and social development across the GCC. Their importance extends beyond providing jobs and income, she said, as they foster innovation, empower women, increase family economic participation, and create new digital-based business models.

Al-Salem noted that the forum seeks to build an integrated Gulf platform combining training, capacity-building, financing, and financial inclusion, while benefiting from successful experiences, exchanging expertise, and strengthening partnerships among supporting and beneficiary bodies. Specialized sessions, she added, aim to create a clear roadmap for transforming small projects from individual initiatives into an integrated economic system capable of growth and competition. She reaffirmed the GCC Chambers’ commitment to supporting these enterprises as part of economic diversification efforts and integrating them into the digital economy to leverage the wide opportunities created by rapid digital transformation.

The forum’s first day features two panel discussions: the first on leading experiences in home-based entrepreneurship across the Gulf and the challenges and opportunities of market access; the second on areas of support and empowerment for home-based ventures, with GCC ministries presenting their pioneering experiences.

On Monday, the program includes three sessions covering “From Home to Market: Economic Empowerment in the Digital Age,” the role of GCC chambers of commerce in supporting emerging projects, and “Sustainability of Home-Based Projects,” focusing on developing an enabling environment through marketing strategies and commercial arbitration.

Kuwaiti Minister of Social Affairs, Dr. Amthal Al-Huwailah, inspects exhibition pavilions at the Gulf Home-Based Entrepreneurs Forum

Noura Al-Salem, Assistant Secretary-General of the Federation of GCC Chambers