KUWAIT CITY, Nov 8: “It is our fate to live in this era of critical regional positions and global changes; hence, the need for the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries to adhere to the principles of unity, consultation, solidarity, and cooperation,” says National Assembly Speaker Ahmad Al-Sa’adoun. This is part of the speaker’s speech at the 17th Assembly of GCC Parliaments in Doha, Qatar, where he pointed out: “While we are meeting here, the Zionist entity keeps on committing devastating crimes, displacement, and massacre in Gaza.

The entity ignores the international humanitarian calls for a ceasefire and refuses to open the borders for the distribution of humanitarian aid and treatment of the injured. We need to recall the statement issued by the African Union leaders at the August 1975 summit, when they declared that the Israeli occupier of Palestine and the racist regimes ruling Zimbabwe and South Africa share the same racist colonialist ground with one racist entity keen on humiliating human beings and abusing their dignity.” He highlighted the decision taken at the Non-Alligned Foreign Affairs Ministers Conference in August 1975, condemning Zionism and considering it a threat to global safety and security; during which they recommended combating such racist and imperial ideology. He pointed out that despite the unlimited material, military, and spiritual support of some countries for the Zionist entity; it is important to praise the fair position that the inter-parliamentary groups expressed at the International Parliament Union (IPU) Assembly held in Angola on October 23-27, 2023 where two proposals on Palestine were approved.

Canada submitted the first proposal on behalf of Argentina, Austria, Croatia, Finland, France, Italy, Holland, Sweden, and the United Kingdom. They proposed the establishment of a common base for peace. The Algeria and Kuwait delegation, which represented the Arab Group, Indonesia, Iran, and South Africa, submitted the second proposal about ceasefire and stopping crimes against humanity in Gaza. Al-Saadoun clarified that although none of these proposals obtained the special majority vote (two-thirds of the votes required to include them in the agenda), both of them got absolute majority as follows:

First: 607 approved, 439 rejected and 219 abstained.
Second: 507 approved, 452 rejected and 306 abstained.

He also mentioned the United Nations General Assembly resolution issued on October 27, 2023, about the protection of civilians, and adherence to legal commitments for immediate and lasting peace and ceasefire in Gaza. He stressed the need to adopt unified and strong positions to support Palestinians until they obtain their rights, such as the right to an independent State with full sovereignty. In another development, MP Hani Shams submitted a bill on establishing a national shareholding shipping company for the shipment of goods by land, sea, and air.

According to the bill, the government will establish a national company with a permanent headquarters in Kuwait. The company will provide shipment services using the ships at Kuwaiti ports, Kuwait Airways fleet and public transportation. It will contribute to the development of logistic services to be internationally competitive. The shares of the company will be distributed as follows: 6-24 percent for the government and its subsidiaries and 50 percent for public subscription. Retirees can hold shares and they can ask the Public Institution for Social Security (PIFSS) to buy the shares on their behalf, while the payment for these shares will be in installments that will be cut from their pension.

A minimum of 26 percent of the shares will be for the bidding of companies registered at Boursa Kuwait. The institution that will be tasked to prepare the executive regulations for the bill will specify the conditions for these companies to participate in the bidding. The national shipping company shall boost the economy in line with the relevant laws and international treaties. It is authorized to invest its profits directly or through other investment institutions. It will establish subsidiaries and buy the shares of other foreign shipping companies.

The Council of Ministers shall issue a decision for the concerned public institutions, including Kuwait Authority for Partnership Projects, to establish the national shipping company and lay down the executive regulations within one year of ratifying the bill. MP Majed Al-Mutairi submitted a proposal to establish the Saturday Market (Souk Sabt) for the owners of small and medium enterprises (SMEs). On the other hand, MP Muhannad Al-Sayer asked Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Sheikh Talal Khalid Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah to provide him with a copy of the decision to establish the Disciplinary Council at the Criminal Investigation General Department, if the council is suspended now, reasons for suspension if the response is in the affirmative, measures taken against officials referred to the council in the last five years, the deadline for the department to complete the investigation of a case, if cases have filed up at the department if the number of investigators matches the number of cases, the job description of the deputy chairman of the Investigation Section Affairs Unit, if the Technical Office carries out its tasks as per ministerial Decision No. 11/2008 if the job degree of the attorney general is similar to that of the undersecretary and his retirement privileges.

MP Hassan Jawhar asked the same minister about the number of residents who were granted Kuwaiti citizenship for providing exceptional services to Kuwait since March 1, 1991. He requested details like the original nationality, period of residency in Kuwait before obtaining nationality, date of granting Kuwaiti nationality, qualification before obtaining Kuwaiti nationality, names of Kuwaiti relatives before obtaining citizenship, the exceptional services rendered, and number of individuals who were naturalized by virtue of the citizenship granted to the original beneficiaries.

By Saeed Mahmoud Saleh
Al-Seyassah/Arab Times Staff