KUWAIT CITY, Nov 16: Kuwait’s Ministry of Social Affairs has requested municipal approval to add a set of new commercial activities to the list of public shops operating within cooperative society warehouses in the Al-Rai area, paving the way for their investment by external parties.

In an official letter to the Kuwait Municipality, the ministry said the Al-Shamiya and Al-Shuwaikh Cooperative Society had sought authorization to offer investment shops located in its warehouse building in the Al-Rai section of Shuwaikh Industrial Area to outside investors. The request follows the approval of the cooperative’s Board of Directors and includes 12 proposed activities: installation of glass, mirrors and frames; retail sale of car spare parts; sale of car decorations and accessories; aluminum works; non-food central markets; retail sale of building materials; retail sale of car tires and accessories; a basement warehouse; ground-floor and mezzanine warehouses; and car mechanical repair.

The ministry noted that the previous international classifications for these activities are not among those currently approved for cooperative societies. It added that a contract exists between the Public Authority for Industry and the cooperative society for the renewal of a plot in a service, craft, and commercial zone—contracts that are granted exclusively to societies with industrial land. The ministry, therefore, urged the municipality to approve adding the international names of the proposed activities for cooperative societies that operate on industrial land, enabling the ministry to proceed with tendering procedures and avoid any legal violations.

In a separate communication, the Ministry of Social Affairs informed the municipality of a newly formed working group tasked with studying and resolving issues related to booths and kiosks in cooperative societies. The letter referred to a recent meeting held at the office of the Assistant Undersecretary for Financial and Administrative Affairs and Cooperative Affairs, attended by Kuwait Municipality representatives, during which the ministry presented its proposals for activities to be established on the ground floors of central markets.

The ministry attached a list of proposed investment activities for consideration — fish sales, butchery, mill services, and pies, sweets, and pastries. These services, it said, are essential and consumer-oriented, and their placement along the edges of the central market, beneath escalators in 3x3 or 4x3-meter spaces depending on refrigeration needs, would streamline shopping and boost sales by eliminating the need for customers to visit multiple locations.

Meanwhile, a private source at the Ministry of Social Affairs said the committee reviewing all regulations governing cooperative societies continues to hold weekly meetings to examine the articles of decisions issued in 2016 and 2020. Many provisions, the source noted, require updates to align with current developments in cooperative work, particularly in light of ongoing digital transformation and the completion of automated linkages for financial, administrative, and warehouse operations within cooperatives.

The source emphasized that the overarching goal is to safeguard public funds and protect shareholders’ rights, while enhancing oversight by financial and administrative auditors. Once the review is complete and necessary amendments are finalized, the committee will submit its report to the Minister of Social Affairs, with the expectation that the process will be concluded before the end of the year.