Approval of the “Regulation of Charitable and Humanitarian Work”

The Council of Ministers, during its meeting yesterday chaired by His Highness Sheikh Ahmad Abdullah Al-Salim Al-Sabah, Prime Minister, approved a draft decree-law issuing the Law Regulating Charitable and Humanitarian Work. The project aims to unify and regulate charitable and humanitarian work in the State of Kuwait within a modern legal framework that enhances governance and transparency, defines the roles of relevant entities, and institutionalizes operations in the charitable and humanitarian sector. The Council of Ministers tasked the Ministry of Social Affairs, in coordination with the Office of Fatwa and Legislation, to prepare the explanatory memorandum for the aforementioned draft decree-law, in preparation for its submission to His Highness the Amir, Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah.

The Council of Ministers also expressed its strongest condemnation and rejection of the heinous aggression launched by Iran and its proxies against the country, which targeted the Al-Abdali border crossing last Thursday through a series of hostile drone attacks. This constituted a blatant violation of the sovereignty of the State of Kuwait, a direct threat to its security and stability, and a serious breach of the rules of international law, the UN Charter, and Security Council Resolution 2817. The Council emphasized that persisting in these overt and repeated attacks constitutes a serious escalation and a direct threat to regional security and stability, reflecting a systematic hostile approach that is neither justifiable nor acceptable.

On another note, the Council of Ministers heard an explanation from Minister of Finance Dr. Yaqoub Al-Rifai in the context of preparing the first report on the implementation of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) action plan. In this regard, the Council reviewed a visual presentation delivered by Dr. Hamad Al-Mukarrad, Chairman of the Kuwait Financial Intelligence Unit and the National Committee for Combating Money Laundering and Financing of Terrorism, and Yusuf Al-Omar, Vice Chairman of the Kuwait Financial Intelligence Unit, regarding national efforts undertaken in light of national commitments aimed at strengthening the system for combating money laundering, the financing of terrorism, and the proliferation of weapons, and reinforcing compliance with relevant international standards.

For his part, the Council of Ministers stressed the importance of continuing to work with a spirit of teamwork, intensifying coordination and cooperation among all relevant entities, to ensure that the requirements of the first report are met comprehensively and accurately, reflecting the State’s commitment to implementing the action plan and achieving targeted outcomes in accordance with best practices and international standards.

For further details: The Council was briefed on the content of phone calls received by His Highness from the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, and the President of Egypt. The Council of Ministers condemned and rejected the heinous aggression by Iran and its proxies against the Al-Abdali crossing.

The Cabinet held its meeting yesterday, presided over by His Highness Sheikh Ahmad Abdullah Al-Salem, Prime Minister. Following the meeting, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs, Shuraid Al-Muwasharji, issued the following statement:

At the outset of its meeting, the Cabinet was briefed on the content of the phone call received last week by His Highness the Amir Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad from his brother, His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, Crown Prince and Prime Minister of the sisterly Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. During the call, His Highness expressed his concern for Kuwait, its leadership, and its noble people following the blatant and continuous Iranian attacks on Kuwaiti territory. His Highness expressed the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s strong condemnation and disapproval of this blatant aggression, affirming the Kingdom’s full solidarity with Kuwait. His Highness also conveyed Kuwait’s support for the sisterly Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and its full backing of all measures taken to safeguard its security and stability. Furthermore, His Highness expressed his deep gratitude and appreciation to his brother, His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman, wishing him good health and well-being, and wishing the sisterly Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and its people peace, security, progress, and prosperity under the wise leadership of His Majesty King Salman bin Abdulaziz, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques.

The Cabinet was also briefed on the content of the call received by His Highness the Amir last Sunday from Andy Burnham, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. His Highness congratulated Mr. Burnham on his appointment by King Charles III, King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, to form a government. The call also reviewed the historical relations between the two friendly countries and peoples, as well as a number of issues of mutual interest and the latest developments on the regional and international scenes, particularly regarding the current circumstances facing the region and exchanging views on them. Mr. Burnham affirmed his country’s support for Kuwait and its friendly people, and its backing of all measures aimed at preserving Kuwait’s sovereignty, security, and stability. His Highness the Amir expressed his sincere gratitude and appreciation to Andy Burnham, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, wishing him good health and well-being to continue the path of development and prosperity, and wishing the British people further progress and growth.

The Cabinet was also briefed on the content of the phone call received by His Highness the Amir from his brother, President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, President of the Arab Republic of Egypt. The call reviewed the close and distinguished fraternal relations between the two countries and their peoples. It also discussed a number of issues of mutual interest and examined the latest developments on the regional and international scenes, particularly regarding the current circumstances facing the region. His Excellency the President affirmed the Arab Republic of Egypt’s support for Kuwait and its backing of all measures taken to safeguard its security and sovereignty, praying to God Almighty to protect Kuwait and its friendly people from all harm. His Highness the Amir, may God protect and guard him, expressed his sincere gratitude and appreciation to President El-Sisi, wishing him good health and complete well-being, and wishing the Egyptian people further progress and growth.

On another note, the Cabinet was briefed on the details of the contract for the construction, operation, and maintenance of the Kabd North Water Reclamation Plant and its complementary works between Kuwait and China, which was signed last Sunday under the patronage and presence of His Highness Sheikh Ahmad Abdullah Al-Salem. This contract represents the second cooperation agreement between Kuwait and the People’s Republic of China. The contract was signed on behalf of Kuwait by the Minister of Public Works, Dr. Noura Al-Mashaan, in the presence of Yang Xing, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the People’s Republic of China to Kuwait. This contract extends Kuwait’s desire to implement strategic projects that enhance the quality of infrastructure, promote environmental sustainability, and improve the efficiency of the wastewater treatment system, keeping pace with urban growth and supporting the achievement of sustainable development goals and Kuwait’s future vision.

On another note, the Cabinet expressed its strongest condemnation and disapproval of the heinous aggression launched by Iran and its proxies against the country, which targeted the Abdali border crossing on Thursday last week through a number of hostile drone attacks. This constituted a blatant violation of Kuwait’s sovereignty, a direct threat to its security and stability, and a serious breach of the rules of international law, the UN Charter, and Security Council Resolution 2817. The Cabinet emphasized that persisting in these blatant and repeated attacks constitutes a dangerous escalation and a direct threat to regional security and stability, reflecting a systematic hostile approach that is unjustifiable and unacceptable. It reaffirmed Kuwait’s full and inherent right to self-defense, in accordance with Article 51 of the UN Charter, and to take all necessary measures to safeguard its sovereignty, protect its territory and assets, and preserve its security and stability.

On another note, the Cabinet was briefed by Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Jara Al-Jaber on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ summoning of the Iranian Ambassador to Kuwait, Mohammad Toutounji, on Tuesday last week. The Ambassador was handed a protest note regarding Iran’s targeting of the Kuwaiti tanker “Kivan” while it was transiting the Strait of Hormuz, which resulted in injuries to several crew members. The Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs emphasized that this blatant aggression occurs amid the escalation of the heinous aggression launched by Iran against Kuwait since February 28, including inflammatory and provocative statements issued by the Iranian side. This constitutes a blatant violation of Kuwait’s sovereignty, territorial integrity, and interests, and a threat to the security and freedom of international navigation, as well as a breach of international law, the UN Charter, and Security Council Resolution 2817 of 2026. The Deputy Minister reiterated Kuwait’s call for Iran to immediately cease its illegal attacks, emphasizing Kuwait’s right to take necessary measures, and holding Iran fully responsible for this aggression and its continuous attacks on Kuwait.

On another note, the Cabinet expressed its strong condemnation and disapproval of the repeated attacks launched by the Houthi militia on ships in the Red Sea, the latest of which was an attack on a ship belonging to a Saudi company. This constitutes a blatant violation of international law and a direct threat to the security and freedom of maritime navigation and the safety of international trade. The Cabinet stressed the necessity of adhering to international law rules that guarantee freedom of navigation and safe passage in international waterways. It affirmed Kuwait’s full solidarity with the sisterly Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, its support for it, and its backing of all measures taken to safeguard its sovereignty, protect its security, and defend its interests. It also emphasized Kuwait’s rejection of any practices that could destabilize the security and stability of the region.

The Cabinet also expressed its strongest condemnation and disapproval of the attacks that attempted to target petrochemical facilities in the Eastern and Riyadh regions of the sisterly Kingdom of Saudi Arabia using drones launched by militias affiliated with Iran in Iraq. This constituted a blatant violation of the Kingdom’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, and a breach of international law, the UN Charter, and Security Council Resolution 2817. The Cabinet reaffirmed Kuwait’s full solidarity with the sisterly Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and its support for all measures taken to safeguard its security and sovereignty, emphasizing that the security of the Kingdom is an integral part of the security of Kuwait and the Gulf Cooperation Council countries.

On another note, the Cabinet expressed its strong condemnation and disapproval of the repeated drone attacks that targeted the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, a blatant violation of its sovereignty and territorial integrity and a direct threat to its security and stability. The Cabinet affirmed Kuwait’s full solidarity with the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, its support for it, and its backing of all measures taken to protect its security, sovereignty, and the safety of its people.

On another note, the Cabinet listened to a briefing by Minister of Defense Sheikh Abdullah Al-Ali on the latest developments in the region and current military developments in light of the heinous Iranian attacks suffered by Kuwait in recent days. He affirmed the readiness of the Armed Forces and their continued performance of their duties with efficiency and competence, and their taking of all necessary measures and precautions to safeguard Kuwait’s sovereignty and territory, preserve its security and stability, and protect citizens and residents.

On another note, the Cabinet listened to a briefing by Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Jara Al-Jaber on the political and diplomatic efforts undertaken by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and its diplomatic missions abroad to keep pace with the latest developments on the regional and international scenes.

In this context, the Cabinet was briefed on the content of the joint statement issued by the Gulf Cooperation Council countries and the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan last Thursday, in which they expressed their unified position condemning the heinous aggression launched by Iran and its proxies against their territories. They also stressed that these continuous attacks violate the UN Charter, international law, international humanitarian law, Security Council Resolution 2817, and the explicit commitments made by Iran under the memorandum of understanding. They affirmed their inherent right to self-defense, individually or collectively, in accordance with Article 51 of the UN Charter, and to take all necessary legal measures to protect their sovereignty, territories, citizens, and commercial vessels.

On another note, the Cabinet listened to a briefing by Minister of Finance Dr. Yaqoob Al-Rafai in the context of preparing the first report on the implementation of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) action plan. In this regard, the Cabinet reviewed a presentation by Dr. Hamad Al-Mukarram, Chairman of the Kuwait Financial Intelligence Unit and the National Committee for Combating Money Laundering and Financing of Terrorism, and Yusuf Al-Amer, Deputy Chairman of the Kuwait Financial Intelligence Unit, on national efforts made in light of national commitments aimed at enhancing the system for combating money laundering, financing of terrorism, and proliferation of weapons, and reinforcing compliance with relevant international standards. The presentation also included the main achievements in legislative, regulatory, and supervisory measures, the progress made in implementing the action plan’s axes, and the efforts made to enhance coordination among relevant national authorities and ensure the completion of technical requirements according to specified timelines.

For his part, the Cabinet emphasized the importance of continuing to work with a team spirit, intensifying coordination and cooperation among all relevant authorities, to ensure the comprehensive and accurate fulfillment of the requirements for the first report, reflecting the state’s commitment to implementing the action plan and achieving targeted results in accordance with best practices and international standards.

On another note, Minister of Finance Dr. Yaqoob Al-Rafai and Minister of State for Economic and Investment Affairs Abdulaziz Al-Marzouq briefed the Cabinet on the details of the Ministry of Finance’s issuance of international sovereign bonds denominated in US dollars with a total value of $6 billion through three tranches in international capital markets. This represents one of the most prominent sovereign financing operations in global markets this year. The Cabinet commended this issuance, which reflects the continuous confidence Kuwait enjoys among international investors and underscores the strength of its credit rating and the solidity of its financial position.

On another note, the Cabinet approved the draft decree-law issuing the Law Regulating Charitable and Humanitarian Work. The project aims to unify and regulate charitable and humanitarian work in Kuwait within a modern legal framework that enhances governance and transparency, regulates the roles of concerned entities, and institutionalizes work in the charitable and humanitarian sector. The Cabinet tasked the Ministry of Social Affairs, in coordination with the Fatwa and Legislation Department, to prepare the explanatory memorandum for the aforementioned draft decree-law, with a view to submitting it to His Highness the Amir.

On another note, the Cabinet reviewed the recommendation contained in the minutes of the Ministerial Committee for Public Services regarding grazing sites in Kuwait. The Council decided to adhere to its Decision No. 414 taken at Meeting No. 14/2026, held on April 7, 2026, which tasked the Public Authority for Agriculture and Fisheries Resources, in coordination with the Ministry of Defense, Ministry of Interior, Municipality, Public Authority for Environmental Affairs, Kuwait Petroleum Corporation and its subsidiaries, and any other suitable entities, to undertake the following:

First: Organize the procedures for granting licenses to practice livestock grazing and determine suitable grazing sites.

Second: Remove all existing encroachments on state property and take immediate deterrent legal action against violators.

Third: Complete the automatic linking and mechanization of all relevant data and services among the aforementioned entities to ensure strict supervision and prevent encroachments on state property.

The Cabinet reviewed a number of topics on the agenda, as well as reports and minutes of ministerial committees, and decided to approve them. It also decided to refer some of them to the relevant ministerial committees for study and to submit appropriate recommendations to complete the procedures for their implementation.

On another note, Minister of Oil Tariq Al-Roumi briefed the Cabinet on the details of the “Shahin” project by Kuwait Petroleum Corporation (KPC). The project aims to achieve financial benefit from existing assets through a lease and re-lease model for crude oil pipelines valued at $16 billion, in line with KPC’s strategy until 2040. It also supports economic diversification goals and encourages direct investment. The project aims to provide significant financial liquidity estimated at $7.85 billion to support the five-year financing plan. It is considered one of the pillars of the financing and capital expenditure plan and the plan to raise crude oil production capacity to 4 million barrels per day by 2035, while maintaining asset ownership and full operational control by Kuwait Oil Company. The project involves an alliance of major global investors in the infrastructure sector and investment institutions, led by investment funds managed by Blackstone, Brookfield, and KKR. It represents the largest foreign direct investment in Kuwait’s history and a milestone in the country’s economic development journey. It also embodies the commitment announced by the Prime Minister at the Kuwait Oil Exhibition in February 2026, aimed at attracting elite global investors to participate in developing Kuwait’s strategic infrastructure.

On another note, Minister of State for Youth and Sports Affairs Dr. Tariq Al-Jalahma briefed the Cabinet on the patronage and presence of His Highness Sheikh Ahmad Abdullah Al-Salem at the ceremony honoring national team champions, players and players, for the 2023/2024 and 2024/2025 sports seasons. Distinguished players and players from various Kuwaiti sports bodies, committees, federations, and clubs were honored. His Highness affirmed that the achievements of national team champions and championesses represent a source of pride and honor, reflecting the spirit of determination and resolve possessed by Kuwaiti youth, and the distinguished efforts they make to represent their country and raise its name and flag at various sporting events.

Former Minister of Education Dr. Sulaiman Al-Badr: The Council of Ministers has mourned the late, may God have mercy on him, former Minister of Education Dr. Sulaiman Saadoun Al-Badr, who passed away after a distinguished national career marked by dedication and loyalty to the service of the country and education. The Council of Ministers commended the deceased’s virtues and recalled his outstanding contributions to the nation, invoking Almighty God to envelop him in His boundless mercy, grant him Paradise, and inspire his family and loved ones with patience and solace.