Approval of Arbitration to Resolve Disputes

The Cabinet, in its meeting yesterday chaired by the Acting Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, Sheikh Fahad Al-Yousef, approved a draft decree-law issuing the Arbitration Law, given that arbitration is a cornerstone of effective justice and a pillar of trust in the business environment, owing to its speed in resolving disputes, specialization in adjudication, and flexibility in procedures.

At the outset of the meeting, the Cabinet was informed of the names of the official delegation accompanying the representative of His Highness the Crown Prince, Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad, namely Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled, in his official visit to the friendly United States of America (New York) to lead the Kuwaiti delegation participating in the high-level week of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly during the period from September 19 to 26, 2026.

For its part, the Cabinet expressed its strong condemnation and rejection of the attempt to target Mecca by a drone launched by the Houthi militia, affirming that this cowardly and despicable act constitutes a violation of the sanctity of the Qibla of Muslims, a disregard for its religious status, and an affront to the feelings of Muslims.

The Cabinet reaffirmed Kuwait’s absolute solidarity with and support for the sisterly Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in all measures taken to safeguard its sovereignty and security, protect the Two Holy Mosques, and preserve their sanctity, emphasizing that the security of the Kingdom is an integral part of the security of the State of Kuwait and the Gulf Cooperation Council countries.

For further details: The Cabinet was informed of the names of the official delegation accompanying the representative of His Highness the Crown Prince in his visit to the United States to lead the Kuwaiti delegation at the UN General Assembly. The Cabinet approved the Arbitration Law to expedite dispute resolution.

The Cabinet held its meeting yesterday, chaired by the Acting Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, Sheikh Fahad Al-Yousef. Following the meeting, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs, Sharidh Al-Muwasharji, issued the following statement:

At the outset of the meeting, the Cabinet was informed of the names of the official delegation accompanying the representative of His Highness the Crown Prince, Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad, namely Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled, in his official visit to the friendly United States of America (New York) to lead the State of Kuwait’s delegation participating in the high-level week of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly during the period from September 19 to 26, 2026. The delegation includes Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Jaraah Al-Jaber, Director General of the Direct Investment Promotion Authority Dr. Meshal Al-Jaber, Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs for International Organizations Affairs Ambassador Sadiq Muhammad Ma’arifi, Kuwait’s Ambassador to the friendly United States of America Sheikha Al-Zain Al-Sabah, Kuwait’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations in New York Ambassador Tariq Al-Banna, and several officials from the Diwan of His Highness the Crown Prince and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

For its part, the Cabinet expressed its strong condemnation and rejection of the attempt to target Mecca by a drone launched by the Houthi militia, affirming that this cowardly and despicable act constitutes a violation of the sanctity of the Qibla of Muslims, a disregard for its religious status, and an affront to the feelings of Muslims. It reaffirmed Kuwait’s absolute solidarity with and support for the sisterly Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in all measures taken to safeguard its sovereignty and security, protect the Two Holy Mosques, and preserve their sanctity, commending the vigilance and efficiency of the Saudi Royal Air Defense Forces in countering this attempt, and emphasizing that the security of the Kingdom is an integral part of the security of the State of Kuwait and the Gulf Cooperation Council countries.

In the same context, the Council of Ministers expressed its strong condemnation and rejection of the Houthi militia’s attacks with ballistic missiles and drones on civilian targets and civilians in the cities of Khamis Mushait, Abha, and Taif in the sisterly Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on Tuesday last, which resulted in injuries to several civilians and material damage to residential homes and vehicles. This constitutes a blatant violation of the Kingdom’s sovereignty and a breach of international law and international humanitarian law. The Council affirmed the State of Kuwait’s absolute solidarity with the sisterly Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, its standing by its side, and its support for all measures taken to safeguard its sovereignty, preserve its security and stability, protect its interests, and shield its people and residents on its territory. It stressed that the security of the Kingdom is an integral part of the security of the State of Kuwait and the security of the Gulf Cooperation Council countries.

The Council of Ministers also expressed its strong condemnation and rejection of the targeting of the East-West pipeline in the Riyadh and Medina regions of the sisterly Kingdom of Saudi Arabia by several drones originating from Iraqi territory on Saturday last, which resulted in human casualties and material damage. This act represents a blatant violation of the Kingdom’s sovereignty, a breach of international law and international humanitarian law, and a threat to energy supply security. The Council emphasized that these attacks constitute a serious escalation that could undermine the security and stability of the region. It stressed the importance of the Iraqi government taking necessary measures to ensure that its territory is not used as a launching pad for such attacks, and to work towards stopping and preventing their recurrence. It reiterated the State of Kuwait’s absolute solidarity with the sisterly Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, its support for all measures taken to safeguard its sovereignty, preserve its security and stability, and protect its interests.

On another note, the Council of Ministers was briefed on the political and diplomatic efforts undertaken by Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Jara Al-Jaber, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Kuwait’s diplomatic missions abroad to keep pace with the latest developments in the regional and international arenas.

On a separate matter, the Council of Ministers reviewed a visual presentation on the implementation of the unified government electronic services application (“Sahel”) during the period from January 1, 2026, to August 31, 2026. The presentation included various statistics regarding the “Sahel” application, as well as the digital routes launched through the app to facilitate the electronic linkage of services and expand integration among government entities, thereby enhancing performance efficiency, simplifying procedures, serving citizens and residents, and accelerating the processing of transactions.

On another note, the Council of Ministers approved the draft decree-law issuing the Arbitration Law, recognizing arbitration as a fundamental pillar of effective justice and a cornerstone of trust in the business environment due to its speed in resolving disputes, specialization in adjudication, and flexibility in procedures. The draft decree-law was prepared as a comprehensive, independent legislation on arbitration, drawing upon the best established international systems and practices while preserving the specificity of Kuwait’s legal system and its stable procedural terminology. It strikes a precise balance between the principle of party autonomy, which is the essence of arbitration, and the safeguards of public order, which underpin state sovereignty.

The aforementioned draft decree-law establishes a comprehensive framework that harmonizes the authenticity of Kuwait’s legal system with the latest developments in comparative arbitration systems. It lays the foundation for an integrated national arbitration system that saves time through fixed timelines and accessible court orders, protects public funds through strict controls on the arbitration of state entity contracts, and provides arbitrators with limited liability and investors with restricted grounds for appeal, ensuring swift resolution.

The Council of Ministers forwarded a draft decree-law issuing the Arbitration Law to His Highness Amir Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad. The Council reviewed a number of agenda items, reports, and minutes of ministerial committees, and approved them. It also decided to refer several items to the relevant ministerial committees for study and to submit appropriate recommendations to complete the procedures for their finalization.