Minister of Justice: Judiciary to be 100% Kuwaiti by September 30, 2030
Kuwait City, Sept 12 (KUNA) -- Justice Minister and Advisor Nasser Al-Sumeit announced on Saturday that the judiciary in the country will be 100 percent Kuwaitized by September 30, 2030, affirming that the judicial authority has the full capacity to manage its affairs with complete efficiency and competence.
This statement came during a press conference held by Advisor Al-Sumeit after he inspected the written electronic exams at the University of Kuwait for graduates of the 2024/2025 academic year who applied for the position of "Junior Legal Researcher," which qualifies them for the role of Deputy Public Prosecutor (Grade C).
He clarified that the current rate of Kuwaitization in the judiciary stands at 87 percent, with plans to increase this figure to 92 percent by September 30, 2027, reaching full Kuwaitization by September 30, 2030. He described this as a sovereign right and a primary demand of the state.
On another note, Advisor Al-Sumeit stated that the National Plan for Updating the Legislative System has resulted in a decrease of approximately 20 percent in the number of cases pending before courts of all types during the middle of the current year (equivalent to 111,000 cases). He noted that "the number of cases pending before courts reaches one million annually, and we expect it to drop to 800,000 by the end of the current year."
He pointed out that the surge in the number of cases pending before courts in Kuwait is very significant, despite the country having one of the highest ratios of judges to population globally, with 32 judges per 10,000 inhabitants. He explained that the problem does not lie in the number of judges, but rather in the existing system, and efforts are underway to implement the third phase of the National Plan, which aims to raise the completion rate to approximately 40 percent of the total effective legislative system in Kuwait.
He added that the Penal Code will soon be completed under a completely new system for crimes in Kuwait, featuring alternative penalties and highly advanced concepts that align with the nature of Kuwaiti society, alongside the criminalization of certain dangerous acts. He stated that issuing this law will constitute the most significant and genuine reform, leading to a direct and clear reduction in the country's crime rate.
Al-Sumeit highlighted four laws that will be finalized before the end of 2026: the Lawyers Law, which includes a comprehensive and new restructuring of the profession in terms of organization and regulations; the Commercial Arbitration Law; the Family Court Law; and the Notarization Law.
He explained that commercial arbitration is among the most important laws that can alleviate the burden of commercial disputes on courts by resorting to arbitration instead of litigation, which takes more time and incurs higher costs for commercial entities.
Furthermore, he noted that the Family Court Law addresses numerous issues by introducing a new system in Kuwaiti law called the "threatening fine" and the "escalating fine," as well as a daily electronic vision system between parents and children (video calls) via a special program provided by the Ministry of Justice. It also introduces a "sleepover allowance" in accordance with Islamic Sharia.
He mentioned that alongside this, a government program to protect the family was launched two months ago, with all its details to be announced next month, including a complete restructuring of all procedures. He clarified that this includes comprehensive training for staff, as some are currently unqualified.
Advisor Al-Sumeit added that Sharia notaries must obtain a license to practice, which requires thorough knowledge of Sharia rulings and participation in a training course. He stated that a Sharia notary will not notarize a marriage contract unless the parties undergo mandatory training and medical examinations. He explained that the training course will initially be electronic and recorded, before transitioning to in-person sessions at a later stage.
He added that Sharia notaries will be permitted to conduct marriages electronically via video technology, with special verification through electronic systems linked to the Ministry of Health and the Public Authority for Civil Information.
He pointed to other laws currently being worked on, such as the Juvenile Law, which includes a comprehensive system to address various problems, and the Personal Status Law, which is in the consultation phase. He noted that responses from the last entity are still pending, after which all responses from various entities will be studied, along with laws on rentals, civil law, and insurance regulation.
Responding to a question about the latest updates on digital transformation at the Ministry of Justice, Minister Al-Sumeit clarified that new electronic agencies will soon be launched. These will be time-bound, with a maximum duration of five years, except for certain types of agencies. They will be of a specific nature and assigned a barcode.
He added that work is currently underway to prepare an electronic real estate registration system in cooperation with Microsoft. The first phase will be launched at the end of the current year, with full completion expected before the end of 2027.
He indicated that the first electronic judiciary system will be dedicated to family courts due to their sensitivity, especially when children's attendance is required. A team from the Family Prosecution is currently working with Microsoft to prepare it. He affirmed that digital transformation in the judicial system is crucial and will eliminate numerous problems such as corruption and nepotism.
Responding to a question about the procedural steps to implement the law establishing the National Human Rights Authority, the Minister stated that the Authority has become a body subordinate to the Minister of Justice, and the law has been completely amended to align with international standards and the Paris Principles.
He said, "We are now in the stage of selecting the new board of directors. There is immunity for their work, a dedicated budget, and a specific provision prohibiting the Minister of Justice from interfering in any of their affairs. There is also a requirement for government entities to cooperate with the Authority and provide it with requested information."
He clarified that interference in their budget is also prohibited. In the event of a dispute over the budget between the board of directors and the Ministry of Finance, the matter will be referred to the Council of Ministers to decide as appropriate. He described these as unprecedented exceptions for the sensitive tasks performed by the Authority, such as investigating human rights violations, conducting inspections upon accepting complaints, and reviewing them.
He said, "We welcome criticism. Rest assured that there is absolutely no rush to finalize laws. No legislation will be approved unless it has been studied from all aspects." He explained, "Those who perceive speed in approving laws should understand that not all laws are completed by the Ministry of Justice. We have resorted to another method to assist us, which is establishing committees chaired by senior members of the judiciary. Experts are consulted for each law."
The Minister of Justice stated that the coming period will focus on key laws with direct impact on economic, criminal, and social aspects, to complete the third phase of the National Plan for Updating the Legislative System, aiming to enhance the efficiency of state institutions and protect society. (End) N.S. / M.A.H.A.
