Kuwait News Agency: 50 Years of Leadership and Credibility in Media Work

By Amina Al-Shamari (News Report) Kuwait, Oct 5 (KUNA) -- The Kuwait News Agency (KUNA) will tomorrow, Tuesday, celebrate its 50th anniversary, reflecting on half a century of media contribution and a career marked by professional and technical development that has established the agency as a distinctive media platform for the State of Kuwait.

Over the past five decades, KUNA has witnessed and engaged with major local, Arab, and global events, achieving a series of accomplishments in securing media scoops locally, regionally, and internationally, as well as receiving numerous prestigious awards and honors. This distinction was not a matter of chance but the result of a commitment to a challenging media equation that balances maximum speed in news transmission with accuracy, objectivity, and credibility in reporting, alongside comprehensive coverage of local events and key developments within and outside Kuwait. This underscores its role as an official and reliable platform for sourcing news content.

The late Amir of Kuwait, Sheikh Sabah Al-Salim Al-Sabah, issued Decree-Law No. 70 on October 6, 1976, establishing a public institution with legal personality under the name Kuwait News Agency. The agency’s launch stemmed from the forward-looking vision of the late Amir, Sheikh Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, when he was Crown Prince and Prime Minister, to establish a national official news agency. His Highness directed the then-Minister of Information, Sheikh Jaber Al-Ali Al-Sabah, to study this ambitious national project, viewing it as a strategic step toward achieving media sovereignty and keeping pace with the rapid development the country was experiencing across various fields.

The agency launched its official local broadcasts in Arabic on March 11, 1978, followed by its international broadcasts on November 15, 1978. Subsequently, it began experimental English-language transmissions on January 15, 1980, and launched its official international English broadcasts on February 25 of the same year. On December 4, 1979, KUNA opened its first foreign office in London, the UK capital. It later expanded its network of offices and correspondents to cover most Arab capitals and major global capitals, deploying Kuwaiti cadres to manage these offices starting in 1983.

At its inception, the agency placed great emphasis on developing the capabilities of its staff through intensive training programs within Kuwait and abroad in media, technical, engineering, administrative, and financial fields, as well as empowering Kuwaiti women in the media sector.

KUNA passed through a pivotal moment in its history during the brutal Iraqi invasion of Kuwait on August 2, 1990. Its broadcasts from its headquarters in Kuwait were suspended and relocated to its London office to fulfill its role in supporting Kuwait’s just cause, documenting the heroism of the national resistance within the country, and covering the efforts and activities of the legitimate government in Taif. During this period, the agency was keen on enhancing its role in shaping global public opinion, exposing the false media claims of the invading regime, rallying international support and pro-resistance stances, and highlighting the accelerating formation of the international coalition comprising 35 Arab and foreign countries.

KUNA continued its pivotal role during this period, achieving several press scoops. It was the first media outlet to broadcast several key events, particularly the news of the start of the international coalition’s offensive to liberate the State of Kuwait.

Following the liberation of the country, the agency hastened to reclaim its leading role, returning to its permanent headquarters in Kuwait. Its news broadcasts were officially relaunched on November 19, 1991, ending a difficult forced hiatus of approximately 14 months.

The agency’s trajectory over the last three decades has been distinguished by a series of achievements that kept pace with leaps in modern media, cementing its status as a trusted national media institution and a reputable news reference. KUNA has taken rapid steps toward leading digital media, leveraging modern technologies such as artificial intelligence, updating its editorial policies and methodologies, enhancing the efficiency of national cadres, strengthening partnerships with Arab and international news agencies, and coordinating with state institutions and civil and community sectors. These efforts ensure the sustainability of its media product and align with Kuwait’s media standing regionally and globally.

Since the issuance of its founding decree in 1976, the agency has been committed to establishing an administrative and organizational structure that aligns with its aspirations, future vision, and strategic plans. This structure has witnessed continuous development over the years to keep pace with developments in prestigious media institutions.

In the last quarter of 2025, the agency began organizing training courses for all its employees to familiarize them with governance in the public sector and how to apply it across all agency departments and administrations, thereby serving the agency’s future vision and enhancing transparency.

The agency has prepared a media strategy, recently launched, to serve as a comprehensive action plan and project for developing and enhancing work mechanisms and applications within the agency. This strategy leverages recent developments in traditional and digital media, aiming to keep pace with Kuwait’s leadership in various fields.

This strategy manifests as a conceptual and media document that embodies a clear roadmap to enhance the agency’s status, expand its influence locally and regionally, and consolidate the foundations of professionalism, credibility, and flexibility in its tasks and activities. This ensures alignment with the rapid information revolution and the evolving media landscape. (End) A.S. / T.A.B.