Cabinet Holds Meeting Chaired by HH Sheikh Ahmed Abdullah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah

Kuwait City, October 20 (KUNA) – The Cabinet held its meeting today, Tuesday, October 20, 2026, presided over by His Highness Sheikh Ahmad Abdullah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, Prime Minister, may God protect him. Following the meeting, His Excellency the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Acting Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs, Sheikh Jarrah Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, issued the following statement:

At the outset of its meeting, the Cabinet was briefed on the results of the official visit by His Excellency Emmanuel Macron, President of the friendly French Republic, and the official delegation accompanying him to the State of Kuwait on Monday of last week, as well as the substance of the official talks between the State of Kuwait and the friendly French Republic. The Kuwaiti side was chaired by His Highness the Amir of Kuwait, Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, may God protect him and guard him, while the French side was chaired by His Excellency Emmanuel Macron, President of the friendly French Republic. The meeting was attended by His Highness the Crown Prince, Sheikh Sabah Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah, may God protect him; His Highness Sheikh Ahmad Abdullah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, Prime Minister; and a number of senior officials from both countries.

During the talks, the parties reviewed the solid trajectory of bilateral relations between the two countries and their friendly peoples, and discussed ways to support and strengthen these relations across various fields, expanding the frameworks of cooperation between the State of Kuwait and the friendly French Republic into broader horizons, particularly in economic, commercial, and investment sectors. They also explored means to enhance their partnership in ways that serve their mutual interests. Furthermore, the latest developments on the regional and international scenes were discussed, particularly regarding developments in the region, and views were exchanged on these matters.

This official visit culminated in the signing of letters of intent, declarations of intent, and a memorandum of understanding across various fields between the State of Kuwait and the friendly French Republic. The signing ceremony was held in the presence of His Highness the Amir of Kuwait, Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, may God protect him and guard him; His Excellency Emmanuel Macron, President of the friendly French Republic; His Highness the Crown Prince, Sheikh Sabah Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah, may God protect him; and His Highness Sheikh Ahmad Abdullah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, Prime Minister, may God protect him. The signed documents are as follows:

1. A letter of intent on defense cooperation between the Kuwaiti Ministry of Defense and the French Ministry of Armed Forces and Veterans.

2. A declaration of intent between the Government of the State of Kuwait and the Government of the French Republic on cooperation in the field of civil aviation.

3. An exploratory cooperation declaration in the fields of data and artificial intelligence between the State Minister for Communications and Information Technology and the French company Pertim.

4. A declaration of intent between the Government of the State of Kuwait and the Government of the French Republic to enhance cooperation for academic, scientific, and technical collaboration.

5. A declaration of intent between the Government of the State of Kuwait and the Government of the French Republic on cooperation in promoting direct investment.

6. A declaration of intent between the Public Authority for Investment in Kuwait and Airbus on strategic cooperation in the aviation sector.

7. A joint declaration of intent between the Kuwait Public Authority for Investment, the Kuwaiti Ministry of Health, and the Gustave Roussy Institute.

8. A memorandum of understanding between the Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Sciences and Airbus in Africa and the Middle East.

During this official visit, His Highness the Amir of Kuwait, Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, conferred upon His Excellency President Emmanuel Macron, President of the friendly French Republic, the Order of Mubarak the Great, in appreciation and gratitude from the Kuwaiti people and to strengthen and deepen the good relations between the friendly French Republic and the State of Kuwait. His Excellency, in turn, conferred upon His Highness the Order of the Legion of Honour (Grand Cross), the highest national French decoration at its highest rank, in recognition of His Highness’s prominent role in expanding the scope of cooperation and enhancing relations between the State of Kuwait and the friendly French Republic across all fields.

On another note, the Council of Ministers was briefed on the meeting held last Sunday between His Highness the Crown Prince, Sheikh Sabah Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah, attended by His Excellency the First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, Sheikh Fahad Youssef Al-Saud Al-Sabah, and His Excellency the Head of the Crown Prince’s Diwan, Sheikh Thamer Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, with Vice Admiral Kurt Renshaw, Commander of the U.S. Central Command, U.S. Fifth Fleet, and Joint Forces, on the occasion of his visit to the country.

In this context, the Council of Ministers was also briefed on the meeting held last Sunday between His Excellency the First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, Sheikh Fahad Youssef Al-Saud Al-Sabah, and Vice Admiral Kurt Renshaw, Commander of the U.S. Central Command, U.S. Fifth Fleet, and Joint Forces, on the occasion of his visit. The meeting discussed areas of cooperation and coordination between the State of Kuwait and the friendly United States of America, as well as ways to strengthen the close bilateral relations between the two friendly countries, with a focus on continuing the exchange of expertise to serve common interests and contribute to supporting security and stability in the region. Several issues of mutual interest were also discussed.

On another note, the Council of Ministers expressed the State of Kuwait’s solidarity and sympathy with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia following the crash of a helicopter belonging to the National Guard in the Najran region, which resulted in the martyrdom of its air crew, consisting of two officers. The Council of Ministers conveyed its sincere condolences and deepest sympathies to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the families of the martyrs, praying to Almighty God to have mercy on them and to grant their families patience and solace.

The Council of Ministers also expressed Kuwait’s welcome of the Presidential Statement issued by the Security Council regarding the ongoing attacks by the Houthi militia on the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, which condemned these attacks targeting civilians and civilian objects and vital installations, and threatening navigation security in the Red Sea and the Bab al-Mandab Strait. It affirmed Kuwait’s support for the positions contained in the statement, particularly the reaffirmation of the Kingdom’s right to self-defense in accordance with international law, and the need for full implementation of Security Council Resolution 2216 (2015), and preventing the flow of weapons, financing, and other forms of military support to the Houthi militia. It reiterated Kuwait’s absolute solidarity with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and its full support for the Kingdom in all measures it takes to safeguard its sovereignty and protect its security and stability, 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.

On another note, the Cabinet expressed Kuwait’s pride at its election to the United Nations Human Rights Council for the term 2027–2029, following the elections held by the UN General Assembly on October 13, 2026, in New York. This outcome reflects the international community’s confidence in Kuwait and its appreciation for the country’s role and contributions at both the regional and international levels. The Cabinet extended its sincere thanks and appreciation to the sister and friendly countries that supported Kuwait’s candidacy, emphasizing that this confidence serves as an incentive to continue Kuwait’s contributions within the framework of multilateral international action. It stressed that this election is a continuation of Kuwait’s steadfast approach of respecting the principles and purposes of the UN Charter, its commitment to promoting human rights, and its constructive engagement with related issues, free from selectivity, politicization, and double standards. The Cabinet affirmed that Kuwait’s membership for the term 2027–2029 represents a continuation of its efforts during its current term (2024–2026) and an opportunity to sustain its active and balanced role in enhancing the work of the Human Rights Council and consolidating the principles of dialogue, cooperation, and mutual respect.

On another front, the Cabinet listened to a briefing by His Excellency the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Acting Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs, Sheikh Jaraah Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, on the political and diplomatic efforts undertaken by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Kuwait’s diplomatic missions abroad to keep pace with the latest developments in the regional and international arenas.

In this context, His Excellency the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Acting Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs informed the Cabinet of the outcomes of the 168th meeting of the GCC Ministerial Council, which was held last Sunday in the sister Kingdom of Bahrain, where he chaired the Kuwaiti delegation participating in the meeting. He explained that the meeting discussed ways to enhance the momentum of joint GCC cooperation to achieve greater integration among member states across various fields. It also addressed current regional developments and their implications at both the regional and international levels, reaffirming the importance of continued GCC coordination across all fronts amid the delicate circumstances facing the region, based on shared destiny and common history, and to bolster efforts to address existing challenges.

On another note, His Excellency the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Acting Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs briefed the Cabinet on the outcomes of the ninth joint ministerial meeting of the Strategic Dialogue between the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and the Russian Federation, which was held last Sunday in the sister Kingdom of Bahrain, where he chaired the Kuwaiti delegation. His Excellency, along with the Excellencies and Honors of the foreign ministers of the GCC member states, emphasized with His Excellency Sergey Lavrov, the Foreign Minister of the friendly Russian Federation, the strength of the relationship and the historical friendship ties between the GCC and Russia. The meeting discussed ways to enhance GCC-Russian relations and expand cooperation into broader and more comprehensive fields that serve mutual interests. The participants also discussed regional and international issues, current developments in the region and their implications, and explored frameworks to intensify coordination between the GCC member states and the Russian Federation regarding various challenges facing the region and the world, as well as to advance efforts toward peacebuilding.

In this context, His Excellency the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Acting Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs, Sheikh Jaraah Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, briefed the Cabinet on the substance of his meeting with His Excellency Sergey Lavrov, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the friendly Russian Federation, held on the sidelines of the Ninth Joint Ministerial Meeting of the Strategic Dialogue between the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) States and the Russian Federation, which took place last Sunday in the sister Kingdom of Bahrain. During the meeting, the parties reviewed the historic bilateral relations between the two friendly countries and ways to enhance and develop them across various fields, as well as discussed current regional developments and their implications at both the regional and international levels.

On another note, His Excellency the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Acting Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs, Sheikh Jaraah Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, briefed the Cabinet on the substance of the phone calls he held and received over the past few days with several foreign ministers of sister states. These calls discussed the latest developments on the regional and international scenes and emphasized the importance of continuing coordination and consultation between the State of Kuwait and those sister states, in order to support and enhance joint efforts to achieve security and stability in the region.

On another front, the Cabinet reviewed a visual presentation delivered by Her Excellency Dr. Reem Ghazi Al-Faleh, Minister of State for Development and Sustainability, in the presence of Ms. Nof Al-Bahbahani, Acting Director General of the Public Authority for Environmental Affairs. The presentation concerned periodic reports on ways to manage and utilize waste. Her Excellency explained that, pursuant to a Cabinet decision entrusting the Public Authority for Environmental Affairs to coordinate with the Ministry of Health, the Municipality of Kuwait, the Public Authority for Industry, the Kuwait Petroleum Corporation and its subsidiaries, and the Office of Fatwa and Legislation, to study the competencies of relevant government entities regarding the disposal and treatment of all types of waste from legal and technical perspectives, and to develop frameworks that would regulate the existing situation, define each entity’s role in waste classification, assess its level of hazard, establish handling requirements and supervision mechanisms, and prepare appropriate frameworks to facilitate operations and eliminate any overlaps among government entities in this regard, with the aim of protecting the environment, reducing pollution, and continuously developing procedures in line with the latest international experiences most suitable for the nature of the State of Kuwait and its needs.

The Cabinet also reviewed a visual presentation delivered by the Direct Investment Promotion Authority regarding the latest updates on the work of the Standing Committee for Improving and Enhancing the Business Environment in the State of Kuwait, as well as the latest developments in the Business Environment Improvement Program. In this regard, the Cabinet heard an explanation from His Excellency Sheikh Dr. Meshal Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, Director General of the Direct Investment Promotion Authority and Chairman of the Standing Committee for Improving and Enhancing the Business Environment in the State of Kuwait, on the achievements accomplished within the Committee’s work, the coordination steps and measures taken among relevant government entities on business environment improvement issues, and the efforts and initiatives related to enhancing the competitiveness of the business environment in the State of Kuwait.

For his part, the Cabinet emphasized the importance of continuing coordination among government entities and integrating efforts to implement national priorities and support state initiatives, thereby contributing to improving the efficiency of government procedures and enhancing the State of Kuwait’s competitiveness in international and global indices and reports.

The Cabinet reviewed a number of items on the agenda, as well as reports and minutes of ministerial committees, and approved them. It also decided to refer several of these items to the relevant ministerial committees for study and to submit appropriate recommendations to complete the procedures for their implementation. (End) N.W.F.