Council of Ministers: Amendment to Zakat House Law
The Cabinet held its meeting in the conference hall of the administrative building at the Martyr’s Park (Phase 3), presided over by His Highness the Prime Minister, Sheikh Ahmad Abdullah Al-Salim Al-Sabah. Following the meeting, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs, Shari’id Al-Muwasharji, stated that the Cabinet was briefed at the outset of its session on the contents of a letter addressed to His Highness the Amir of Kuwait, Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, from His Majesty King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, King of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The letter included an invitation for His Highness the Amir to participate in the second summit between the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and the European Union, scheduled to be held in Riyadh on Saturday, October 24, 2026.
On another note, the Cabinet commended the speech delivered by the representative of His Highness the Amir, His Highness the Crown Prince Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Sabah, before the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly at the UN headquarters in New York City last Thursday.
Furthermore, the Cabinet expressed its strong condemnation and rejection of the ballistic missiles launched by the Houthi militia toward the cities of Taif and Yanbu in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia last Thursday. It reaffirmed its firm rejection of such shameful aggressive acts, which constitute a blatant violation of the Kingdom’s sovereignty and a flagrant breach of international law and international humanitarian law. The Cabinet reiterated Kuwait’s absolute solidarity with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, its steadfast support, and its backing of all measures taken by the Kingdom to safeguard its sovereignty, security, and the protection of its citizens and residents. It emphasized that the security of the Kingdom is an integral part of Kuwait’s security and the security of the GCC member states.
The Cabinet also approved a draft law decree amending certain provisions of the Companies Law issued by Law No. 1 of 2016, aimed at facilitating company establishment and enhancing confidence in dealing with them, in line with the state’s direction toward a more flexible and transparent business environment. The draft decree exempted the requirement to notarize all legal procedures and transactions related to companies from their establishment throughout their existence and any amendments to their contracts and articles of association. Instead, it stipulated that writing and signing by the partners or their representatives would suffice, and registration in the Commercial Register would serve as the official documentation. This registration would render the company contract, its amendments, and resolutions of its Extraordinary General Assembly enforceable against third parties. The decree abolished the “Mufawada” (silent partnership) company, as it is not subject to registration or publication, and allowed free professionals to establish a professional company as a single-member entity. It also included transitional provisions granting existing offices and companies a one-year period to regularize their status, while preserving the validity of contracts and companies established prior to the law’s implementation. The Cabinet submitted the draft law decree amending the Companies Law to His Highness the Amir, Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah.
Additionally, the Cabinet approved a draft law decree amending Article 3 of Law No. 5 of 1982 concerning the establishment of the Zakat House, which includes reconstituting its board of directors and reducing its membership from 12 to 7 members. The amendment aims to create a more flexible and effective board of directors for the Zakat House, comprising the Minister of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs as Chairman, and the following members: the Director General of the Zakat House as Deputy Chairman; the Undersecretary of the Ministry of Islamic Affairs; the Undersecretary of the Ministry of Social Affairs, Family, and Childhood; the Undersecretary of the Ministry of Finance; the Secretary-General of the General Secretariat of Awqaf; and the Director General of the Public Authority for the Royal Court. The Cabinet submitted this draft law decree to His Highness the Amir, Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah.
The Cabinet reviewed several agenda items, reports, and minutes of ministerial committees, approving them. It also decided to refer certain items to the relevant ministerial committees for study and to submit appropriate recommendations to complete the necessary procedures for their implementation.
