Awqaf Minister: Enhancing Gulf cooperation in Islamic affairs and endowments
Dr. Mohammed Al-Wasmi emphasized Kuwait's commitment to developing endowment work and Gulf cooperation during the 12th Ministerial Meeting in Bahrain, mentioning proposals on AI and governance.
Translated by Qiyas from القبس — Original source
Kuwait’s Minister of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs, Dr. Mohammed Al-Osaimi, reaffirmed on Tuesday night Kuwait’s commitment to strengthening joint Gulf cooperation in the fields of Islamic and Awqaf affairs, developing waqf initiatives, and exchanging expertise and experiences to enhance waqf work, bolster its role in serving society, and achieve development goals. This statement was made by Minister Al-Osaimi in an interview with the Kuwait News Agency (KUNA) following his participation in the 12th Ministerial Meeting of Ministers responsible for Islamic and Awqaf Affairs in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, held in Manama with a Kuwaiti delegation led by him.
The minister said the meeting discussed several topics and initiatives aimed at developing waqf work and enhancing Gulf cooperation in Islamic and Awqaf affairs, as well as exchanging expertise and experiences among GCC member states. He added that the topics covered included the role of artificial intelligence in managing waqf assets and developing investment mechanisms to enhance their efficiency and maximize the utilization of their resources, alongside ways to promote waqf culture internationally and highlight its role in supporting community development and reinforcing values of solidarity and cooperation.
He clarified that the meeting addressed strengthening waqf partnerships among GCC countries and their role in community development, as well as discussing the governance of waqf institutions and its impact on improving efficiency, enhancing transparency, and developing institutional performance, along with exchanging scientific research and successful experiences in the waqf field.
The minister noted that the meeting reviewed several Kuwaiti proposals, including the General Secretariat for Awqaf’s proposal to introduce a national indicator for the social impact of waqf, and the “Mafaz” competition project to raise awareness about waqf, charitable work, and volunteering. He added that the proposals also included an enhanced vision for a mechanism to showcase experiences in Islamic affairs, presented by Kuwait’s Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs, as well as a proposal on the architectural identity of mosque minarets, balancing authenticity and innovation.
He pointed out that the meeting discussed topics included in the agenda of the Standing Committee of Specialists for Islamic and Awqaf Affairs in GCC countries, as well as interactive seminars aimed at enhancing communication and exchanging knowledge and expertise among specialists.
He noted that the topics under discussion included a proposal from Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Dawah, and Guidance regarding cultural dialogue between the East and the West, alongside discussions on establishing a Gulf scientific observatory, a working paper on recent developments in countering deviant ideologies, and World Waqf Day.
Minister Al-Osaimi expressed his gratitude and appreciation to the Kingdom of Bahrain for hosting the meeting and for its excellent organization and preparation, emphasizing that this reflects Bahrain’s commitment to supporting the trajectory of joint Gulf work and enhancing cooperation and coordination among GCC countries in various fields related to Islamic and Awqaf affairs.
