Cabinet: Enhancing Kuwait's Competitiveness in International and Global Indices and Reports

The Cabinet held a meeting today, Tuesday, presided over by His Highness Sheikh Ahmad Abdullah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, Prime Minister. Following the meeting, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Acting Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs Sheikh Jaraah Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah issued the following statement:

The Cabinet was briefed at the outset of its meeting on the outcomes 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. His Highness the Amir of the Country, Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, chaired the Kuwaiti side, while His Excellency President Emmanuel Macron chaired the French side. The talks were attended by His Highness the Crown Prince Sheikh Sabah Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah, His Highness Sheikh Ahmad Abdullah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, Prime Minister, and a number of senior officials from both countries.

During the talks, the solid bilateral relations linking the two countries and their friendly peoples were reviewed, with a focus on supporting and enhancing these relations across various fields and expanding cooperation frameworks between the State of Kuwait and the friendly French Republic toward broader horizons, particularly in economic, commercial, and investment sectors. The parties also discussed ways to strengthen their partnership in a manner that serves their mutual interests. Additionally, 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 a letter 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 attended by His Highness the Amir of the Country, Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah; His Excellency President Emmanuel Macron, President of the friendly French Republic; His Highness the Crown Prince Sheikh Sabah Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah; and His Highness Sheikh Ahmad Abdullah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, Prime Minister. The documents signed are as follows:

1. A letter of intent on defense cooperation between the Kuwait Ministry of Defense and the French Ministry of the 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 Bertin.

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 the State of Kuwait and Airbus on strategic cooperation in the aviation sector.

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

8. A memorandum of understanding between the Kuwait Foundation for Advanced 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 Emmanuel Macron, President of the French Republic, the Order of Mubarak the Great, in appreciation and gratitude from the Kuwaiti people and to strengthen and enhance the friendly relations between the friendly French Republic and the State of Kuwait. In turn, His Excellency conferred upon His Highness the Grand Cross of the French Legion of Honour, the highest national French decoration, in recognition of His Highness’s prominent role in expanding the scope of cooperation and strengthening relations between the State of Kuwait and the friendly French Republic across all fields.

On another note, the Cabinet was briefed on the content of a meeting held last Sunday between His Highness the Crown Prince, Sheikh Sabah Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah, attended by the First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, Sheikh Fahad Youssef Al-Saud, and 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 Combined Maritime Forces, during his visit to the country.

In this context, the Cabinet was also briefed on the content of a meeting held last Sunday between the First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, Sheikh Fahad Youssef Al-Saud, and Vice Admiral Kurt Renshaw, Commander of the U.S. Central Command, U.S. Fifth Fleet, and Combined Maritime Forces, during his visit to the country. 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 enhance the close bilateral relations between the two friendly countries and to continue exchanging expertise in a manner that serves mutual interests and contributes to supporting security and stability in the region. Several issues of common interest were also discussed.

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

The Cabinet also expressed Kuwait’s welcome of the Presidential Statement issued by the UN Security Council regarding the ongoing attacks launched by the Houthi militia against the friendly Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and its condemnation of these attacks targeting civilians, civilian infrastructure, and vital installations, which threaten 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 full implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 2216 (2015), as well as preventing the flow of weapons, financing, and other forms of military support to the Houthi militia. It reiterated Kuwait’s absolute solidarity with the friendly 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 security of the Gulf Cooperation Council countries.

On another note, the Cabinet expressed the State of 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 fraternal 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, and its commitment to enhancing human rights and engaging constructively on 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 strengthening the work of the Human Rights Council and consolidating the principles of dialogue, cooperation, and mutual respect.

For its part, the Cabinet heard a briefing from 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 its diplomatic missions abroad to keep pace with the latest developments on the regional and international scenes.

In this context, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Acting Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs, Sheikh Jaraah Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, informed the Cabinet of the outcomes of the 168th meeting of the GCC Ministerial Council, which was held last Sunday in the friendly Kingdom of Bahrain. He led the State of Kuwait’s delegation at this meeting, noting that the discussions focused on ways to enhance the process of joint GCC action to achieve greater integration among member states across various fields. The meeting also addressed current regional developments and their repercussions at the regional and international levels, emphasizing the importance of continuing GCC coordination across different dimensions amid the delicate circumstances facing the region, based on shared destiny and common history, and to bolster efforts to confront existing challenges.

On another note, 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 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 friendly Kingdom of Bahrain. He led the Kuwaiti delegation at this meeting. The foreign ministers of the GCC member states and the Russian Foreign Minister, Sergey Lavrov, reaffirmed the strength of the relationship and the historic friendship ties between the GCC and the Russian Federation. The meeting discussed ways to enhance GCC-Russian relations and expand cooperation into broader and more comprehensive horizons that serve mutual interests. Additionally, the participants discussed regional and international issues and current developments in the region and their repercussions, and explored frameworks to intensify coordination between the GCC member states and the Russian Federation regarding various challenges facing the region and the world, and to advance efforts toward peacebuilding.

In this context, 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 the Russian Foreign Minister, Sergey Lavrov, held on the sidelines of the Ninth Joint Ministerial Meeting of the Strategic Dialogue between the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and the Russian Federation, which took place last Sunday in the brotherly Kingdom of Bahrain. During the meeting, the historic bilateral relations between the two friendly countries were reviewed, along with ways to enhance and develop these relations across various fields. The discussion also covered developments in current regional events and their repercussions at both the regional and international levels.

On another note, 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 phone calls he conducted and received over the past few days with several foreign ministers from sister countries. These calls discussed the latest developments on the regional and international arenas and emphasized the importance of continuing coordination and consultation between the State of Kuwait and these sister countries, contributing to supporting and enhancing joint efforts to achieve security and stability in the region.

On a separate note, the Cabinet was briefed on a visual presentation delivered by the Minister of State for Development and Sustainability, Dr. Reem Ghazi Al-Faleh, in the presence of the Acting Director General of the Public Authority for Environmental Affairs, Nouf Ali Al-Bahbahani. The presentation concerned periodic reports on ways to manage and utilize waste. Dr. Al-Faleh explained that, in accordance with a Cabinet decision, the Public Authority for Environmental Affairs was tasked with coordinating with the Ministry of Health, the Kuwait Municipality, the General Authority for Industry, the Kuwait Petroleum Corporation and its subsidiaries, and the Directorate of Fatwa and Legislation. This coordination aims 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 regulate the current situation, define the role of each entity in terms of waste classification, assessing its level of hazard, handling requirements, and supervision methods. Additionally, appropriate frameworks will be prepared to facilitate operations and resolve any overlaps among government entities in this regard, with the goal of preserving the environment, reducing pollution, and continuously developing procedures in line with the latest international experiences and those most suitable for the nature and needs of the State of Kuwait.

The Cabinet was also briefed on a visual presentation 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 listened to an explanation provided by the 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, Sheikh Dr. Meshal Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, on the achievements made within the committee’s work, the coordination steps and measures taken among relevant government entities concerning business environment improvement, 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 raising the efficiency of government procedures and enhancing the State of Kuwait’s competitiveness in international and global indicators and reports.

The Council of Ministers reviewed several items on the agenda, as well as reports and briefings from the ministerial committees, and approved them. It also decided to refer some of these items to the relevant ministerial committees for study and to submit appropriate recommendations regarding them to complete the procedures for their implementation.