Cabinet Reaffirms Kuwait's Absolute Solidarity with Saudi Arabia - Sarmad

(KUNA) – The Council of Ministers held its meeting today, Tuesday, October 6, 2026, presided over by His Highness Sheikh Ahmad Abdullah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, Prime Minister, may God protect him. Following the meeting, His Excellency Sharida Abdullah Al-Muwasharji, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs, issued the following statement:

At the outset of the meeting, the Council of Ministers was briefed on the results of the official visit undertaken last week by His Highness the Crown Prince Sheikh Sabah Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah, may God protect him, and the official delegation accompanying him, to Bern, the capital of the Swiss Confederation. The briefing covered the substance of the official talks between the State of Kuwait and the friendly Swiss Confederation, during which His Highness the Crown Prince Sheikh Sabah Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah, may God protect him, led the Kuwaiti side, while His Excellency Guy Parmelin, President of the Swiss Confederation, led the Swiss side.

The discussions reviewed the bilateral relations between the two countries and their friendly peoples, as well as ways to support and develop these relations across various fields and to broaden the frameworks of cooperation between the State of Kuwait and the friendly Swiss Confederation, in a manner that serves their mutual interests. The talks also addressed key issues of common interest and the latest developments on the regional and international scenes, with an exchange of views on these matters.

The official visit was crowned with the signing of a memorandum of understanding on promoting direct investment between the Kuwait Direct Investment Promotion Authority (KDIPA) and the Swiss Global Enterprise. The signing took place in the presence of His Highness the Crown Prince Sheikh Sabah Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah, may God protect him, and His Excellency Guy Parmelin, President of the Swiss Confederation. The memorandum was signed on the Kuwaiti side by His Excellency Sheikh Dr. Meshal Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, Director General of KDIPA, and on the Swiss side by Magali Heyraud, Chief Executive Officer for Investment Promotion and Member of the Executive Board of Swiss Global Enterprise.

This memorandum embodies the commitment of the State of Kuwait and the Swiss Confederation to develop economic and investment cooperation frameworks and to enhance partnership in areas of common interest, thereby contributing to supporting direct investment opportunities and achieving mutual benefits, while consolidating the distinguished relations between the two friendly countries.

The official visit also included a ceremony marking the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries, attended by His Highness the Crown Prince Sheikh Sabah Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah, may God protect him, His Excellency Guy Parmelin, President of the Swiss Confederation, and senior officials from both sides.

On another note, the Council of Ministers expressed its strong condemnation and rejection of the blatant and shameful continued attacks by the Houthi militia against the holy cities of Mecca and Medina in the sisterly Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, which constitute a provocation to the sentiments of Muslims worldwide and a serious escalation in the violation of the sanctity of Islamic holy sites. It also condemned attacks against the capital, Riyadh, and several other cities in the Kingdom, as well as the targeting of civilians, civilian and economic assets, and ships in the Red Sea and the Bab al-Mandab Strait, actions that threaten regional security and the safety of maritime navigation. The Council affirmed Kuwait’s categorical rejection of the recurrence of these hostile and cowardly acts, which represent a blatant violation of the Kingdom’s sovereignty and a flagrant breach of international law and international humanitarian law.

While renewing Kuwait’s support for the legitimate Yemeni government and for the sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity of the sisterly Republic of Yemen, the Council commended the tireless efforts of the sisterly Kingdom of Saudi Arabia since 2014 to support initiatives aimed at reaching a comprehensive and sustainable political settlement in Yemen in accordance with the three reference points, and its leadership of the coalition supporting legitimacy in Yemen. It called upon the UN Security Council to fulfill its responsibilities and implement its relevant resolutions, particularly Resolutions 2216 and 2817. The Council reiterated Kuwait’s absolute solidarity with the sisterly Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, its steadfast support for the Kingdom, and its backing of all measures taken to safeguard its sovereignty, security, and the protection of its citizens and residents on its territory. It emphasized that the security of the Kingdom is an integral part of the security of the State of Kuwait and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries.

On another front, the Council of Ministers heard a briefing from His Excellency Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Jaraah Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah regarding the political and diplomatic efforts undertaken by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and its diplomatic missions abroad to keep pace with the latest developments in regional and international affairs.

On another note, the Council of Ministers approved a draft decree-law amending certain provisions of Law No. 10 of 2020 concerning Notarization. This initiative aims to simplify procedures, develop electronic integration among competent authorities, and enhance official records and documents, while preserving existing legal statuses.

The aforementioned draft decree-law seeks to regulate and develop notarization procedures within the Notarization Department at the Ministry of Justice through two main tracks. The first involves abolishing the authority of the government notary to notarize company documents and transferring this competence to the specialized unit at the Commercial Register within the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, while organizing coordination and record exchange between the two entities. The second track pertains to the notarization of personal status matters, including marriage, divorce of various types, revocation of divorce (ruju’), and related prerequisites such as prior marriage qualification and prior reconciliation attempts, while organizing remote electronic notarization.

The aforementioned draft decree-law works to protect family rights by mandating the notarization of marriage facts, divorce of various types, and revocation of divorce, linking them to prior qualification and reconciliation attempts, and keeping pace with technology by establishing remote electronic notarization and linking judicial records.

The aforementioned draft decree-law stipulates that a marriage contract shall not be notarized unless both parties have completed the Marriage Preparatory Program. A decision by the Minister of Justice shall determine the program’s curriculum, duration, completion requirements, and the entity responsible for its implementation.

The Council of Ministers submitted the draft decree-law amending certain provisions of Law No. 10 of 2020 concerning Notarization to His Highness the Amir of the State, Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, may God protect and guard him.

The Council of Ministers also approved a draft law decree amending Article 830 of the Civil Law issued by Law Decree No. 67 of 1980, by adding two new provisions. This amendment restricts the scope to residential property held in co-ownership, excluding other types of jointly owned assets, and grants the court the authority to order the continuation of co-ownership for a specified period to protect the partner who has no other residence. It also allows the remaining partners to acquire the share of the partition applicant at its fair market value, as an alternative to selling the property at a public auction when physical division is not feasible.

The aforementioned draft law decree aims to balance the partner’s right to exit the co-ownership and receive the fair value of their share with the interest of the other partners in retaining their residential property and protecting the party who has no other shelter. It establishes that continuing co-ownership is a temporary exception subject to two conditions and terminable upon their cessation. It also permits acquisition as an alternative to auction, under regulations that ensure the seriousness of the request, prevent prolongation of litigation, and preserve established legal positions by not affecting rulings confirming the award of the property at auction.

Among the key pillars of the aforementioned draft law decree are:

– The scope and subject matter of the amendment.

– The court’s authority to order the continuation of co-ownership.

– Conditions for ruling on the continuation of co-ownership.

– Acquiring the partition applicant’s share at fair market value.

– Provisions regarding multiple applicants for acquisition and deposit.

– The effect of failing to make the deposit within the specified deadline.

– The temporal scope of application and the status of established legal positions.

The Council of Ministers submitted the draft law decree amending Article 830 of the Civil Law issued by Law Decree No. 67 of 1980 to His Highness the Amir of the State, Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, may God protect and guard him.

The Council of Ministers 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 items to the relevant ministerial committees for study and to submit appropriate recommendations regarding them to complete the procedures for their implementation.