Minister of Awqaf: Kuwait keen to enhance Gulf cooperation in Islamic and Awqaf affairs - Sarmad
The Kuwaiti Minister of Awqaf affirmed his country's commitment to developing waqf work and exchanging expertise with Gulf states during the Manama meeting.
Translated by Qiyas from سرمد — Original source
• Kuwaiti proposals to develop waqf work and promote the culture of waqf and charitable work
(KUNA) – Kuwait’s Minister of Endowments and Islamic Affairs, Dr. Mohammed Al-Osaimi, reaffirmed in Manama on Tuesday Kuwait’s commitment to strengthening joint Gulf cooperation in the fields of Islamic affairs and endowments, developing waqf initiatives, and exchanging expertise and experiences, thereby contributing to elevating waqf work and enhancing its role in serving society and achieving 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 Affairs and Endowments in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, held in Manama with a Kuwaiti delegation led by him.
The minister said the meeting discussed a number of topics and initiatives aimed at developing waqf work and strengthening Gulf cooperation in the fields of Islamic affairs and endowments, as well as exchanging expertise and experiences among GCC member states.
He added that the proposed topics included the role of artificial intelligence in managing endowments and developing investment mechanisms to enhance their efficiency and maximize the utilization of their resources, alongside ways to promote the culture of waqf internationally and highlight its role in supporting community development and reinforcing values of solidarity and cooperation.
He clarified that the meeting addressed enhancing 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 field of waqf.
He noted that the meeting reviewed several Kuwaiti proposals, including the General Secretariat of Endowments’ proposal to establish 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 the mechanism for presenting experiences in the field of Islamic affairs, submitted by Kuwait’s Ministry of Endowments 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 Affairs and Endowments in GCC countries, as well as interactive seminars aimed at enhancing communication and exchanging knowledge and expertise among specialists.
He noted that the proposed topics included a proposal from Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Dawah, and Guidance on cultural dialogue between the East and the West, alongside discussions on establishing a scientific Gulf observatory and a working paper on recent developments in countering deviant ideologies, as well as World Waqf Day.
Minister Al-Osaimi expressed his gratitude and appreciation to the Kingdom of Bahrain for hosting the meeting and its excellent organization and preparation, emphasizing that this reflects Bahrain’s commitment to supporting the progress of joint Gulf work and enhancing cooperation and coordination among GCC countries in various fields related to Islamic affairs and endowments.
