Plan to diversify charities role
KUWAIT CITY, April 16: Sheikh Firas Al-Malik, the Minister of Social Affairs, Family, and Childhood Affairs, recently received an official letter from the Council of Ministers assigning him, in collaboration with the Ministry of Finance and the Kuwait Municipality, the task of proposing a concept that would enable registered public benefit and charity societies to utilize some of the vacant spaces within their premises for investment purposes. The Council has requested this proposal within a two-month timeframe, reports
Al-Jarida daily.
According to sources familiar with the matter, the ministry is in the process of establishing a task force comprising representatives from the civil society and charity societies’ departments, AlMabarat, officials from the Ministry of Finance (State Property Administration), and the Kuwait Municipality.
The purpose of this task force is to thoroughly examine the matter from all angles, especially the legal aspects, and conduct a comprehensive study on the feasibility of allowing associations to engage in investments.
This initiative aims to provide them with a financial resource to support their societal objectives. Once the study is completed, the proposal will be presented to the Minister of Social Affairs for submission to the Council of Ministers for further deliberation and decision-making.
The idea of permitting associations to invest follows the completion of tasks assigned to a field work team established by Administrative Resolution No. 2683 of 2023.
This team was tasked with inspecting the utilization of spaces within the headquarters of public benefit and charitable associations for investment activities.
The Ministry decided to explore the possibility of allowing associations to invest as a means of supporting their objectives, particularly in light of concerns raised by the Ministry of Finance regarding violations by some associations.
These violations involved conducting activities on state-owned properties without proper contractual agreements, which the Ministry of Finance considered a breach of state property regulations.
In an effort to address these violations and rectify the legal status of associations, the Ministry is considering the option of allowing investments within their premises. This initiative aligns with the increasing number of civil society organizations, which currently stands at approximately 150, alongside over 70 wellestablished charities.