Kuwait earmarks $4 mln for Palestinian home renovation
Kuwait launches campaign to rehab Yemen water sector
GAZA, Jan 21, (KUNA): A Palestinian charity on Sunday launched an endeavor to refurbish some 380 Palestinian homes financed by the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development, at a cost of USD four million. The project is geared towards impoverished Palestinian domiciles across the Gaza strip, the chairman of the Al-Rahma Charity Association Imad Kaheel said in a ceremony with Palestinian Minister of Public Works and Housing Dr Mufeed Al-Hassanieh in attendance.
He pointed out that the project was a genuine effort to assist the Palestinian people, many of whom are mired in sheer penury as a result of a rigid Israeli blockade of the Gaza strip. Kaheel revealed that a comprehensive survey of Gaza was carried out to determine the beneficiaries of the humanitarian program, thanking Kuwait for its unyielding support for the Palestinian people.
Meanwhile, the Palestinian minister lamented the plight of around 4,200 Palestinian families who live well below the poverty line, saying that “their misery is likely to intensify.” He urged Arab and Islamic nations to ratchet up aid for these hapless families in order to improve their living conditions, expressing his gratitude to the Kuwaiti people as well.
Kuwait launched Sunday a new campaign aimed at reconstructing water plants in the Yemeni capital Sanaa with total costs of 80 million Yemeni riyals. The campaign called “Kuwait beside you” is part of efforts to rehabilitate and reconstruct water pumping stations to insure flow of water to citizens of the capital Sanaa and alleviate their suffering.
More than 50,000 people in eight residential areas will benefit from the project which consists of a fully equipped station building, a 300 kilowatt power generation unit and a 200 kilowatt pumping unit.
The state of Kuwait is keen on rehabilitating the Yemeni water sector, extensively damaged because of the war, beside its effort to reconstruct other sectors namely the food industries, education and health.
Meanwhile, Kuwait Minister of Finance Nayef Al-Hajraf held talks on Sunday with Brett McGurk, US Special Presidential Envoy for the Global Coalition to Counter ISIS (the so-called Islamic State IS), along with accompanying officers, as part of Kuwait’s preparations for the planned international conference for reconstructing Iraq.
The Ministry of Finance said in a statement the two sides discussed means of combating terrorism funding, as a prelude to the convention, due to be hosted by Kuwait on Feb 12-14, under His Highness the Amir patronization.
The meeting was attended by the director of operations at Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development Marwan Al-Ghanim, the head of financial inspection unit Talal Al-Sayeh and the US ambassador to Kuwait, Lawrence Silverman.
Furthermore, Kuwaiti Minister of Oil and Minister of Electricity and Water Bakheet Al-Rasheedi said on Sunday projects to overhaul Al-Doqom refinery and build the petrochemical industries complex were proceeding according to plan.
The minister, speaking on sidelines of a meeting of the committee overseeing the agreement between OPEC and non-OPEC oil producers on the crude output quotas, affirmed Kuwait’s resolve to press ahead with the refinery venture in partnership with the sultanate.
Last week, Kuwait’s Supreme Petroleum Council blessed the venture, which required creditors.
Al-Doqom economic zone stretched across an 80-km-long coastal region. A development scheme for the vast area features ports, basins, industrial and tourist zones.
Shortly later, the minister wrapped up his visit to the sultanate.