‘Kuwait pursuing knowledge-based economy based on multiple pillars’
Minister Al-Fares at Summit hosted by UAE
KUWAIT CITY, June 17, (KUNA): Minister of Oil and Minister of Higher Education Dr. Muhammad Al-Fares said Thursday that Kuwait is making great efforts in building a knowledge-based economy through four pillars: education, innovation, governance, and infrastructure development and information and communication technologies.
This came in a speech by Minister Al-Fares during his participation in the second Islamic Summit on Science and Technology organized by the United Arab Emirates via video communication technology.
Al-Fares indicated that the Kuwaiti Cabinet recently formed a government universities council with the aim of upgrading the education system, developing the performance of university education and establishing more public universities.
He pointed out that the State has allocated 6 million square meters for the establishment of Sabah Al-Salem University in Al-Shaddiyah, adding that work is also underway to establish Abdullah Al-Salem University.
He pointed out that many scientific institutions in the country, led by the Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research, the Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Sciences and the Public Authority for Applied Education and Training, have developed strategic plans that are compatible with the State’s development plan ‘New Kuwait 2035’.
He explained that these scientific institutions contribute to the development of human capabilities and the consolidation of the values of creativity and innovation, noting that the Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Sciences has established the Sabah Al-Ahmad Center for Giftedness and Creativity, which is interested in discovering and nurturing creators and helping inventors develop their ideas and register patents for their inventions, as the center was able to register more than 400 patents.
Al-Fares stated that Kuwait has a luminous experience in benefiting from the results of scientific research through applied research projects implemented by the Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research, which depends mainly on conducting scientific studies and research for the benefit of national and regional bodies and institutions.
He stated that Kuwait is implementing an ambitious plan to benefit from renewable energy in the production of electricity and water, adding that recent years have witnessed the opening of the Shaqaya Renewable Energy Complex, which produces 70 megawatts of electricity from three stations.
Al-Fares said that there are many projects that the State is working on in order to reach its production of renewable energy to 15% of the total energy in 2030. He pointed out that these projects will contribute to achieving financial savings of 2.46 billion US dollars annually and will contribute to maintaining human health by reducing carbon dioxide emissions.
He affirmed Kuwait’s commitment and support for the efforts made by the United Nations in combating the phenomenon of climate change and limiting its negative effects, based on the principles and provisions contained in the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Kyoto Protocol.
About the Corona pandemic that is sweeping the world, it has become necessary to work on more awareness of the importance of science and innovation and the need to find effective policies and mechanisms for cooperation and information exchange between Islamic countries.