Cabinet discusses ‘North Azzour’ shares distribution

KUWAIT: The cabinet’s weekly meeting focused on recommendations by the economic committee concerning the partnership between the public and private sectors over distribution of shares of First North Azzour on citizens in an initial public offering. He indicated that there would be further deliberation on the matter. The cabinet was also informed by the economic committee on proposals regarding allocation of appropriations to address deficits of state administrations’ budgets, revealed Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs Anas Al-Saleh, adding that the draft law mainly aimed at covering the budget deficit in the Ministry of Justice. The draft law was approved and sent to His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah AlAhmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah who will then refer it to the National Assembly for deliberation.

Minister Saleh said that the cabinet was briefed on the public services committee’s proposals on speeding up the process of public and private sectors’ joint ventures. The cabinet was informed on the findings of the committee tasked with addressing damage caused by heavy rains, which hit Kuwait late last year. Minister of Public Works and Minister of State for Housing Affairs Dr Jenan Ramadan briefed the cabinet on the committee’s findings, said Minister Al-Saleh who indicated that the ministers voiced their approval of the committee’s efforts to hold accountable people who were involved in construction of infrastructure which failed to cope with heavy rainfall and floods.

Saleh said following the meeting that Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah briefed the cabinet on the results of his latest visit to the US. In his address to the meeting, Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled indicated that his encounters with American officials focused on means to enhance relations on all possible spheres in addition to issues of mutual interest as well as latest regional and international developments, said Saleh. He added that Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled also informed the cabinet on the results of the fifth session of Arab-European ministerial meeting held in Brussels, Belgium. According to the Kuwaiti Foreign Minister, the Brussels meeting touched on efforts to bolster Arab and European relations in addition to the preparation for the first Arab-European summit to be held in Egypt in February, stated minister Saleh. The cabinet, meanwhile, condemned the recent terror attack north of Burkina Faso, which resulted in several casualties, stated Saleh who affirmed that the cabinet reflected Kuwait’s utter condemnation of terrorism in all shapes and form.