Kuwait cabinet clears UK extradition pact

Accord will help Kuwait prosecute financial crimes fugitives and reclaim stolen funds

Kuwait’s government has endorsed an extradition treaty with Britain that was signed in December and subsequently referred to parliament.

“The agreement is imperative, since it supports efforts to bring convicts and fugitives to justice, which in turn will help ameliorate Kuwait’s ties with the UK,” Minister of Justice and Minister State for Cabinet Affairs Dr Falah Al Azab said following the weekly session of the cabinet on Monday.

Embezzled funds

Kuwait has been actively seeking for more than two years to sign the treaty with Britain where some people on its wanted list have reportedly fled to avoid justice.

Reports in the country say the Kuwaiti government wanted to be able, through the treaty, to prosecute former state employees involved in financial irregularities and to reclaim embezzled funds.

Kuwait and Britain formally initialled the cooperation agreement on extradition in November 2015 during the seventh session of the Kuwaiti-British Steering Group held in Kuwait City.

In December last year, Kuwait’s Foreign Minister Shaikh Sabah Al Khalid and UK Minister for the Middle Eastern and North African Affairs Tobias Ellwood signed the agreement for criminals’ extradition in Kuwait City. The treaty was hailed by Kuwaiti Speaker Marzouq Al Ganem as a great breakthrough.

“The signing of the treaty will be endorsed by the parliament instantly after its submission by the government,” he said, quoted by Kuwait News Agency (Kuna).

“Kuwaitis will no longer see embezzlers of public funds roaming the streets of London and Britain.”