KUWAIT:  Kuwait Dive Team’s Environmental Voluntary Foundation (EVF) has completed the third phase of its national coastal cleanup project, “Cleaning the Southern Coasts of the Country,” by removing plastic and iron debris from Khor Iskandar, located in the south of the country.

In a statement to KUNA on Sunday, EVF Team leader Waleed Al-Fadhel said Khor Iskandar is the fourth inlet in the Khairan area, south of Ras Al-Zour ending in a large marina that forms part of Kuwait’s major marine development projects.

Al-Fadhel explained that “Khairan,” the plural form of “Khor,” refers to dry waterways that end in bays, noting that there are four Khairan in southern Kuwait, Al-Awal, Al-Ammi, Muftah, and Iskandar.

These Khairan have environmental value as habitats for marine life, economic value as tourist destination, and historical significance as a former diving port.He added that the team’s project to clean the southern coasts aims to protect Kuwait’s marine environment and is part of the global “Clean Seas” campaign launched by the UN Environment Programme’s Regional Office for West Asia to protect the seas from plastic and other waste and to protect marine life.

He noted that the coasts cleaned included Bnaider, Al-Zour, Khairan, and Nuwaiseeb, emphasizing that the waste removed poses a threat to boat traffic, causes maritime accidents, and poses a threat to navigation, the marine environment, and its inhabitants.

He added that plastic waste causes the death of one million birds worldwide annually, in addition to a quarter of a million marine creatures, including endangered turtles, according to a UN report.Al-Fadhel confirmed that the team will continue cleaning several coasts across the country, including Judailiyat coastal marine reserve, the Jahra Nature Reserve, and the Shuwaikh and Ashirj coasts, in cooperation with the Environment Public Authority (EPA).

He also confirmed that the team will continue to remove boats and fishing nets from coral reefs, and will conduct awareness campaigns on the importance of preserving the marine environment through lectures and educational materials.

He emphasized the need to adhere to the Environmental Protection Law to avoid environmental violations and preserve the marine environment, and urged beachgoers to protect sea turtles, as they are rare and endangered, and to refrain from throwing waste into the water.

Since its founding in 1986, the Kuwait Dive Team has been performing these activities on a voluntary basis in service to Kuwait and its people, and to preserve the marine environment and ensure safe navigation. — KUNA

KUWAIT: Kuwait has invited local and international companies to bid on contracts for three major housing cities, marking the first projects under recently amended housing legislation.

The developments, covering more than three million square meters, come as Kuwait seeks to ease a long-standing housing shortage for its 1.5 million citizens. About 100,000 people remain on the government’s housing waiting list, with some families waiting more than 17 years for a home.

The projects are being implemented under Decree Law No 89 of 2025, which amends key provisions of the 2023 legislation that first established a framework for private-sector participation in residential city development. The amendment gives the government greater flexibility in project structure, allows a wider variety of housing options—such as apartments, duplexes, villas, and gated communities—and introduces a financial safeguard ensuring that once the government commits funding, it cannot change that amount.

“The new law is designed to unlock private capital, accelerate housing delivery and improve the financial sustainability of state-backed development,” the explanatory note said.

Contracts for the three cities — Al-Mutla’a City, East Saad Al-Abdullah City, and West Saad Al-Abdullah City, all north and west of Kuwait City — will run 30 years, including a four-year construction period. They cover design, financing, construction, operation, maintenance, and sale of residential units. Non-residential assets will revert to the government at the end of each contract.

Investors, whether Kuwaiti or foreign, will hold 26 percent to 49 percent of each project, government entities 6 percent to 24 percent, and the remainder will be offered to citizens via public subscription. Companies must have at least ten years of experience in large-scale residential or mixed-use projects to qualify.

KUWAIT: Senior officials from Kuwait and Saudi Arabia met Sunday to reaffirm their close ties and coordinate on regional security. His Highness the Crown Prince Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah welcomed Saudi Interior Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Saud bin Nayef at Bayan Palace. The prince brought greetings from King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, wishing the Crown Prince good health and prosperity for Kuwait.

In return, Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled sent his greetings to the Saudi leadership, wishing “further development and prosperity for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and its people under the wise leadership of King Salman.” His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Ahmad Al-Abdullah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah also met Prince Abdulaziz, reviewing ways to strengthen strategic partnership and joint initiatives between the two countries.

Saudi Interior Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Saud bin Nayef tours a special exhibition highlighting Kuwait’s security sector’s key achievements. – KUNA photos

KUWAIT: Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah welcomes Saudi Interior Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Saud bin Nayef at Bayan Palace.

Prime Minister Sheikh Ahmad Al-Abdullah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah meets Prince Abdulaziz.

Sheikh Fahad Al-Yousef and Prince Abdulaziz interact with officials representing the INTERPOL during their tour.

Meanwhile, First Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister Sheikh Fahad Al-Yousef Al-Sabah held official talks with Prince Abdulaziz on security cooperation, including coordination on regional and international challenges. The Ministry of Interior said both sides “confirmed the strength of fraternal ties and their shared commitment to security integration for the stability for the two peoples and the region.”

During the visit, Prince Abdulaziz toured Kuwait’s criminal security sector and a special exhibition highlighting its key achievements. Officials said the meetings reflect a “shared aim of deepening close cooperation, expanding the horizons of partnership and supporting collective Gulf efforts to strengthen regional security.” — KUNA