KUWAIT: Boursa Kuwait successfully concluded its hosting of the fifth edition of UNICODE, an intensive cybersecurity, software development, and financial technology (FinTech) training program organized by CODED Academy with the bourse and the Kuwait Financial Center (Markaz) as strategic partners in the program. The achievement was marked by a graduation ceremony held in the Nasser Al-Kharafi/Jassim Al-Bahar Hall (Trading Hall) at Boursa Kuwait, celebrating 320 students who completed their three-month learning journey in the exchange’s modern training facilities.

The event was attended by distinguished leaders and representatives from the sponsoring and academic institutions, honoring the graduates who have joined the ranks of Kuwait’s promising talents in technology and innovation. Boursa Kuwait’s hosting and sponsorship of the program for the second consecutive year underscore its continued commitment to nurturing young national talents. The Kuwait Financial Center (Markaz) joined as a co-sponsor, highlighting the two institutions’ shared dedication to advancing technical education, empowering the next generation and equipping them with the modern skills and expertise demanded by today’s labor market and strengthening the nation’s competitiveness on both regional and global fronts.

Sponsorship and hosting this initiative also stem from a firm belief in the importance of technology in strengthening institutional efficiency and safeguarding business operations. Advanced technical knowledge plays a vital role in enhancing organizational security and ensuring the reliability of transactions, which can positively impact the stability of financial markets and reinforce investor confidence.

During the ceremony, Senior Director of Marketing and Corporate Communications at Boursa Kuwait, Naser Al-Sanousi, expressed his pride in the graduates, saying, “This ceremony marks the culmination of an intensive learning journey that participants pursued with passion and dedication alongside their academic and professional commitments over the course of three months. We are proud of their accomplishments, which reflect the ambition of Kuwaiti youth and their determination to develop their skills in the fields of financial technology and innovation. The graduates have demonstrated their ability to combine academic knowledge with practical application, embodying the spirit of perseverance and continuous learning and paving the way for future success and leadership.”

In its fifth edition, the program saw a notable expansion of its content, integrating financial technology (FinTech) and artificial intelligence (AI) concepts across all learning tracks. The curriculum included web development using HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, mobile application development through the Flutter framework, and cybersecurity fundamentals, designed to equip participants with the skills and confidence needed to thrive in today’s rapidly evolving digital job market.

“Boursa Kuwait is proud of its strategic partnership with CODED Academy, which underscores our commitment to empowering young people with the knowledge and skills that enhance the competitiveness and sustainability of the economy and support Kuwait’s national development. Our partnership also reflects our goal of investing in technical education to strengthen the digital transformation ecosystem within the capital market sector. Through its sponsorship of the UNICODE program, Boursa Kuwait aims to bridge the gap between academia and labor market needs by preparing a generation equipped with advanced financial and technological skills, in line with Kuwait’s vision to become a leading regional financial and investment hub,” added Al-Sanousi.

The strategic partnership between Boursa Kuwait and CODED Academy extends over two years, with UNICODE serving as a distinguished educational platform that combines academic knowledge with practical application. The program contributes to developing a generation that is financially aware and digitally empowered and is aligned with Boursa Kuwait’s efforts to promote financial literacy and awareness of capital markets, key pillars in the company’s corporate sustainability strategy.

“The partnership between Markaz, Boursa Kuwait, and CODED Academy reflects our shared vision for progress through knowledge, innovation, and social responsibility. Markaz is proud to be a long-term strategic partner of UNICODE, which continues to grow in both scope and impact. By supporting initiatives that combine financial literacy with innovation, we help empower Kuwaiti youth with the skills and capabilities demanded by modern economies, strengthening their ability to create value and drive progress, underscoring our firm belief that developing human capital is a cornerstone of economic diversification and sustainable growth in Kuwait,” said Managing Director of Investment Banking at Markaz, Ahmad Fouad AlFalah.

Established in 1974, the Kuwait Financial Center (Markaz) is a Kuwaiti financial institution specializing in asset management and investment banking services across the Middle East and North Africa region. It was listed in the Kuwaiti capital market in 1997. “We value our strategic partnership with Boursa Kuwait and the Kuwait Financial Center (Markaz), which stands as a model of productive collaboration that empowers youth with the capabilities to lead the future of technology in Kuwait.

UNICODE continues to embody the importance of combining education with hands-on experience in real-world work environments, and its fifth edition equipped participants with advanced technical skills that enable innovation and adaptability in today’s fast-paced digital economy. Hosting the program at Boursa Kuwait also provided an inspiring professional setting that reflects the realities of the financial sector, giving participants the ability to explore the growing role of technology in improving corporate efficiency and performance,” said CODED Academy Co-founder and Chief Operating Officer, Hashim Behbehani.

Since its launch in 2021, UNICODE has evolved from a promising pilot initiative into a leading platform for empowering Kuwaiti youth in technology and innovation. In 2024, the program’s fourth edition, the first sponsored by Boursa Kuwait, trained 250 university students and recent graduates at the exchange’s headquarters. The fifth edition expanded further to include 320 participants, bringing the total number of beneficiaries to over 570 students in just two years, a growth that reflects the program’s continued success and the strengthening partnership between Boursa Kuwait and CODED Academy.

Launched by CODED Academy in 2021, UNICODE aims to equip university students and recent graduates in Kuwait with the technical skills required by the labor market, seeking to empower national talents to keep pace with rapid digital transformation, enhance their capacity for innovation and excellence in modern work environments and contribute to the economic development and sustainable growth of Kuwait.

The program takes its name from the global Unicode encoding system, which assigns a unique digital identity to every character in the world’s languages, enabling universal communication across platforms and borders. The name was chosen to capture the spirit of the program, which aims to bring together generations through a shared language of technology and bridge classroom learning with real-world application in today’s connected digital world.

Boursa Kuwait’s corporate sustainability strategy is designed to ensure that all initiatives align with the company’s corporate social responsibility governance framework, industry best practices, and investor expectations. The strategy also emphasizes the establishment of strong and sustainable partnerships that contribute to Boursa Kuwait’s success, allowing the company to leverage the expertise and strengths of other organizations and institutions across various fields. Additionally, it seeks to integrate corporate social responsibility (CSR) efforts into the company’s culture, ensuring long-term sustainability and a lasting impact embedded within its daily operations.

KUWAIT: On the occasion of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s official visit to Kuwait, Ambassador Tuba Nur Sönmez of the Republic of Turkey to Kuwait highlighted the depth of Turkish-Kuwaiti relations and the growing strategic partnership between the two countries.

Kuwait Times: How do you assess the current level of bilateral relations between Kuwait and Turkey?

Ambassador: Turkish-Kuwaiti relations represent a model example of successful bilateral ties. Our friendly relations are built upon shared values, common interests, a strong political will at the leadership level, and deep-rooted bonds of brotherhood between our peoples. We consider Kuwait one of Turkey’s most reliable partners in the Gulf region. Our countries enjoy multidimensional cooperation mechanisms that cover various fields, including trade, defense, tourism, and investment. There is also a growing and strengthened political will at the leadership level. Both President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and His Highness the Amir Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah attach great importance to the friendship between our countries.

This political determination enables our relations to develop along multiple tracks. His Highness the Amir’s visit to Turkey last year was highly successful. During the visit, we signed six agreements in the areas of defense, trade, investment, diplomacy, and culture, and we established a joint strategic dialogue mechanism, elevating our relations to the level of a strategic partnership. I regard this partnership between Turkey and Kuwait as being of immense value and significance. In difficult times, both countries have always stood by each other and provided support without hesitation — a true testament to the sincerity and depth of our longstanding friendship and mutual respect.

Kuwait Times: What are your expectations from the upcoming visit of the President of the Republic of Turkey to Kuwait?

Ambassador: His Highness the Amir Sheikh Meshal’s first official visit outside the Arab world after assuming leadership to Turkey was a great source of pride for us. It was a highly significant visit that produced tangible results, addressing various outstanding issues in our bilateral relations, discussing regional matters, and elevating our cooperation to a strategic level. As the Ambassador of the Republic of Turkey involved in this process, I take great pride and satisfaction in these achievements.

In fact, the Turkish President has visited Kuwait several times during the late Amir Sheikh Sabah’s reign. In this regard, the upcoming official visit of President Erdogan to Kuwait after seven years presents an important opportunity to sustain the momentum generated by last year’s visit and to further strengthen our bilateral ties. During this visit, we plan to sign a number of agreements and protocols in areas such as defense industries, energy, investment, transport, and trade, thereby reinforcing the legal foundation of our cooperation. Through these agreements, we aim to increase trade volume, diversify investments, and enhance collaboration across various fields.

We also reaffirm our support for Kuwait Vision 2035, led by His Highness the Amir, which aims to achieve sustainable growth. We seek to contribute to this vision through cooperation in areas such as development, energy, and infrastructure. Additionally, developments in Palestine and Syria, as well as recent regional dynamics, will be among the key topics on the agenda. This visit will offer both leaders a valuable opportunity to exchange views and discuss regional developments in depth.

Kuwait Times: What is the volume of trade exchange between the two countries?

Ambassador: The trade volume between our two countries reached around $720 million as of 2024. However, we believe this figure does not reflect the true potential of our bilateral relations. We have the capacity to double this figure within a short period.

Turkish sectors such as construction, defense, and tourism offer attractive investment opportunities for Kuwaiti investors. In line with this understanding, we organized the First Turkish-Kuwaiti Business Forum in November 2024, in cooperation with the Turkish Foreign Economic Relations Board (DEiK) and the Kuwait Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Around 50 companies from both countries participated, resulting in highly productive meetings. We plan to hold the forum again this year with the same partners, alongside the 11th session of the Joint Economic Committee to be hosted in Turkey next year.

There are currently over 400 Kuwaiti companies operating in Turkey across various sectors, while about 50 Turkish companies are active in Kuwait, particularly in construction. Turkish firms have played a significant role in Kuwait’s infrastructure projects, most notably the Terminal 2 Project at Kuwait International Airport. I believe that the partnerships we are building and strengthening today will serve as a model for other countries. We are also continuing to develop our cooperation in the field of investment. Turkish Minister of Treasury and Finance Mehmet Simsek paid an official visit to Kuwait in October 2024, during which ways to enhance mutual investment cooperation were discussed at the highest levels.

In addition, Burak Daglioglu, President of the Investment Office of the Presidency of the Republic of Turkey, and his accompanying delegation visited Kuwait on September 29-30, holding a series of meetings with various Kuwaiti institutions. The visit concluded with an investment reception hosted by the Turkish Embassy, which brought together Kuwaiti investors and business leaders with senior Turkish officials. We intend to continue organizing such events to further strengthen economic communication and cooperation between our two countries.

Kuwait Times: How do you assess the roles of Kuwait and Turkey in supporting stability and security in the region?

Ambassador: We share similar views and a common vision regarding the preservation of peace and stability in regional affairs. Kuwait plays a key role in maintaining regional stability, which we highly value. Meanwhile, recent developments in Palestine, Syria, and the ongoing tensions between Iran and Israel make regular dialogue and constant communication between our two countries even more essential. Hence, we place great importance on close consultation and cooperation with Kuwait on regional issues. In this context, we had the opportunity to comprehensively discuss regional developments during the ninth round of political consultations, held in Turkey in April 2025. The importance of this visit extends beyond bilateral relations. In this critical period for our region, consultation and cooperation between two partners that share the same vision, such as Turkey and Kuwait, are more vital than ever. Our shared vision aims not only to strengthen bilateral relations but also to promote wider regional cooperation.

Kuwait Times: What are the key areas of cooperation between Kuwait and Turkey?

Ambassador: Cooperation in the defense industry has gained significant momentum as a result of these exchanges. The Chief of the Turkish General Staff, accompanied by a senior military delegation, paid an official visit to Kuwait in January 2025, while the former Kuwaiti Chief of Staff visited Turkey on December 18, 2024. Moreover, Professor Dr Haluk Görgün, President of the Turkish Defense Industries Agency, visited Kuwait on November 11, 2024. In May 2025, a delegation from the Turkish Ministry of Health visited Kuwait to discuss cooperation in the health sector, focusing on experience exchange and collaboration across a broad and diverse agenda.

We attach particular importance to investment cooperation and aim to further deepen our partnership in this field. Since 2002, Kuwaiti investments in Turkey have reached approximately $2 billion, and through enhanced collaboration between our countries’ sovereign wealth funds, we aim to raise this figure significantly. Tourism and people-to-people relations are also of great importance. The customs and traditions of Kuwait and Turkey share many similarities, as hospitality, generosity, and kindness are values highly valued by both our peoples. Turkey welcomed around 300,000 Kuwaiti tourists last year, and we are working to increase this number in the coming years.

We are also pleased to see the growing interest in the Turkish language and culture within Kuwaiti society. Many Kuwaitis enthusiastically follow Turkish TV series and films, and many have expressed that they began learning the Turkish language through these productions. In this context, we see an increasing need to further promote the Turkish language and culture in Kuwait. Therefore, we hope to open a Yunus Emre Cultural Center in Kuwait in the near future, to serve as a platform for cultural exchange and interaction between our peoples.

KUWAIT:  Minister of Health Dr. Ahmad Al-Awadhi affirmed on Monday that medical laboratories are a cornerstone of Kuwait’s healthcare system, significantly contributing to accurate diagnosis, effective treatment, and preventive care. Speaking at the opening of the Seventh Medical Laboratory Conference, the minister highlighted the importance of continuous development in this field.

He said the Ministry prioritizes improving laboratory services by investing in qualified personnel, adopting advanced technologies, and applying global standards to ensure reliable diagnostic results and enhance treatment outcomes. Al-Awadhi noted that blood bank laboratories play a vital role in ensuring blood safety and availability, serving as the first line of defense in early disease detection and improving treatment success rates.

He also highlighted the preventive role of premarital testing laboratories, which help protect future generations by screening for genetic and infectious diseases and ensuring health compatibility between couples. The minister stressed that achievements in laboratory medicine reflect the Ministry’s commitment to building a modern, high-efficiency healthcare system.

Chairperson of the conference organizing committee, Dr. Ibtisam Jumaa, said the event serves as a strategic platform for linking scientific research with clinical practice and strengthening the leadership role of laboratories in future healthcare models. She added that the conference addresses the ethical dimensions of personalized medicine and features 13 expert speakers from GCC, Arab, and European countries, reflecting the event’s international scope and scientific richness.

Dr. Jumaa stated the agenda includes key topics such as blood disorders, oncology, artificial intelligence in diagnostics, predictive biomarkers, and transfusion medicine.Recent technological upgrades, she said, have significantly reduced human error and improved service quality and result accuracy, supporting timely clinical decision-making.Kuwait’s hematology laboratories now serve seven general hospitals, specialized centers, and primary healthcare clinics, ensuring comprehensive national coverage for citizens and residents alike. — KUNA