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Kuwait strengthens global environmental efforts, leadership

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KUWAIT: The Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research (KISR) affirmed on Saturday that hosting the Stockholm Convention Regional Center for Training and Technology Transfer for West Asia underscores Kuwait’s prominent role in advancing global environmental efforts. The regional center positions Kuwait as a leading hub in managing chemical risks and hazardous waste in the West Asia region, said Dr. Mohammad Al-Otaibi, Coordinator of the center and scientific researcher at KISR.

Speaking to the Kuwait News Agency (KUNA), Dr Al-Otaibi explained that the center offers technical assistance and specialized training services to countries across West Asia, serving as a link between regional states and international environmental agreements — particularly the Stockholm Convention. “The center supports member states by providing technical expertise, facilitating the transfer of clean technologies, disseminating updated information, and assisting in the execution of national action plans and country reports,” he noted.

Since its inception, the center has organized multiple training workshops for regional experts. Dr Al-Otaibi revealed that preparations are underway for a major workshop scheduled for October 2025 at KISR’s headquarters. The event will draw participation from Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states, West Asian nations, and international experts, with a focus on emerging hazardous chemicals, including PFAS, UVA328 and PCBs. The workshop will cover evaluation methods, risk assessment and national reporting mechanisms.

Dr Al-Otaibi added that, in collaboration with Kuwait’s Environment Public Authority (EPA), the center recently completed an updated survey of banned chemicals in Kuwait. A comprehensive report was submitted to the convention secretariat, and the center is currently working on compiling an inventory of newly listed substances to meet obligations set by the member states. Outlining the center’s 2024–2027 work plan, Dr Al-Otaibi said it comprises key areas: regional training workshops, national research projects, updates to national implementation plans, development of a regional chemicals database, assessment of newly listed substances, enhanced regional coordination, and submission of periodic progress reports.

He emphasized that strategic cooperation with international bodies such as the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the Global Environment Facility (GEF) has strengthened the center’s capacity, enabled effective technology transfer and broadened its regional reach. This, he said, supports Kuwait’s environmental commitments while building national expertise. KISR’s participation in the joint Conferences of the Parties (COP) to the Basel, Rotterdam, and Stockholm Conventions — held in Geneva from April 28 to May 9, 2025 — allowed Kuwait to showcase its achievements and contribute to major international decisions.

These included the inclusion of new hazardous chemicals under the conventions, revisions to technical guidelines, and the launch of collaborative compliance programs. Dr Al-Otaibi highlighted the center’s strategic significance to Kuwait, not only as a scientific and training institution but also as a crucial mechanism for protecting public health and preserving environmental integrity. He credited the support of national leadership and coordination with local agencies for enabling the center to fulfill its mandate effectively.

“The center plays a vital role in building national capacity, offering environmentally sound alternatives to prohibited substances, and reducing the economic burden of environmental degradation,” he said, adding that these contributions bolster Kuwait’s sustainable development goals. Kuwait ratified the Stockholm Convention in March 2006, and in 2009, the Fourth Conference of the Parties in Geneva officially approved KISR as the headquarters of the Stockholm Convention Regional Center for West Asia. Since launching its activities in 2011, the center has emerged as a cornerstone of regional environmental cooperation and policy implementation. — KUNA

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Kuwait Commerce Min.: Protecting industrial system is Nat’l responsibility

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 KUWAIT: Minister of Commerce and Industry, and Chairman of the Public Authority for Industry (PAI) Khalifa Al-Ajeel said on Monday that protecting the commercial and industrial system is a “national responsibility that requires concerted efforts.”

Minister Al-Ajeel emphasized in a statement to KUNA following an extensive inspection campaign in the south Amghara scrap yard, to “firmly deal with all violations and encroachments in accordance with legal frameworks where no one is above the law.”

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Al-Ajeel confirmed the continuation of inspection campaigns as well until the desired goals are reached, foremost being is restoring order and discipline to the area and removing all violations and encroachments.

He affirmed the ministry and the PAI’s commitment to cooperating with relevant authorities to continue these campaigns to ensure a safe and organized industrial and commercial environment.

The campaign resulted in the seizure of several violations and closure of several non-compliant units in preparation for taking necessary legal action against their exploiters.

Participating in the campaign was General Fire Force (KFF) Chief Major General Talal Al-Roumi, along with several executive leaders from the PAI. — KUNA

 

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Human Rights Committee session begins with focus on Gaza, regional challenges

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CAIRO: The 56th regular session of the Arab Permanent Committee for Human Rights commenced on Monday with the participation of Kuwait and representatives from Arab states concerned with human rights affairs. In his opening address, Ahmed Maghari, supervisor of the Human Rights Department at the League of Arab States, underscored the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza, calling it a stark indicator of the region’s human rights reality. “We cannot speak of the state of human rights without acknowledging the catastrophic conditions faced by our brothers in Gaza, where securing the most basic necessities has become a matter of survival,” he said. Maghari described the ongoing Zionist aggression in Gaza as a profound moral and humanitarian challenge, noting that the Palestinian people continue to endure daily suffering under constant bombardment, displacement and destruction. He lamented the international community’s continued inaction in the face of clear violations of international law and human rights norms. “The occupying power persists in defying international legitimacy and the decisions of the General Assembly, the Security Council, and the International Court of Justice,” he said.

Held at a time of mounting regional tensions, the session comes amid escalating challenges that directly affect fundamental human rights. Maghari highlighted the Committee’s historic role since its establishment in 1968 in developing the Arab human rights framework both legally and practically, while also fostering cooperation with regional and international partners. He expressed hope that the session would yield effective recommendations to help confront the pressing challenges in the region. He pointed to the rise of conflicts and violence globally, along with the resulting serious human rights violations, as major concerns.

Emerging issues such as the intersection of human rights with climate change, artificial intelligence, and the spread of alien ideologies that undermine human dignity were also noted. “In light of these challenges, we must reinforce our solidarity and collective action to enhance peace, stability, and the security of our societies,” Maghari added. The two-day session, chaired by Ambassador Talal Al-Mutairi, Chairman of the Arab Permanent Committee for Human Rights, will review the General Secretariat’s report on the implementation of previous recommendations up to the 55th session.

Discussions will also focus on Zionist violations in occupied Arab territories, the plight of Arab prisoners and detainees in Zionist prisons, and the issue of the bodies of Palestinian and Arab martyrs held in so-called “numbered cemeteries.” Other agenda items include the Arab Charter on Human Rights and preparations for Arab Human Rights Day, which will be observed on March 16, 2026. Kuwait is represented at the meeting by a delegation led by Assistant Foreign Minister for Human Rights Affairs Ambassador Sheikha Jawaher Ibrahim Al-Duaij Al-Sabah.— KUNA

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Crown Prince receives Egyptian Deputy PM

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KUWAIT: His Highness the Crown Prince Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah received on Tuesday at Bayan Palace the Egyptian Deputy Prime Minister for Industrial Development and Minister of Transport and Industry, Lieutenant General Kamel Abdulhadi Al-Wazir, and his accompanying delegation on the occasion of their official visit to the country. The meeting was attended by Kuwait’s Minister of Public Works Dr Noura Al-Mashaan and Egypt’s Ambassador to Kuwait Osama Shaltout.– KUNA photos

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