KUWAIT: 1997 — First Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah signed a resolution to establish a free-trade zone at Shuwaikh port.

2002 — A team of surgeons conducted a heart surgery at the Chest Diseases Hospital, the first of its kind in the Middle East, by using laser to open arteries of a 60-year-old woman.

2003 — Information Ministry granted licenses for private radio channels. The license last for five years eligible for renewal.

2003 — The Amir Sheikh Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah signed a decree appointing Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah as a Prime Minister and assigned him to form a cabinet. This was the first time in Kuwait’s history that the posts of Crown Prince and Prime Minister were separated.

2005 — Deputy Amir Sheikh Saad Al-Abdullah Al-Salem Al-Sabah signed a law waiving KD 2,000 (some USD 6,500) in overdue water and electricity bills on citizens. If the bill exceeded this amount, citizens could pay the amount in instalments.

2005 — Deputy Amir Sheikh Saad Al-Abdullah Al-Sabah signed a law on regulating professional practice of sport.

2010 — Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development (KFAED) loaned KD four million (nearly USD 14.4 million) to Gambia University project.

2011 — Kuwait’s Health Ministry signed; in Berlin, a cooperation agreement on orthopedic and neurosurgery.

2011 — The Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah launched the national campaign for the protection of environment (Senyar 5).

2017 — KFAED signed a loan agreement with the Maldives worth KD 3.6 million (USD 12.2 million) to finance the eastern coast protection project.

2023 — The National Assembly passed a draft law on establishing cities and residential areas construction companies. The law was referred to the government.

2023 — The National Assembly approved amendments to article two of law 114/2014 concerning health insurance for pensioners (Afiya) adding housewives to the scheme.

2024 — Media figure Khalil Ibrahim passed away at age 71 after an illustrious career in Kuwait Radio. — KUNA

 PARIS: The French Presidential Palace (Elysee) affirmed that His Highness the Amir of the State of Kuwait, Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah’s visit to France embodied the deep historical ties and distinguished partnership between the two friendly countries.

The Elysee, in a statement obtained by KUNA, said that this visit, the first by His Highness to France since assuming power, came within the framework of strong relations based on trust and mutual respect.

The two sides seek to develop their relations in a way that enhances the strategic partnership in various sectors, including diplomacy, defense, the economy, education, health, culture, and scientific research.

The Amir’s visit also comes ahead of the 65th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Kuwait and France in 1961, an occasion that affirms the depth of the historical ties between the two countries.

His Highness will visit Paris on Sunday and Monday to attend the official military parade marking France’s National Day (Bastille Day) on July 14, alongside French President Emmanuel Macron, and then the two will meet up at the Elysee Palace for a work lunch.

France was among the first countries to support Kuwait’s independence and actively contributed to its liberation in 1991, strengthening ties of political trust and laying a solid foundation for growing Kuwaiti-French relations.

The two countries are keen to strengthen this relationship through high-level meetings and ongoing cooperation in international forums, where their views converge on many issues, particularly respect for international law and support for mediation and dialogue efforts to resolve disputes peacefully.

On the economic front, the amount of trade exchange between the two countries reached approximately EUR 2.8 billion in 2023, with France ranking fourth among Kuwait’s European trading partners, with French companies active in the fields of infrastructure, energy, and construction.

In the cultural field, France continues to support the French language and culture in Kuwait through the French School and the French Institute, with more than 1,000 students benefitting from joint educational programs, while Kuwaiti students participate in academic and university programs in France.

Additionally, French medical institutions such as the Gustave Roussy Institute, contribute to supporting the Kuwaiti health sector through technical consultations and specialized projects. Kuwaiti-French relations are an example of a strong partnership and long-standing friendship, which both sides are keen to continuously develop to enhance bilateral cooperation and support stability in the region and the world. —KUNA

KUWAIT:  First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Sheikh Fahad Yusuf Saud Al-Sabah accompanied by an official delegation, on Sunday left for Lebanon on an official visit.

In a statement, the Ministry of Interior said that Sheikh Fahad Al-Yusuf was seen off at Kuwait International Airport by Acting Undersecretary of the Ministry of Interior, Major General Ali Al-Adwani, Charge d’Affaires of the Lebanese Embassy in Kuwait Mia Al-Adem, as well as a number of senior security officials. — KUNA