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Ambassadors congratulate Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled on first accession anniversary

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Rami Tahboub, Ambassador of Palestine to Kuwait

On the occasion of the first anniversary of His Highness Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, the Amir of the State of Kuwait, appointing his brother His Highness Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah as Crown Prince, it is my great honor and pleasure to extend to His Highness the loyal Crown Prince my warmest and most sincere congratulations on this joyous occasion — on behalf of myself, my family, the staff of the Embassy of the State of Palestine, and the Palestinian community residing in Kuwait, the land of Arabism and solidarity.

This momentous occasion brings to mind, with pride and appreciation, my time witnessing His Highness’ distinguished service as Minister of Foreign Affairs, during which I had the honor of presenting the credentials of the first Ambassador of the State of Palestine to Kuwait. I was graciously received by His Highness, who then – as now – was the epitome of humility and warmth.

I also had the privilege of organizing His Highness’ official visit in September 2014, which marked the first visit by a Kuwaiti official to the occupied State of Palestine since 1967. I had the honor of accompanying him to the holy city of Jerusalem, where he performed prayers at the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque.

Palestine and its cause have always held a top priority for His Highness – whether during his tenure as Minister of Foreign Affairs, as Prime Minister, and now as Crown Prince. He has carried it with sincerity and deep commitment in all international forums, firmly believing in the justice of the Palestinian cause and defending it unwaveringly, despite complex political circumstances.

I also witnessed His Highness’ leadership when he was appointed Prime Minister of Kuwait, where he led the government with dedication and competence through several terms, always calm and patient, confronting great challenges with unmatched wisdom. Then came Saturday, June 1, 2024, when His Highness Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, the Amir of the country – may God protect him – issued the Amiri Order appointing His Highness Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah as Crown Prince, entrusting him with the care of the nation and the dear people of Kuwait.

Since becoming Crown Prince, His Highness – may God preserve him – has shown extraordinary humility. He is regularly present at social gatherings, particularly during the holy month of Ramadan, where I had the honor of meeting and greeting him at numerous Kuwaiti diwaniyas he visited to offer Ramadan congratulations. As always, he greeted everyone with a warm smile, a reflection of his beloved character.

I pray to Almighty God to protect His Highness, grant him health and well-being, and keep him as a source of strength and support for his brother, the Amir of the country, and for the beloved land and people of Kuwait. May Kuwait continue to prosper and may God protect it from all harm.

Kenichiro Mukai

Kenichiro Mukai

Kenichiro Mukai, Ambassador of Japan to Kuwait

On behalf of the Government and the People of Japan, I am honored to extend my heartfelt congratulations on the first anniversary of His Highness Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah’s appointment as Crown Prince of the friendly State of Kuwait. His Highness’ appointment was met with widespread warmth and optimism, reflecting confidence in his experience, wisdom, and distinguished record of political work across various senior roles. We will continue working with His Highness and the government of the State of Kuwait to strengthen and enhance the bonds between our nations across all sectors and at every level.

Olivier Gauvin

Olivier Gauvin

Olivier Gauvin, Ambassador of France to Kuwait

On the occasion of the first anniversary of the accession of His Highness the Crown Prince Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah to his high office, I wish to extend, on behalf of the Republic of France, my warmest congratulations to His Highness and to the Kuwaiti people. This anniversary marks an important milestone in Kuwait’s institutional continuity and reflects His Highness’ wise vision and deep commitment to the country’s stability and development.

France is delighted by the excellent relations of friendship and cooperation that unite it with Kuwait. The Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, Jean-Noël Barrot, paid an official visit to Kuwait on April 24, 2025, during which he had the honor of being received in audience by His Highness the Crown Prince. The President of the French Republic invited His Highness the Amir and His Highness the Crown Prince to pay an official visit to France. These high-level contacts and this invitation reflect the shared desire to continue to strengthen the partnership between our two countries.

We wish His Highness every success in his duties and the friendly State of Kuwait lasting peace, security, and prosperity.

Anne Koistinen

Anne Koistinen

Anne Koistinen, Ambassador of the European Union to Kuwait

On behalf of the European Union, I would like to extend my heartfelt congratulations to His Highness Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah on the first anniversary of his appointment as Crown Prince of the State of Kuwait. This past year has been a testament to His Highness’ exemplary leadership, commitment to public service, and dedication to the welfare of the people of Kuwait, under the wise guidance of His Highness the Amir Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah.

The EU and Kuwait share a longstanding friendship grounded in shared values of peace, mutual respect, support to the UN and the multilateral order and collective prosperity. As we reflect on the achievements of the past year, we also look forward with optimism to further strengthening our partnership in various domains, including trade and investments, security and regional stability, research and education, digital transformation and AI, as well as energy security and green transition. We wish His Highness the Crown Prince every success in his endeavors and once again, congratulations on this significant occasion.

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Kuwait population reaches 5.099 million; Budget revenues could hit KD 18.276bn

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KUWAIT: The total population in Kuwait reached approximately 5.099 million people by the end of June 2025, marking a growth of about 2.2 percent—or an absolute increase of around 111,000 people—compared to the end of 2024 when the population was 4.988 million, according to the data released by the Public Authority for Civil Information. The PACI has released the latest detailed data on population and labor statistics as of the end of June 2025.

The proportion of Kuwaitis in the total population also dropped— from about 31.7 percent at the end of the first half of 2024 to around 30.4 percent according to the latest figures. The number of Kuwaiti males, at approximately 776.7 thousand, slightly exceeds that of Kuwaiti females, at around 773.9 thousand. Meanwhile, the number of non-Kuwaiti residents increased by about 189.3 thousand people, representing a growth rate of approximately 5.6 percent, bringing their total to around 3.548 million. The compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of the non-Kuwaiti population from 2015 to June 2025 was about 2.0 percent.

The total number of workers in Kuwait reached approximately 3.142 million, representing about 61.6 percent of the total population. For Kuwaiti citizens, the employment-to-population ratio stood at about 31.7 percent of the total Kuwaiti population. Notably, the percentage of employed non-Kuwaitis out of the total non-Kuwaiti population was around 74.7 percent. When compared to the end of June 2024, the share of Kuwaiti workers within the total workforce in Kuwait decreased from about 16.6 percent to approximately 15.6 percent in June 2025.

Additionally, the proportion of female workers among the total Kuwaiti workforce declined to around 49.3 percent by the end of the first half of the current year, down from 51.2 percent in June 2024. Female workers made up around 30.3 percent of the total workforce in Kuwait. The number of employed Kuwaiti nationals declined by approximately 15.2 thousand, bringing the total to around 491.1 thousand workers, down from about 506.4 thousand at the end of June 2024. Of these, about 392.9 thousand were employed in the government sector, accounting for 80.0 percent of all working Kuwaitis. This figure differs from the 83.8 percent reported by the CSB, both entities being government institutions, which may be due to the inclusion of unemployed individuals or those on waiting lists in the latter’s figures.

It is believed that the number of openly unemployed Kuwaitis slightly increased to around 30.7 thousand individuals, representing approximately 6.2 percent of the total Kuwaiti labor force by the end of June 2025, compared to about 29.9 thousand or 5.9 percent at the end of June 2024. The total number of workers (both Kuwaiti and non-Kuwaiti) in the government sector reached about 520 thousand, which accounts for roughly 16.5 percent of the total population. Kuwaitis made up approximately 75.6 percent of all employees in the public sector.

Kuwait oil price edges up

By the end of July 2025, the fourth month of the current fiscal year 2025/2026 had concluded. The average price of Kuwaiti oil per barrel for July was around $71.4, an increase of $1.5 per barrel or by 2.2 percent compared to the June’s average of $69.9 per barrel. It was also higher by $3.4 per barrel or by 5.0 percent, compared to the new assumed price in the current budget which is set at $68 per barrel. When comparing this figure to the approved expenditures of KD 24.538 billion, it is likely that the general budget for the current fiscal year 2025/2026 will record a deficit of KD 6.262 billion. However, the dominant factor remains the developments in oil revenues and the potential for savings in expenditures.

Furthermore, the average price of Kuwaiti oil per barrel for the elapsed period of the current fiscal year stood at $69, that is lower by $10.7 or by-13.4 percent compared to the average price per barrel of the previous fiscal year 2024/2025, which was around $79.7. It is also lower by $21.5 or by 23.7 percent, compared to the breakeven price in the current budget at $90.5, according to estimates by the Ministry of Finance and following the suspension of the 10 percent deduction from total revenues for the Future Generations Reserve. It is assumed that Kuwait generated oil revenues of KD 1.352 billion in July. Assuming that production levels and prices remain unchanged, an assumption that may not hold, total oil revenues for the entire current fiscal year are expected to reach KD 15.350 billion after deducting production costs.

This figure is around KD 45 million higher than the estimated amount in the current fiscal year’s budget, which is at KD 15.305 billion. With the addition of around KD 2.926 billion in non-oil revenues, the total budget revenues for the current fiscal year would amount to KD 18.276 billion. An announcement was made on July 22, 2025, regarding the actual budget deficit (the final account) for the previous fiscal year 2024/2025, which amounted to KD 1.056 billion. However, the detailed figures of that final account have not yet been published, making it difficult to analyze the situation.

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NBK sponsors the ‘Green Adventure’ program in collaboration with LOYAC

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KUWAIT: As part of its strategic partnership with LOYAC, and within its ongoing commitment to youth and society development, NBK sponsored the “Green Adventure” program aimed to build future leaders. The “Green Adventure” program, which is a unique initiative that combines physical and educational sustainability-related activities, took place in Portugal for seven days.

Through interactive theoretical sessions and practical field activities, the program targeted instilling values of environmental responsibility and sustainability for the youth to become future leaders and change makers. In the program, the students learned sustainable natural landscape and garden designing, in addition to applying sustainable daily agricultural practices to make a positive environmental impact.

The adventure opened many golden opportunities for the participants, such as exploring Portugal’s charming nature, diverse wildlife, and unique environmental systems. They also visited the ancient Moorish castle, and they were able to build connections with same-interest individuals and experts in the field, in addition to achieving a deeper understanding of the relationship between nature and society.

This sponsorship comes as an emphasis of NBK’s leadership in social responsibility and its commitment to investing in future generations, as it firmly believes in the effectiveness of such initiatives that contribute to shaping deeper understandings of global environmental issues, which consequently builds a generation that is strongly aware and capable of facing future sustainability-related challenges.

Additionally, NBK highlights the importance of private sector and non-profit organizations collaborations that aim to achieve sustainable development, and this sponsorship is part of a wider strategy that supports initiatives of youth education and environmental development for a better future for Kuwait and the region.

In this light, NBK will continue to promote social responsibility and support all society’s segments and non-profit organizations, particularly those institutions and programs that care for the youth and address their needs and requirements for a better future, as it strongly believes in the effective role of these programs in serving society and people. LOYAC is a non-profit organization that aims to support the youth by providing training opportunities and specialized educational and volunteer development programs.

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Kuwait Acting PM, FM receive Antigua and Barbuda’s FM

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KUWAIT: Kuwait’s Acting Prime Minister Sheikh Fahad Yusuf Al-Sabah receives on Wednesday at Bayan Palace, in the presence of Foreign Minister Abdullah Al-Yahya, Antigua and Barbuda’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Trade, and Barbuda Affairs Everly Paul Chet Greene, along with his accompanying delegation. --KUNA

KUWAIT: Kuwait’s Acting Prime Minister Sheikh Fahad Yusuf Al-Sabah receives on Wednesday at Bayan Palace, in the presence of Foreign Minister Abdullah Al-Yahya, Antigua and Barbuda’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Trade, and Barbuda Affairs Everly Paul Chet Greene, along with his accompanying delegation. –KUNA

KUWAIT: Kuwait’s Acting Prime Minister Sheikh Fahad Al-Yousef Al-Sabah received on Wednesday at Bayan Palace, in the presence of Foreign Minister Abdullah Al-Yahya, Antigua and Barbuda’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Trade, and Barbuda Affairs Everly Paul Chet Greene, along with his accompanying delegation, on the occasion of his visit to the country. During the meeting, the two sides reviewed bilateral relations between the two countries and ways to strengthen them, in addition to exchanging views on issues of mutual interest.

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During the meeting, they reviewed the close bilateral relations between the two friendly countries and the frameworks for strengthening and developing them in various fields, in addition to discussing regional and international developments and the developments taking place in the region. — KUNA

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