KUWAIT: The Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development (KFAED) on Sunday inaugurated the expansion and enhancement project of Velana International Airport in the Maldivian capital, Male, as part of a joint Arab development initiative.

The ceremony was held in the presence of Maldivian President Mohammad Muizzu, Acting Director General of KFAED Waleed Al-Bahar, several government officials, and representatives from the Arab Coordination Group.

In a statement issued by KFAED, the Maldivian President expressed deep appreciation for the generous financial contributions provided by KFAED, the Saudi Fund for Development, Abu Dhabi Fund for Development, and OPEC Fund for International Development.

He noted that the soft loans from these institutions enabled the construction of a modern passenger terminal, supporting the country’s infrastructure goals and boosting its vital tourism sector.

President Muizzu hailed the project as a model of joint development and cooperation, stating the new airport facilities will enhance passenger experience, boost the Maldivian economy, and support the nation’s rapidly growing tourism industry.

A drone light show is seen during the opening ceremony of the Velana International Airport expansion project.

For his part, Al-Bahar stated that KFAED’s total contribution to the airport’s expansion amounted to KD 37.62 million (USD 123 million).He noted that the expanded airport is expected to serve around 7.3 million passengers annually, helping to stimulate tourism, enhance trade, and open new economic opportunities aligned with sustainable development.

Al-Bahar highlighted that the partnership between Kuwait and the Maldives dates back to 1976, when KFAED provided its first soft loan of USD five million to support the development of the airport, then known as Hulhule Airport.

Since then, KFAED has extended 15 loans totaling KD 61.1 million (USD 199.8 million) to finance development projects in key sectors, including water and sanitation, transport, healthcare, disaster recovery, coastal protection, and fisheries.

He reaffirmed Kuwait’s commitment to supporting the Maldives’ development journey and expressed optimism for exploring new areas of cooperation in the coming years.

Al-Bahar also praised the ongoing partnership between KFAED and the Arab Coordination Group in financing transformative projects that leave a lasting impact on communities.

The Fund has also provided the Maldives with technical assistance worth KD 1.3 million (USD 4.2 million) and a grant of KD 583,000 (USD 1.9 million) from Kuwait’s “Decent Life Fund for Islamic Countries” to support food security and improve living standards. — KUNA

KUWAIT: Kuwait is moving to integrate its newly acquired Bayraktar TB2 drones into environmental surveillance and civilian operations, according to a statement by the General Staff of the Army following a high-level coordination meeting held Sunday. The meeting, chaired by Deputy Chief of the General Staff Lt Gen Sabah Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, gathered senior military officials and representatives from the Ministry of Public Works, Kuwait Municipality, and the Environment Public Authority, alongside other civil and security agencies.

Discussions focused on how to organize reconnaissance flights and enhance the use of drone-generated data across state institutions, “in support of observation and follow-up efforts” and to “enhance the state’s capabilities in addressing security and environmental changes,” the statement said. The meeting also reviewed the technical systems onboard the Bayraktar drone and explored its applications in defense, environmental monitoring, and the protection of vital infrastructure and borders.

Lt Gen Al-Sabah emphasized the importance of using the drone beyond military settings. “The utilization of the Bayraktar drone’s capabilities is not limited to the military side only but extends to include many civilian sectors of the state,” he said. He called for greater coordination between military and civilian entities to maximize the benefits of this advanced aerial system. He described the drone as “a qualitative leap in capabilities for monitoring, environmental surveillance, and the protection of facilities and borders,” and underscored the responsibility to invest and deploy the system effectively.

The Bayraktar TB2 is capable of flying non-stop for 24 hours, carrying up to 650 kilograms. In 2019, it completed a test flight in Kuwait that lasted 27 hours and 3 minutes, despite high temperatures, strong winds, and sandstorms.

The coordination meeting follows the arrival of Kuwait’s first Bayraktar drones earlier this month, after a $367 million purchase agreement was signed with Turkish defense company Baykar in January 2023. Kuwait became the 28th country to acquire the TB2, a drone that has been used in conflict zones including Ukraine, Libya, and Azerbaijan.

Kuwait has also been training personnel for drone operations, with the first batch of TB2 operators graduating in Turkey in July 2024, and a second group earlier this year.

While Kuwait’s discussions mark an early step in integrating drones into environmental oversight, drones have increasingly been used for that purpose in recent years. In Pakistan’s Punjab province, officials launched a drone-linked environmental monitoring system in September 2024 to track factory emissions and enforce environmental laws. In the Arctic, high-speed drones were tested earlier this year to assess the rate of glacier retreat in Greenland. Research also points to the use of drones at landfills to detect methane emissions with high spatial and temporal precision, offering a low-cost alternative to traditional monitoring methods. — Agencies

RIYADH: The Korean Creative Content Agency (KOCCA) and the Ministry of Tourism, Culture, and Sports of the Republic of Korea have officially selected Manal Al-Gharabally, Founder and CEO of MBVISION Studios, to represent Kuwait’s creative sector at the K-Content Expo held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. She was invited to explore the latest innovations in gaming, animation and K-pop production.

The invitation came in recognition of MBVISION Studios as the first independent animation studio in Kuwait specializing in animation production and education, video games design, and integrated creative production since 2009. The visit included a high-profile signing ceremony on Thursday, July 24, 2025. During the event, Manal Al-Gharabally signed four Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) with both established and emerging Korean companies across four key sectors.

In the video games sector, the two parties signed an agreement which includes the production, training, distribution, and education in both traditional and AI-driven game development, through a global ecosystem that connects learners with independent developers and international trainers.

They also signed an agreement in the field of Intellectual Property (IP), which outlines terms for the licensing, leasing, and exchange of commercial IP rights between South Korea and Kuwait, including exporting Kuwaiti characters and importing South Korean ones to the Gulf market. The two parties also signed an MoU in the field of K-Dramas to localize, distribute, and culturally adapt South Korean family and content for children. In the field of interactive and smart art performances the two parties signed an agreement to develop immersive, technology-driven artistic experiences and exhibitions.

The MoUs were signed with several companies, including Nonsense, for the exclusive licensing of educational content for children; Something Special, for the localization and distribution of Korean family dramas; Gwan Global, an award-winning startup specializing in both traditional and AI-powered game development; and Character Inc., to exchange and co-produce character IP between South Korea and Kuwait and organize interactive art exhibitions.

Several additional MoUs will be signed at a later date. These include partnerships in educational board games, immersive performance experiences, and the licensing of Kuwaiti characters for the South Korean market, with further discussions planned in the next phase.

This collaboration represents a strategic milestone in enhancing cultural and creative exchange between South Korea and Kuwait, showcasing the growing interest of South Korean companies in Gulf-based character IPs. A selected group of Kuwaiti and South Korean cartoon characters is currently undergoing artistic review, paving the way for future joint productions to be presented in Kuwait, South Korea and Saudi Arabia.

Seungchan Lee, organizer of the K-Content Expo in Saudi Arabia, expressed her sincere appreciation for the joint collaboration between South Korean companies and their Kuwaiti partner. She highlighted the significance of this initiative in building sustainable cultural and commercial bridges between the two countries, and expressed her hope to see the outcomes of this partnership realized on the ground very soon.

Manal Al-Gharabally stated: “Our business relationship with private sector companies in South Korea and MBVISION Studios has been ongoing since 2018. Over the years, we’ve collaborated with Korean clients on multiple media and creative campaigns targeting both the Middle East and local markets. Today marks a new chapter transitioning from service based collaborations to strategic partnerships focused on cultural, media, and commercial exchange across the region.”

She added that this collaboration under the auspices of KOCCA and the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism of the Republic of Korea represents a strategic milestone in promoting national identity and exporting local culture to global markets.

She emphasized that South Korean companies have shown a strong interest in licensing original Kuwaiti and Gulf characters, while also exploring ways to introduce Korean characters to the region through mutual cultural exchange. As part of this initiative, three original characters created by MBVISION Studios have been selected for global distribution in the fields of gaming, media production, and interactive art experiences, alongside three South Korean characters designated for promotion in the Middle East. Discussions are currently underway to further expand this artistic and cultural exchange, with several collaborative projects already planned to launch from Kuwait and Riyadh.