KUWAIT:  The Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development (KFAED) signed a loan agreement with Nigeria on Tuesday to help fund the project aimed at supporting education for children outside the educational system in Kaduna state.

On their official X account, KFAED said that the draft agreement signed by the Acting Director General, Waleed Al-Bahar and the Nigerian Minister of State for Finance, Dr. Doris Aneti, is focused on developing the education infrastructure by establishing rehabilitating schools and enhancing access to basic education, especially for children with special needs, girls, and adolescents, in addition to strengthening the capabilities of the educational administration. KFAED was established in 1961 with the aim of assisting other Arab nations with an initial budget of KD 50 million (USD 163.6 million), then in 1974 the establishment started directing its efforts to Africa where both Arab and African nation were receiving supporting funds. — KUNA

KUWAIT: The Ministry of Interior announced Tuesday it had foiled an attempt to smuggle a quantity of imported liquor into the country and arrested two Asian nationals involved in the case. The operation was carried out in coordination with the General Administration of Customs as part of ongoing efforts to combat the smuggling of prohibited substances.

In a press statement, the ministry said the incident began when customs officers at Shuaiba Port became suspicious of a container arriving from a Gulf country. Although the container was declared as empty, a meticulous inspection uncovered hidden compartments in the floor containing professionally packaged bottles of liquor. Following the discovery, coordination was made with the General Department for Drug Control (GDDC), which monitored the case closely.

The container was allowed to proceed under strict surveillance until it reached a warehouse in the Ahmadi area, where two Asian nationals were arrested as they attempted to receive the shipment. Initial investigations revealed that the suspects had received instructions from an individual residing in an Asian country to receive and distribute the smuggled alcohol. The Ministry of Interior, represented by the GDDC and in cooperation with customs authorities, affirmed that efforts are ongoing to thwart all forms of smuggling in order to safeguard the nation’s security and social fabric. — KUNA

KUWAIT: National Bank of Kuwait celebrated the graduation of NBK Tech Academy Wave 2, which is the first of its kind in Kuwait that aims to upskill and qualify national young talents in the banking sector by equipping them with the necessary skills in digital technology and data analysis. The graduation ceremony was attended by Shaikha Al-Bahar, Deputy Group CEO at NBK, Mohammed Al-Othman, CEO of the Consumer and Digital Banking Group at NBK, Emad Al-Ablani, Group Chief Human Resources Officer at NBK, and Mark Diamond, Chief Technology and Transformation Officer at NBK.

The intensive training program of the academy extended for seven months, with 10 trainees following advanced curricula covering the latest developments in banking technology. The curricula included essential technical skills such as financial technology (FinTech), data analysis, technology ethics, cybersecurity, fundamentals of digital payments, digital innovation, AI, programming, blogging basics, and finance for non-specialists.

The program went beyond technical aspects and covered personal and leadership skills, including teamwork, team building, business planning and analysis, result achievement, writing skills, focusing on customers and meeting their expectations, presentation skills, productivity in the workplace, work ethics and values, continued research and learning, project management and change, and enhancing customer experiences. During the program, the trainees were divided into teams though which they collaborated with experts from the bank to produce innovative ideas and solutions. Towards the end of the program a winning team was selected in appreciation of their efforts and creativity.

On this occasion, Najla Al-Sager, SVP – Head of Talent Management & Learning at NBK said: “We are proud to graduate the second wave of NBK Tech Academy, which embodies our commitment to enhancing digital talents and increasing technology-field experiences. This academy plays a pivotal role in developing digital competencies, as it contributed to qualifying the recent graduates and equipping them with the necessary technical and professional skills, further providing for them opportunities to work at the bank’s digital and data departments.”

Al-Sager added: “The success of this wave reflects the program’s efficiency in preparing a generation of digital leaders. The program has been designed to encompass inclusiveness and innovation and provide exceptional opportunities for the trainees to delve into a wide range of recent tech-related developments through orientation and role alternation, which contributes to aiding them with strategic visions about working at the bank and qualifying them to operate in real workplaces with remarkable efficiency.”

She further commented: “We will continue to develop young professionals by equipping them with the necessary skills to cope with the accelerating digital developments to prepare a highly efficient generation of banker from different backgrounds and fields. This consequently will ensure a continued flow of distinguished competencies that contribute to the growth of digital transformation.”

Al-Sager emphasized that the NBK Tech Academy reflects the bank’s insightful vision and keen interest in the accelerating requirements of the digital age, and its awareness of the importance of developing and nurturing highly skilled talents in vital fields such as information systems and security, data science and computer science.

Al-Sager also pointed out that not only is NBK investing in enhancing its future capabilities, but it’s also contributing to shaping the future of banking services in Kuwait. NBK is striving to maintain its leadership among private sector institutions that consistently attracts, upskills, and qualifies national talents for the banking sector. Moreover, NBK has the highest employee retention rates and it’s the workplace of choice for Kuwaiti talents and competencies, in addition to being the largest national employer among private sector institutions in Kuwait.

It’s worth noting that NBK Tech Academy is an integral part of the broader NBK Academy, which was established in 2008 lasting for over 15 years. To date, the academy has graduated 29 waves, many of whom have become key members of the bank’s workforce, with the academy having paved the way for them to join the banking sector.