KUWAIT: Zain Kuwait announced that it has joined the Kuwait Green Building Council (KGBC) as a Platinum member, in a step that reflects its commitment to accelerating the sustainability agenda in the workplace and the community and to reducing emissions and enhancing energy efficiency. This comes as a core part of Zain’s sustainability strategy and as an extension of its community programs that focus on reducing environmental impact and supporting the transition to a low-carbon economy.

Commenting on the partnership, Corporate Relations Department Manager Hamad Al-Musaibeeh said: “Joining the Kuwait Green Building Council confirms Zain’s direction to turn sustainability principles into measurable, day-to-day operational practice. We will benefit from the capacity-building programs and technical advisory services that KGBC provides to develop the competencies of our engineering and operations teams and to adopt more advanced standards for energy and water efficiency and waste management across our facilities.”

He added: “We believe that sustainable ecosystems enhance quality of life and create economic and social value for our customers, partners and society as a whole, and they support Kuwait’s shift toward a more sustainable future. We are therefore pleased with this partnership and look forward to advancing our shared vision to achieve lasting social impact.” General Manager of the Kuwait Green Building Council, Dalal Al-Hashash, said: “We are proud to welcome Zain as a Platinum Member of the Kuwait Green Building Council. For years, Zain has been at the forefront of integrating sustainability into its business strategy and operations, setting an example for the private sector in Kuwait.”

She added: “This partnership is not about starting the journey, but about deepening collaboration and knowledge exchange to accelerate innovative solutions in energy efficiency and emissions reduction. As the technology sector is set to experience one of the fastest rises in energy demand, we are delighted to work with one of Kuwait’s leading companies to ensure that future growth is guided by sustainability principles that put people and the environment at the center of development.”

The Kuwait Green Building Council will provide Zain, through its Platinum Membership, with specialized capacity-building platforms through training, workshops and seminars, in addition to technical advisory services to align projects with sustainable building standards and practices. The Council also offers marketing support channels to highlight members’ environmental responsibility, and spaces for professional networking and the exchange of expertise among leaders in this field to enhance opportunities for partnerships and collaboration.

As a Platinum Member, Zain will support the Council’s activities, programs and campaigns, and will share its experience in adopting best practices across its current and future projects. This includes expanding energy-efficiency applications, rationalizing water consumption, improving waste management and enhancing indoor environmental quality in facilities, which will positively affect users’ health and wellbeing and increase productivity.

Green buildings are defined as the design, implementation and operation of buildings in a manner that reduces negative environmental impacts and improves the quality of life for occupants and workers throughout a building’s life cycle, from planning to decommissioning. This is achieved through solutions that include reliance on renewable energy sources, maximizing natural lighting, using sustainable materials, applying water-conservation technologies and adopting effective waste-management strategies.

This step aligns with Zain’s sustainability vision, which places climate action and resource efficiency at the core of its operations and supply chain and supports its long-term emissions-reduction targets. It also reflects the company’s commitment to partnering with specialized local entities to build more sustainable buildings and urban infrastructure in Kuwait. The Kuwait Green Building Council was officially established as a non-profit, non-governmental entity in 2017. As a membership-based organization of relevant stakeholders, it aims to encourage and support sustainable urban and built-environment development in Kuwait. It is affiliated with a global network of more than 75 Green Building Councils operating under the umbrella of the World Green Building Council.

The Council offers annual membership packages for various segments including companies, non-governmental organizations, educational institutions, specialists and students. These packages cover benefits and responsibilities that include capacity-building programs, technical consulting to implement green building standards, marketing support to highlight members’ commitments, and opportunities for networking and knowledge exchange, with the aim of entrenching a culture of sustainable construction and supporting related initiatives and strategic plans.

KUWAIT: Commander of the European Union Naval Force (Aspidis), Rear Admiral Vasileios Gryparis, has described Kuwait as a vital trade partner, underscoring the importance of strengthening cooperation to safeguard international sea lanes, protect global trade and address related challenges. In an interview with Kuwait News Agency (KUNA) on Tuesday during his official visit to the country at the invitation of the Ministry of Defense, Gryparis said his meetings with Assistant Commander of the Naval Force Brig Gen Nasser Al-Mutairi focused on ways to deepen partnership with Kuwait and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states, given their shared commercial and security interests.

He stressed the need to expand information exchange and participation in joint efforts to secure sea lanes, noting that such cooperation would enhance Aspidis’ ability to protect maritime trade — a vital lifeline for both regional countries and Europe. Launched in February 2024, Aspidis operates in the Red Sea, Gulf of Aden, Arabian Sea and northwest Indian Ocean to secure international shipping lanes. Despite deploying only two naval vessels to cover a vast area, Gryparis said the force has successfully protected more than 1,200 ships.

He recalled the force’s intervention in preventing a potential environmental disaster involving an oil tanker carrying three times the capacity of the Exxon Valdez — whose 1989 spill off Alaska was one of the world’s worst ecological crises. The Red Sea operation, he noted, safeguarded desalination plants, fisheries and the livelihoods of coastal communities.

Gryparis warned that growing threats to maritime navigation risk undermining the rule of law, destabilizing global trade and weakening international order. He stressed that the success of Aspidis depends on bolstering cooperation with Kuwait and other GCC states. Since its launch, he added, the force has maintained regular engagement with GCC countries, recognizing their crucial role in ensuring freedom of navigation and protecting the global trade routes on which the world economy depends. — KUNA

KUWAIT: The embassies of El Salvador, Nicaragua and Honduras in Kuwait jointly celebrated the 204th anniversary of their independence at a special ceremony held on Sunday at the Sabah Al-Ahmad Theatre and Hall. The event brought together resident ambassadors and diplomats, representatives of international organizations and distinguished guests, and highlighted both the shared history of the three Central American nations and their steadily growing relations with Kuwait.

Kuwait’s Assistant Foreign Minister for the Americas Nawaf Abdullatif Sulaiman Al-Ahmed attended the event as guest of honor. In their remarks, the ambassadors reaffirmed their countries’ commitment to strengthening bilateral ties with Kuwait. The celebration provided an occasion not only to recall the enduring spirit of independence but also to underscore the expanding cooperation between Central America and Kuwait in diplomacy, development and cultural exchange.

Nicaraguan Ambassador Mohamed Farrara Lashtar described the day as “a cherished historical date that reminds us of the values of freedom, dignity and sovereignty”. Recalling the proclamation of independence on September 15, 1821, he said it represented “a historic moment that marked a new beginning, based on justice, equality and mutual respect among peoples, and guided by the sovereign will of our citizens.”

The ambassadors with Nawaf Abdullatif Al-Ahmed.

The Honduras pavilion at the venue.

Resident ambassadors and diplomats in Kuwait pose for a group photo.

Expressing gratitude to Kuwait’s leadership, government, and people, Lashtar noted, “The value of this national celebration is even greater by celebrating it in the sister land of the State of Kuwait. We deeply thank His Highness the Amir Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah and His Highness the Crown Prince Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah – may God protect them – for their constant efforts to strengthen the bonds of friendship and collaboration between Kuwait and Nicaragua, as well as with the nations of Central America and the world.”

He added that Kuwait’s leaders had set “an honorable example of diplomacy, wisdom, politics and openness to the world,” making Kuwait “a true beacon of humanitarian action and international support for the principles of peace and justice.”

Honduran Ambassador Francisco José Herrera Alvarado observed that Independence Day is not only a commemoration, but also “a day of reflection in which we show future generations its meaning, and above all, the importance of valuing what we have achieved and what we must set as a real goal for the future.”

Marking 204 years since independence, he stressed the importance of continuing to strengthen bonds with allies and friends across the global community. Herrera recalled that Honduras established diplomatic relations with Kuwait in 1972 and opened its mission in Kuwait in 2014. “We had already recognized Kuwaiti sovereignty in 1960, but our firm support came during 1990–1991, at the time when Kuwait faced its most critical moments. It was then that our support became the true reason why the friendship between our countries was consolidated,” he said. He added that Honduras looks forward to another presidential visit to Kuwait in 2026, following the one held 14 years ago.

Strategic initiatives

El Salvador’s Ambassador Juan Carlos Staben Boillat described it as “a great honor” to address the gathering on the 204th anniversary of his country’s independence. “Today, 204 years later, El Salvador is moving decisively forward on the road to development, driving strategic initiatives in areas such as economic modernization, technological innovation, infrastructure investment and the consolidation of security,” he noted.

Extending his country’s appreciation to Kuwait, Boillat remarked: “It is a nation that has consistently demonstrated solidarity and a strong vocation for dialogue. Our two countries are bound together by a relationship of friendship rooted in mutual respect and the shared desire to cooperate for the benefit of our peoples. I am certain that the relationship between El Salvador and Kuwait will continue to grow stronger, guided by the principles of respect, cooperation and solidarity that we both uphold.”