Kuwait’s Minister of Finance Noura Al-Fassam in a group photo.

KUWAIT CITY, May 29: The Ministry of Finance said it won the third edition of the Sharjah Award for Public Finance (2024-2025) in recognition of its outstanding role in providing financial services. Representatives of 17 countries vied for the award, the Ministry noted in a press release on Wednesday. Minister of Finance Noura Al- Fassam stated that winning this award reflects the ministry’s efforts in improving the efficiency of financial performance and enhancing the quality of services provided. The ministry confirmed that it is continuing to develop financial services under directives from the Council of Ministers towards digitizing services. The statement added that Al-Fassam received the award on behalf of the ministry, which participated in the digital payment project for government services that enables government entities to purchase online, pay government fees, and meet various needs to fulfill their financial obligations. (KUNA)

Kuwait’s Finance Minister Noura Al-Fassam with Google Cloud’s Vice President of Customer Engineering for the Middle East, Africa and Europe Chris Lindsay in a group photo.

KUWAIT CITY, May 29: Kuwait’s Finance Minister Noura Al-Fassam held talks on Wednesday with Google Cloud’s Vice President of Customer Engineering for the Middle East, Africa and Europe Chris Lindsay, focusing on efforts to push forward a national digital drive. The digital transformation, including a transition into a cloud-based financial system that guarantees more “flexibility and transparency,” represents the focal point of economic reforms in Kuwait, according to a finance ministry statement.
Kuwait’s finance ministry will be among the first state bodies to make the transition into a digital system, which is a testament to its “commitment” to employ cutting-edge technology, such as Artificial Intelligence tools, in a bid to improve the quality of its services, the statement underlined. The talks come as part of the “strategic partnership” agreement between Kuwait and the US tech giant, which aims to develop advanced digital infrastructure across all state bodies, added the statement. It went on to espouse the merits of a full-fledged digital transformation, citing streamlined processes, data-driven decision-making and greater efficiency as chief among those benefits.(KUNA)

Minister of Finance, Eng. Noura Al-Fassam, and Undersecretary of the Ministry of Finance, Aseel Al-Munifi

KUWAIT CITY, May 29: Kuwait’s Ministry of Finance has been awarded the Sharjah Award for Public Finance 2024–2025 in the institutional category, recognizing it as a distinguished entity in delivering financial services. The award was granted among participants from 17 countries.

Minister of Finance and Minister of State for Economic Affairs and Investment, Noura Al-Fassam, stated in a press release on Wednesday that this recognition adds to the Ministry’s growing record in modernizing financial services. She emphasized that it reflects the ongoing collaboration across ministry departments to improve financial performance and enhance service quality.

Al-Fassam affirmed the Ministry’s commitment to further developing its financial services, in alignment with Cabinet directives aimed at digitizing services and achieving full digital transformation.

According to the statement, Undersecretary Aseel Al-Munifi accepted the award on behalf of the Ministry. The Ministry’s submission included its digital payment platform for government services—which supports local and credit card payments, the Stamp application, electronic wallets, Gulf cards, and Apple Pay— as well as a prepaid credit card project enabling government agencies to carry out online purchases, pay government fees, and manage financial obligations efficiently.

The Ministry noted that the award affirms its leading role in advancing financial legislation, modernizing government payment systems, and adapting to rapid changes in revenue collection and procurement. These developments are part of broader efforts to streamline documentation processes through digital platforms.

Held biennially, the Sharjah Award for Public Finance is organized under the patronage of Sheikh Sultan bin Mohammed bin Sultan Al Qasimi, Crown Prince and Deputy Ruler of Sharjah, and Chairman of the Executive Council. The award ceremony was presided over by Sheikh Mohammed bin Saud Al Qasimi, Chairman of the Sharjah Central Finance Department, and attended by ministers, undersecretaries, department heads, and representatives from the financial sector across the UAE and other Arab countries.