KUWAIT: A joint force from the Kuwait Armed Forces 25th Commando Brigade and the Ministry of Interior’s Special Forces departed Abdullah Al-Mubarak Air Base this morning to participate in the 14th edition of the Annual Warrior Competition, held at the King Abdullah II Special Operations Training Center in Jordan. In a statement, the Kuwait Armed Forces General Staff described the competition as one of the most prominent military contests, featuring elite special forces from friendly and allied countries competing in field challenges designed to simulate real combat scenarios. The event aims to enhance the operational efficiency of special units and foster the exchange of expertise in counterterrorism and special operations. — KUNA

KUWAIT: Kuwait’s Prime Minister His Highness Sheikh Ahmad Al-Abdullah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah chaired a ministerial committee meeting on Thursday to review the implementation of bilateral agreements and memoranda of understanding (MOUs) signed with China—part of a broader government push to advance the country’s development agenda. Held at Bayan Palace, the meeting marked the 14th session of the committee tasked with tracking progress on joint Kuwait–China initiatives. The session focused on key projects ranging from the Mubarak Al-Kabeer Port and electrical grid upgrades to renewable energy expansion, housing development, and environmental infrastructure such as wastewater treatment and green recycling systems.

Discussions also addressed cooperation in free zones and economic areas. The high-level review comes just days after another strategic meeting chaired by the Prime Minister focused on reviving Kuwait’s Northern Economic Zone, of which Silk City (Madinat Al-Hareer) is a flagship component. Originally envisioned in the 1980s and later reimagined in alignment with China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), the Northern Economic Zone has faced multiple delays but is now receiving renewed attention as part of Kuwait Vision 2035.

During Wednesday’s meeting, Ambassador Sameeh Johar Hayat, Assistant Foreign Minister for Asian Affairs and committee rapporteur, provided a detailed briefing on Kuwait–China coordination, including consultations with Beijing and the Chinese Embassy in Kuwait to accelerate implementation. The Prime Minister instructed committee members to remove obstacles, expedite coordination with their Chinese counterparts, and facilitate technical visits to ensure timely project delivery.

The session also explored expanding strategic cooperation and investment opportunities. Kuwait has had partnerships with major Chinese firms such as Huawei and China Communications Construction Company Limited (CCCC.) These relationships were cemented through multiple MOUs signed in recent years, which now form the backbone of Kuwait’s economic alignment with China under the Vision 2035 roadmap. Wednesday’s meeting included participation from senior ministers and officials across foreign affairs, housing, public works, energy, investment, and legal advisory bodies—signaling a whole-of-government approach to ensuring the China-linked projects contribute meaningfully to Kuwait’s economic transformation.

The meeting was attended by Abdulaziz Dakhil Al-Dakhil, Chief of the Prime Minister’s Diwan; Abdullah Al-Yahya, Minister of Foreign Affairs; Dr Noura Al-Mashaan, Minister of Public Works; Abdullatif Al-Mishari, Minister of State for Municipal Affairs and Minister of State for Housing Affairs; Noura Al-Fassam, Minister of Finance and Minister of State for Economic and Investment Affairs; Dr Subaih Al-Mukhaizeem, Minister of Electricity, Water and Renewable Energy; Sheikh Dr Meshaal Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, Director General of the Kuwait Direct Investment Promotion Authority (KDIPA); Salah Atiq Al-Majed, Head of the Fatwa and Legislation Department; and Ambassador Sameeh Johar Hayat, Assistant Foreign Minister for Asian Affairs and committee rapporteur. — Agencies

KUWAIT: Kuwait’s Ministry of Education announced Wednesday a “notable decrease” in the number of students barred from taking their high school exams on the first day of the 2024–2025 academic year, compared to the same period last year. In a press statement, the ministry said that 56 cases of exam bans were recorded today, down from 90 last year—a 37.8 percent reduction. The decline reflects a “higher level of awareness among students” and the success of preventive and regulatory measures implemented across exam centers.

In the science stream, the number of students banned from the mathematics exam dropped by 54.4 percent, from 57 cases last year to just 26 this year. In the arts stream, 30 students were banned from taking the French exam, down slightly from 33 cases—a 9.1 percent decrease. The ministry attributed this “positive trend” to the efforts of educational and administrative teams in establishing disciplined testing environments, as well as awareness campaigns targeting students and teachers that emphasized the importance of adhering to exam regulations and avoiding misconduct that could result in disqualification.

School administrations played a pivotal role by strictly enforcing organizational and monitoring procedures, the ministry added, ensuring a calm and secure atmosphere during exams. The ministry hailed the improvement as a positive sign of growing student awareness and a boost to the education community’s confidence in the effectiveness of current education policies. It also reiterated its commitment to strengthening partnerships with parents and teachers, fostering a values-based learning environment, and promoting constructive competition and compliance. The statement concluded by calling the drop in violations a promising start to the exam period and underscored that combining awareness and enforcement is key to maintaining discipline and ensuring fairness for all students.