KUWAIT: His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Hamad Al-Sabah chairs the Cabinet’s meeting yesterday. — KUNA

KUWAIT: Minister of Social Affairs and Labor and Minister of State for Planning and Development Hind Al-Subaih yesterday briefed the Cabinet on a report issued by a committee tasked with remedying some flaws in the country's demographics. Subaih noted that progress has been made on the issue and work is underway to implement some suggestions made by the Cabinet to fix this issue.

Meanwhile, the Cabinet listened to an explanation by Subaih, in which she elaborated on the country's 2015/2016 development plan. Subaih explained that the plan aims to transform goals and ideologies into feasible development plans, revealing that a total of 55 projects have already come to fruition, while 204 of them have yet to be carried out.

Companies' sale

The Cabinet meanwhile lauded Kuwait Investment Authority's (KIA) response to a suggestion made by a National Assembly committee to halt the sale of companies in which more than half of their capital is state-owned. This occurred at the Cabinet's weekly meeting at Seif Palace, chaired by His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Hamad Al-Sabah. The Cabinet asserted that it stands by the KIA, saying that it has acted in a clear and transparent manner.

Moreover, as it relates to the development of economic reforms, the Cabinet reviewed a suggestion of merging government institutions and bodies. The Cabinet called on the private and public sectors to collaborate with one another to conduct a study on the prospect of merging certain government entities.

The Cabinet also discussed a suggestion made by an educational, cultural, social and health committee concerning a law that relates to public universities. The Cabinet has decided to okay the law and refer it to His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, who would then send it to the National Assembly.

Egyptian flight

The cabinet also offered heartfelt condolences to Egyptian President Abdul-Fattah Al-Sisi, government and people over the victims of the recent crash of the Egyptian flight. During the meeting, the cabinet voiced much sadness and sorrow over the crash of the EgyptAir plane over the Mediterranean Sea early on Thursday.

Egyptian and French civil aviation officials had confirmed that the EgyptAir flight MS804 with 69 passengers on board had crashed more than 200 kilometers off the Egyptian coast. The Egyptian flight flew from Paris to Cairo when it suddenly went off radar.

Letters

At the onset of the meeting, the Cabinet was briefed on a message received by His Highness the Amir from Ecuador's President Rafael Correa, inviting His Highness the Amir to participate in the UN Conference on Housing and Sustainable Urban Development due in Quito, the capital of Ecuador, next October. The ministers were also apprised of a message received by His Highness the Amir from Somalia's Prime Minister Omar Abdirashid Shamarke on bilateral relations and means of promoting them in all fields.

Moreover, the Cabinet reviewed the outcomes of Tajikistan President Imam Ali Rahman's visit to Kuwait and the talks held with His Highness the Amir that focused on cementing bilateral relations and means of enhancing them in all fields to serve interests of the two sides.

During the visit, Kuwait and Tajikistan signed about six memoranda of understanding and agreements on promoting cooperation in the fields of security, politics, agriculture, economy, education, scientific research and air transport.

Asian tour

Furthermore, the ministers listened to a presentation made by His Highness the Premier on results of his tour to a number of Asian countries, including Bangladesh, Vietnam, South Korea and Japan. His Highness the Prime Minister briefed the Cabinet on the outcomes of his fruitful talks with leaders and senior officials of these friendly countries on all aspects of distinguished relations between Kuwait and these countries.

His Highness the Premier noted that all talks met aspirations towards enhancing cooperation and supporting bonds of friendly relations between Kuwait and these countries so as to serve common interests, mainly the areas of economy, trade, investment, infrastructure, energy and technology. The cabinet lauded the positive results of this tour, expressing its confidence that it would to the promotion of relations.

Finally, the cabinet approved recommendations of the legal affairs committee's report on a draft decree ratifying an air transport agreement between Kuwaiti and Qatari governments, and sent it to His Highness the Amir. - KUNA