KUWAIT: The Cabinet held its weekly session at Seif Palace on Monday under chairmanship of His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah. Following the session, Foreign Minister and Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs Sheikh Dr Ahmad Nasser Al-Mohammad Al-Sabah stated that the ministers kicked off the session, examining a common message from Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, Jose Barroso, Chairperson of the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization (GAVI) and Dr Seth Berkley, GAVI'S Chief Executive Officer (CEO).

The joint message invites His Highness the Amir Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah to the virtual GAVI Global Vaccine Summit due on June 2, 2021 -- themed "One World Protected." It will be co-hosted by Japan and GAVI. The forthcoming summit, among various objectives, is designed to address the issue of inequality in distribution of vaccines against the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) to nations of the globe.

The ministers were informed that His Highness the Amir designated the foreign minister to participate in the summit on his behalf. They were also informed about the visit to Saudi Arabia by His Highness the Crown Prince Sheikh Mishal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, which started yesterday. They took note that His Highness the Crown Prince delegation would include Oil Minister, Minister of Higher Education, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Interior Minister, Advisor at the Crown Prince Diwan Dhari Abdullah Al-Othman and senior officials.

Then, Minister of Health Sheikh Dr Basel Humoud Al-Sabah addressed the executives about the latest status of the pandemic around the world as well as at the local level, shedding light on casualties and his department's vaccination efforts. The Cabinet renewed appreciation for the teams partaking in the fight against the virus, namely personnel of the health sector and the ministry of interior.

The ministers examined minutes of the latest meeting of the supreme cyber security committee, approved a recommendation to establish "the national cyber security center," and tasked the foreign minister to coordinate with the relevant departments to prepare the required draft decree in this respect.

The ministers turned to an interpellation motion from the MPs Thamer Al-Dhafiri, Khaled Al-Otaibi and Abdulkarim Al-Kandari. The motion is addressed to the interior minister. It will be included in the agenda of the next parliamentary session. The ministers have re-affirmed that the inquiry is a constitutional right for all members of the parliament and renewed confidence in the interior minister.

Moreover, the government expressed anew condemnation of the attacks targeting Saudi Arabia by the Houthi militia-latest of which was the attack on the city of Khamis Mshait and deployment of booby-trapped boats in the Red Sea threatening navigation and global trade as well as energy supplies.

Continuation of such terrorist attacks constitute a threat to security and stability of the kingdom and blatant challenge to international laws and conventions, the ministers stressed, reaffirming that the State of Kuwait would continue to stand alongside the kingdom and support any measure to safeguard its security and stability

Moreover, the Cabinet condemned the fatal attack on a bus boarding teachers in the Afghan capital Kabul on Saturday. Such criminal attacks contradict various humanitarian tenets, humane values and heavenly laws, the Cabinet statement stressed. The ministers re-affirmed the State of Kuwait unwavering stance against terrorism and all forms of violence regardless of motives and causes.

Furthermore, the Kuwaiti Cabinet condemned shooting spree incidents that happened in several cities and towns in the United States of America where a number of people were killed and many were wounded. The Cabinet expressed deep condolences to the friendly US, namely president and people as well as families of the victims, affirming rejection of such criminal acts that target the innocent. - KUNA