KUWAIT: The Doing
Business Team at the World Bank Group (WBG) announced on its website that
Kuwait for the first time joined the group of top 20 improvers in the Ease of
Doing Business Index 2020 out of 190 economies included in the Doing Business
report to be published officially by the end of October. This global index
covers 10 key components that represent various dimensions of business
regulatory environment for domestic enterprises.

This initial
announcement ahead of the release of the report showed that Kuwait has enhanced
business reforms in accordance with its 2035 national vision and goals. The
announced improvement reflected reforms in six components covering: Starting a
business, getting electricity, registering property, getting credit, protecting
minority investors and trading across borders.

In this context,
Kuwait Direct Investment Promotion Authority (KDIPA) announced, as head of the
Permanent Committee for Streamlining Business Environment And Enhancing
Competitiveness in the State of Kuwait (PCK), that the underlying significance
of improving Kuwait's position in the Ease of Doing Business Index 2020 is that
it directly and indirectly contributes to making Kuwait's investment climate
more attractive and supports the attainment of the national vision 2035 and its
developmental goals, which will eventually boost the expansion of the economic
cycle, availing the creation of more real job opportunities for the local
workforce.

This improvement
capped the dedicated efforts exerted by the PCK since it was established by a
Council of Ministers' decision at the end of 2013, headed by KDIPA, with
membership extended to include 11 competent government authorities, in addition
to representatives of the private sector and the civil society organizations.
The PCK was initiated with full support by HH the Prime Minister to serve as an
active platform for coordinating national efforts, documenting reforms, raising
awareness on reforms undertaken and following up their progress, as well as
placing improving business environment and national competitiveness at the top
priority of the government work program.

On this occasion,
the PCK conveys the utmost appreciation and esteemed gratitude to HH the Amir
Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah and to HH the Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad
Al-Jaber Al-Sabah for the leadership's foresight and calls to mobilize national
efforts to attain this improvement, that will support fostering Kuwait competitiveness
in international indices, enabling it to assume its role as a leading financial
and commercial center, augmented by the leadership's ongoing focus on this
issue, in a way that motivated all relevant parties to endorse, with competence
and efficiency, their mandated responsibilities to realize this strategic goal.

HH the Amir
Sheikh Sabah yesterday sent a cable of congratulations to HH the Prime Minister
Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah. In the cable, the Amir expressed his sincere
congratulations on the classification of Kuwait among the list of the 20 most
improved countries in the ease of doing business index issued by the World Bank
Group, noting that this rating is a worthy government achievement on developing
the structure of the local economy for external investment.

HH the Amir
affirmed efforts exerted in this regard over the past years and the progress
achieved by Kuwait in this international indicator are a model to be followed
by all government bodies and a motive for further giving to serve the dear
nation and the citizens. Hh the Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf sent a similar cable
to HH the Prime Minister.

Kuwait's
inclusion is due to proper and relentless reforms carried out by the
government, said a minister Friday. In a press release, Deputy Prime Minister
and Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs Anas Al-Saleh said the policies -
adopted by HH the Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber - and the specialized reform
committee formed on Dec 18, 2013 had led to the current achievement and World
Bank acknowledgment. Saleh thanked all governmental authorities and entities
who work very hard to improve Kuwait's business and economic status, which
earned international recognition, hoping for further efforts to introduce more
reforms.

The ministry of
commerce and industry underlined its eagerness to improve its various services
in efforts to push the state forward on international indices. A statement
issued by the ministry yesterday attributed the accomplishment to various
factors, chief among them a ministry initiative to introduce e-services as well
as efforts to protect the rights of investments, added the statement. With
business procedures now much more simplified in Kuwait, the state will be
better able to lure foreign investment, pushing it closer towards its goal of
becoming a global economic hub, it said. - KUNA