KUWAIT CITY, Nov 13: The Supreme Committee of the Public-Private Partnership Projects Authority has decided to cancel the Kuwait Metro project, which is part of the Rapid Transport Systems Project. This decision, made in lieu of the Authority’s Board of Directors, was based on the project's significant administrative and financial burdens on public funds, amounting to 2.152 million dinars, as reported by the Audit Bureau.

Emphasizing the extensive series of procedures and meetings spanning nearly a decade for the project's implementation, the Bureau highlighted the prolonged period taken for its study and presentation. The Partnership Authority clarified that the decision to cancel the project was based on recommendations from various committees tasked with scrutinizing the outcomes of feasibility studies. These studies led to the project and prepared reports being returned to the public authority for updates and a reconsideration of the offering system. Since there have been no developments related to the project since 2017, the decision to cancel was implemented

The Partnership Authority clarified that the expenses incurred were a result of consulting contracts adhering to legal requirements and were tied to completed work, thus deeming the expenditures beneficial. The "Diwan" affirmed its observation, noting that the Authority's report conflicts with the jurisdiction of the Supreme Committee, which has the sole authority to approve public entity requests for partnership projects and their studies. According to Clause No. (703) of Article (3) in Law No. (116) of 2014 regarding partnerships between the public and private sectors, failure to communicate developments to the Authority regarding the project does not serve as justification for its cancellation. The public entity must be informed to stay abreast of the latest developments