KUWAIT CITY, Aug 30: Kuwait’s northern border crossing with Iraq is safe and secure in the wake of a purported missile attack targeting a US military base there, the Cabinet said Monday, citing ongoing security cooperation with Iraq after the incident. Giving the Cabinet the intricacies of the incident, Kuwait’s Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister Sheikh Hamad Jaber Al-Sabah said there were no casualties reported after Katyusha rockets landed near its border with Iraq, emphasizing that the area is safe and secure. In this regard it was found out that this type of projectiles are used by parties outside the control of the state and official bodies in Iraq.

On a regional Baghdad-hosted conference where heads of state gathered to shore up support for Iraq, including Kuwait’s Prime Minister His Highness Sheikh Sabah Khaled Al-Hamad Al- Sabah, who told the Cabinet that the talks met their objective by getting participating countries on the same page.

On the sidelines of the talks, His Highness the Prime Minister had encounters; as representative of His Highness the Amir Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al- Sabah, with several world leaders, all of which focused on the need to support Iraq at this critical juncture and to push reconstruction efforts in the country. The Cabinet also listened to a presentation made by Minister of Health Sheikh Dr. Bassel Humoud Al-Sabah on the latest developments on the pandemic situation that has highly improved at the GCC level. In addition, he briefed the ministers on the positive indicators in Kuwait in terms of statistics and figures that show a decline in the number of deaths, infections and patients at hospitals, and an increase in the vaccination ratio.

The Cabinet expressed its assurance about these positive indicators and optimism towards achieving herd immunity and backing to normal life in Kuwait soon. It renewed its call to both citizens and expats for necessary abidance by health requirements to curb this pandemic and receive the anti-virus vaccine. Meanwhile, the Cabinet discussed the economic affairs committee’s recommendations on the 15th report of the Permanent Committee for Streamlining Business Environment and Enhancing Competitiveness that included relevant developments and measures, lauding the efforts made by the permanent committee in this regard. All ministers have been tasked with directing all bodies responsible for achieving components of ease of doing business and taking measures required to modernize periodically electronic websites and pages.

Moreover, the Cabinet reviewed the committee’s recommendations on the 10th report on business and achievements of the Capital Markets Authority for the 2020-2021 FY. It discussed the committee’s recommendations submitted by the Central Bank of Kuwait (CBK) on the indicator of the economic recovery from the coronavirus repercussions. It discussed the political affairs in light of the latest developments on the political arena at Arab and international levels. It commended the air defense of the Arab coalition that foiled the recent drone launched by the “terrorist” Houthis towards Saudi Arabia city of Khamis Mushait last Saturday. It expressed Kuwait’s condemnation and denunciation of continued Houthi attacks to target civilians and residential areas in the Kingdom.