These days, we are living in a blessed atmosphere … national par excellence, whether the National Day and its great connotations or the anniversary of liberation; in addition to grand steps that must be completed through the elimination of the negatives left by the stage of national and social anxiety. However, what gives this year its splendor is the Sun of the political leadership that shines on Kuwait and its people, not to mention its accomplishments over the past year in terms of clear rules to establish the real meaning of reform and return the long awaited leadership, without any prejudice. Indeed, in the past six decades, Kuwait has experienced a mix of positive and negative events since its liberation. Unfortunately, the negative events have been more frequent until recently.
The current leadership recognizes the challenges inherited from previous decades and is committed to overcoming them with a clear vision; starting with the corruption that has spread in most institutions and whatever is left of the destruction of the meaning of modern management, until the burial of the national identity under the rubble of private interests. The political leadership had many accomplishments last year; including legislative amendments, modernizing laws and safeguarding national identity.
They exposed fraudulent activities, addressed institutional damage, and initiated reconstruction efforts. These efforts included the development of roads and revitalizing the vital Mubarak Port. Kuwait’s re-emergence in regional and international affairs, marked by its renewed presence in international forums, coincided with these accomplishments. This openness, a stark contrast to the previous era of exclusivity as if it were the Garden of Eden where access was granted solely at the discretion of certain officials who caused havoc in institutions, is a positive development that cannot be ignored. Such exclusivity shackled Kuwait, as it caused the expulsion of foreign investments and discouraged the spending of local capital to stimulate the national economy. This openness was first reflected in the 26th Gulf Cup tournament. The event confirmed that Kuwait has returned as an oasis for the Gulf and Arabs who see it as a land of peace, culture, arts and tolerance. Today, we are witnessing well-studied steps, not a partial reform.
These steps are based on the principle that man is the pillar of development and the maker of the future. Therefore, the interest in man is not just a formality or slogan; as it rather begins with encouraging talents, businesses and projects, so they become good seeds for further discovery of national gems. A notable accomplishment is the establishment of justice, particularly for those who were previously wronged due to the mistakes of official or as a result of falling victim to corrupt individuals. A committee was formed to review complaints about citizenship revocations, ensuring that their cases are examined fairly and humanely, as promised by the Amir of firmness and determination. For all of this to be achieved within one year, it means that daily follow up by the wise leadership establishes a lot of discipline in administrative behavior, which must be completely reformed. Kuwait is not weak, but it was under pressure from corrupt and influential people who believe in the theory that “the end justifies the means.”
This is the reason why we witnessed the bad. We have been waiting for the good for a long time, but it was delayed until the Sun of the current leadership shone. A historical saying comes to mind at this point – “The first way to evaluate the wisdom of the ruler is to look at the men surrounding him.” We are seeing this today in the elite chosen by His Highness the Amir to pursue the realization of his hopes -- the aspirations of the Kuwaiti people. This choice determines where Kuwait is heading to have a bright future, because it is based on a present where there are many great Amiri efforts and diligent follow up to achieve reforms quickly, but not hastily. Perhaps, the fruits will ripen next year and Kuwaitis will witness more ambitions that His Highness promised to achieve, such that the 2026 celebrations will mark the end of the six decades of unrealistic reform plans and symbolize the progress made towards a brighter future.
They exposed fraudulent activities, addressed institutional damage, and initiated reconstruction efforts. These efforts included the development of roads and revitalizing the vital Mubarak Port. Kuwait’s re-emergence in regional and international affairs, marked by its renewed presence in international forums, coincided with these accomplishments. This openness, a stark contrast to the previous era of exclusivity as if it were the Garden of Eden where access was granted solely at the discretion of certain officials who caused havoc in institutions, is a positive development that cannot be ignored. Such exclusivity shackled Kuwait, as it caused the expulsion of foreign investments and discouraged the spending of local capital to stimulate the national economy. This openness was first reflected in the 26th Gulf Cup tournament. The event confirmed that Kuwait has returned as an oasis for the Gulf and Arabs who see it as a land of peace, culture, arts and tolerance. Today, we are witnessing well-studied steps, not a partial reform.
These steps are based on the principle that man is the pillar of development and the maker of the future. Therefore, the interest in man is not just a formality or slogan; as it rather begins with encouraging talents, businesses and projects, so they become good seeds for further discovery of national gems. A notable accomplishment is the establishment of justice, particularly for those who were previously wronged due to the mistakes of official or as a result of falling victim to corrupt individuals. A committee was formed to review complaints about citizenship revocations, ensuring that their cases are examined fairly and humanely, as promised by the Amir of firmness and determination. For all of this to be achieved within one year, it means that daily follow up by the wise leadership establishes a lot of discipline in administrative behavior, which must be completely reformed. Kuwait is not weak, but it was under pressure from corrupt and influential people who believe in the theory that “the end justifies the means.”
This is the reason why we witnessed the bad. We have been waiting for the good for a long time, but it was delayed until the Sun of the current leadership shone. A historical saying comes to mind at this point – “The first way to evaluate the wisdom of the ruler is to look at the men surrounding him.” We are seeing this today in the elite chosen by His Highness the Amir to pursue the realization of his hopes -- the aspirations of the Kuwaiti people. This choice determines where Kuwait is heading to have a bright future, because it is based on a present where there are many great Amiri efforts and diligent follow up to achieve reforms quickly, but not hastily. Perhaps, the fruits will ripen next year and Kuwaitis will witness more ambitions that His Highness promised to achieve, such that the 2026 celebrations will mark the end of the six decades of unrealistic reform plans and symbolize the progress made towards a brighter future.
Ahmed Al-Jarallah
Editor-in-Chief, the Arab Times
