Kuwait, Maldives boost trade ties
KUWAIT, May 13 (KUNA) -- Kuwait Chamber of Commerce and Industry affirmed on Tuesday that trade relations with the Maldives have significantly expanded, with Kuwaiti exports to the Maldives rising notably over the past ten years.
In a press statement marking the visit of the Maldivian delegation led by Foreign Minister Dr. Abdullah Khaleel and several businesspeople, the Chamber noted that the visit reflects growing ties based on friendship, mutual respect, and shared goals for economic and cultural cooperation.
The Chamber noted that the partnership benefits from each country's strengths, the Maldivian companies lead in tourism and marine industries, and Kuwaiti expertise in finance, logistics, healthcare, and energy, creating strong opportunities for mutual investments.
Dr. Khaleel outlined key investment opportunities in tourism, renewable energy, logistics, ports, housing, agriculture, and fisheries. (end) fnk.ahm
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Kuwait Times
3 hours ago
- Kuwait Times
Burgan Bank holds event in appreciation of its female workforce
KUWAIT: As part of its steadfast commitment to women's empowerment and promoting it as a societal value, Burgan Bank proudly organized an event for its female workforce under the umbrella of its flagship initiative, 'Empower Her.' This landmark event reaffirmed the bank's dedication to engaging and inspiring its female employees across all departments and career levels—recognizing their unwavering commitment and vital contributions to the bank's journey and success. This celebration is a key element of Burgan Bank's comprehensive human capital development strategy and aligns with its rigorous adherence to leading Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) standards. It also reinforces the bank's overarching goal of being an employer of choice in the Kuwaiti banking sector. The Empower Her initiative embodies Burgan Bank's mission to deliver an excellent customer experience, lead with innovation, contribute to the community, and create meaningful growth opportunities. By nurturing an inclusive and supportive work culture, the bank translates its fundamental institutional attributes—trust, commitment, excellence, and progression—into practice, ensuring that empowerment becomes a lived experience across all levels of the organization. This is further aligned with the bank's vision to be the most modern and progressive bank in Kuwait, driven by its employees, customers, and community. 'We are proud of our female colleagues who serve as essential pillars of Burgan Bank's achievements. This day is more than just a celebration; it is a heartfelt message of appreciation for every woman who has shaped our journey of progress,' commented Zahra Boarki, Senior Manager – Culture and Employee Engagement at Burgan Bank. 'The event was warmly received by our female employees, who expressed their joy and gratitude for this thoughtful gesture. It truly reflects our inclusive internal culture, which has earned us certification as a Great Place to Work. At Burgan Bank, we believe that empowering women is not a luxury, but a necessity critical to achieving balance and sustainability in the workplace.' Fatma Ahmad, Senior Manager – Learning and Development at Burgan Bank, added: 'Burgan Bank Women's Day aims to celebrate our female employees under the Empower Her initiative. This day forms part of a broader series of programs rolled out throughout the year to support and empower women, ensuring a flexible, enriching, and motivating work environment tailored to their aspirations and needs,' she said. 'The event featured engaging workshops and dialogue panels, where prominent female leaders shared their experiences and insights on professional growth, personal development, and mental wellness.' Held at Burgan Bank's headquarters, Burgan Bank Women's Day encompassed a diverse array of activities, including workshops, panel discussions, wellness experiences, and a dedicated showcase for female employees to promote their entrepreneurial businesses. The first panel discussion delved into 'Economic Empowerment of Kuwaiti Women,' featuring insights from distinguished speakers: Dr Alanoud Alsharekh, Director of Ibtkar Strategic Consultancy and Associate Fellow at Chatham House MENA Program and the Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington, and Danah Faisal Al-Jasem, General Manager – Corporate Communications at Burgan Bank. The second panel, titled 'You Are the Source of Your Strength: Mental Wellness and Overcoming Challenges,' featured: Dr Elham Hamdan, medical doctor and senior healthcare executive, and Bibi Al-Banai, Branch Manager at Burgan Bank. As part of the bank's holistic approach to women's empowerment, the day also featured a Lean-In Circle workshop led by Fatma Ahmad, titled: 'Facilitating Change: What Needs to Shift in Workplaces to Support Women?' The workshop invited women to reflect on key structural and cultural transformations required to foster inclusive workspaces. To address topics of pressing relevance to women's health, the event included informative sessions such as: 'Empower to Prevent: Cervical Cancer Awareness for Every Woman,' led by Dr Nourah Al-Ibrahim, MD, FRCSC, specialist in Obstetrics and Gynecology, Gynecologic Oncology, certified by the Canadian Board, and Assistant Professor and Gynecologic Oncologist at Kuwait University. Another session was titled 'Vitality at Every Stage: Enhancing Immunity and Easing Menopause Symptoms,' delivered by Dr Nada Al Ibrahim, specialist in Obstetrics and Gynecology, Urogynecology, and female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive surgery. The day concluded with personalized consultations offering expert support in wellness and health. Huda Al-Medlej, wellness life coach and founder of Vitarights GCC, offered individualized sessions focused on deep healing through biophotonic information medicine utilizing advanced German technologies. Rola Aranky, dietitian, diabetes educator, and certified personal trainer, provided guidance on achieving holistic physical wellbeing. It is worth noting that Burgan Bank, proudly certified as a Great Place to Work, remains a vocal and active advocate for women in leadership, paving the way not only within the bank but also across the financial industry and broader society. Previous initiatives under the 'Empower Her' umbrella include a summer internship program that welcomed 18 young women and a powerful seminar featuring female role models from various sectors in Kuwait—aimed at inspiring and equipping the next generation of leaders.
Arab Times
9 hours ago
- Arab Times
Economists call for the acceleration of the ‘Northern Economic Zone' project
KUWAIT CITY, June 14: A general policy titled, 'Building a Special International Economic Zone', is listed on the official website 'New Kuwait' – specifically under the section for public policies and supporting projects, and directly beneath it is a single associated project – 'Developing the Northern Economic Zone.' According to the website, the project is scheduled for completion in 2026, yet the reported implementation rate remains at zero percent. The website defines the project as 'the establishment of a zone governed by special laws and regulations designed to attract investment, supported by an independent institutional framework that ensures the attraction of high value-added global investments, fosters innovation, and guarantees transparency in the management of financial resources.' Progress to date has been limited to activating the agreement between the responsible agency and the People's Republic of China to prepare the master plan for the Silk Road Project, and proposing legislation and procedures aimed at creating a business-friendly economic zone. No substantial advancement has been recorded since then, until the Cabinet meeting held recently, in which the implementation of the project was reportedly tackled. The newspaper interviewed economists to assess the importance of the Northern Economic Zone and the feasibility of completing it by 2026 -- particularly given the recent momentum of reform in Kuwait. Experts emphasized that the launching of the project will be beneficial for the national economy in multiple dimensions, including job creation for newly graduated Kuwaiti youths. Its strategic location near Mubarak Port and the Iraqi-Iranian border was also highlighted as a factor that could significantly boost the long-term success of the zone, likening it to a modern economic free zone. Economists indicated that the government, under its current reform-focused approach, has demonstrated a genuine commitment to diversifying national income sources and addressing future budget deficits by pursuing ambitious development initiatives such as this one. Analyst and economic expert Sultan Al-Jazzaf believes that the Northern Economic Zone will serve the economy in several areas; specifically in terms of giving a significant role to the local private sector, as well as attracting foreign capital, reducing unemployment rates, and helping the State diversify sources of income, especially with expectations of a large deficit in the general budget of the country this year due to the price of a barrel of oil falling below the $68 projected in the budget. Al-Jazzaf pointed out that this is especially true given that the government estimated the price of a barrel of oil in the current budget at around $68, and considering that its price recently reached $64; this matter highlights the need to rely on sources of support for the economy and the budget other than oil. He praised all the efforts currently being exerted by the government to diversify sources of income, including the Northern Economic Zone project. He stated that the advantages of the zone include its proximity to Mubarak Port, as well as its proximity to the Iraqi and Iranian markets. He said this location will stimulate economic and trade activity with neighboring countries. He is hoping that this project will be implemented as soon as possible, especially since the government has proven, through its proposal, that it is thinking from an economic perspective. 'Economic zones, in general, create competitive clusters with the potential to achieve sustainable growth; as they offer many diverse options for good investment opportunities, in addition to their role in trade exchange through the presence of constant activity,' he added. Economic and real estate expert Qais Al-Ghanim confirmed that the idea of establishing the zone, recently announced by the government, has been delayed significantly. 'It should have been implemented in 2003, given its extreme importance to Mubarak Port; taking into consideration it will be a free zone, serving both Kuwait and Iraq, allowing Iraqis to enter the region without a visa -- similar to the region located between Syria and Jordan,' he elaborated. He pointed out that the zone will serve the Kuwaiti private sector; thereby, increasing sales for factories and commercial companies, indicating the zone will generate many jobs for young Kuwaiti graduates. Economic expert and former head of Kuwait Contracting Companies Union Dr. Salah Bouresli said the economic zone is a 100 percent sound idea, as it will enhance private sector activity by attracting a wide variety of investments, which will add new value to the State budget through fees. 'Furthermore, it is a major infrastructure project. Its role will not be limited to the economic aspect alone, as it will also create other social benefits, including employing young Kuwaitis and strengthening economic relations between Kuwait and its neighboring countries.' At the same time, he expressed hope that the government will expand green spaces in the zone to include entertainment and service cities, which will stimulate the contracting market, the engineering sector, and many other private sector projects. He believes this zone will lead to a tremendous boom for the Kuwaiti banking sector, which will finance small and large projects established in the zone. 'This is in addition to its importance for logistics and warehousing services, especially since this economic zone will enjoy attractive investment laws, considering it will attract more global investments, not just local ones. This is especially true given that global economic cities offer a variety of investments; provide integrated service, logistics and residential facilities; create a competitive business environment; increase government-private partnership projects; and offer major facilities that the government will provide to investors.
Arab Times
20 hours ago
- Arab Times
Find Out Which Airlines Are Still Flying After Israel-Iran Conflict
KUWAIT CITY / DUBAI / LONDON, June 14: Airlines across the world have scrambled to reroute or suspend services through the Middle East after Iran temporarily closed its airspace following a wave of missile strikes reportedly carried out by Israel on June 13. This marks a significant escalation in regional tensions, prompting global aviation authorities and airlines to take swift action. Air Arabia UAE-based Air Arabia suspended flights to at least 10 regional destinations, including Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Russia, Armenia, Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kyrgyzstan, and Kazakhstan. The decision came shortly after Iran closed its airspace to all civilian flights in response to Israeli airstrikes on key military targets. Kuwait Airways Kuwait Airways continues to operate but has suspended flights to Jordan. Kuwaiti civil aviation authorities have also confirmed coordination with international partners to monitor security developments. Jazeera Airways Jazeera Airways, the Kuwaiti low-cost airline, has suspended flights to Iran and is closely tracking developments. While services to high-risk destinations have been avoided, the airline is keeping alternate routing plans ready should further escalation occur. Airlines globally have responded with widespread cancellations, rerouting, or suspension of flights: El Al (Israel): Suspended all operations temporarily due to safety and airspace closures United, American, Deltat: Suspended Tel Aviv flights; rerouting European routes to avoid Middle East skies Lufthansa Group: Halted flights to Tel Aviv, Tehran, Beirut, Amman, and Erbil Air France–KLM & Transavia: Cancelled Tel Aviv and Beirut flights EasyJet, Ryanair, Vueling: Suspended all Tel Aviv operations, some affected through August 2025 Qatar Airways, Emirates, Etihadt: Rerouting flights; avoiding Iran and nearby regions Singapore Airlines, EVA Air, China Airlines: Rerouted long-haul routes to bypass Iran Air India, IndiGo: Delayed or diverted flights; avoiding Iranian airspace Turkish Airlines: Continuing flights with adjusted air corridors; heavy security protocols in place As of June 14, the following countries have closed or severely restricted their airspace to civilian traffic: Iran Israel Iraq Jordan Syria In addition, international regulators such as EASA, FAA, and ICAO have issued updated travel and airspace advisories, urging carriers to avoid overflying these regions due to elevated military activity and risk of misidentification. Impact on Passengers and Travel Plans - Longer travel times expected for Europe–Asia and Gulf–Levant routes. - Higher ticket prices may result from fuel surcharges and fewer available flights. - Flight cancellations and rebookings are ongoing—travelers are urged to check airline websites and airports regularly. Travel Advisory for Middle East Flights Passengers flying to or from the Middle East—especially through hubs like Dubai, Doha, Istanbul, and Kuwait—should: Confirm flight status regularly with airlines. Avoid non-essential travel to high-risk destinations, including Israel, Lebanon, Iran, Iraq, and Jordan.
