Kuwaitis Start Voting in National Assembly Elections

An aerial view shows little traffic on the roads of Kuwait City, Kuwait March 16, 2020. REUTERS/Stephanie McGehee
An aerial view shows little traffic on the roads of Kuwait City, Kuwait March 16, 2020. REUTERS/Stephanie McGehee
TT
20

Kuwaitis Start Voting in National Assembly Elections

An aerial view shows little traffic on the roads of Kuwait City, Kuwait March 16, 2020. REUTERS/Stephanie McGehee
An aerial view shows little traffic on the roads of Kuwait City, Kuwait March 16, 2020. REUTERS/Stephanie McGehee

Kuwaiti voters are casting their ballots on Tuesday to choose representatives for the National Assembly during its seventeenth legislative session.

The 2023 parliamentary elections are eagerly anticipated due to the potential to address the ongoing political crisis in Kuwait.

Over the past four years, Kuwait had established three consecutive legislative assemblies.

On Tuesday, a total of 793,646 eligible voters will choose 50 deputies out of 207 candidates, including 15 female candidates, in a voting process conducted under the single-vote electoral system.

Leading up to the electoral silence, candidates have made efforts to convey their messages to the public.

These messages varied from persuasive speeches aimed at convincing voters to strategic communications for building alliances within the National Assembly.

This year’s elections are witnessing the participation of two prominent figures.

First, former Speaker of the National Assembly, Ahmed Al-Sadoun (Third District), who is nearing the age of 90, was elected as the Speaker for the first time in 1985.

After the liberation of Kuwait and upon the return of the National Assembly, Al-Sadoun served as a member and Speaker in 1992 and 1996.

In 1999, the late businessman Jassim Al-Kharafi managed to defeat Al-Sadoun and held the position until 2012 when Al-Sadoun returned as the Speaker once again.

Al-Sadoun then declared that he would not run under the single-vote system. However, he did participate in the 2022 elections and achieved a record-breaking number of votes, surpassing 12,000.

He became the Speaker of the National Assembly until his position was invalidated by the Constitutional Court’s ruling.

The other prominent figure is Marzouq Al-Ghanim, who has served as the Speaker of the National Assembly since 2013.

He was re-elected as Speaker in 2020 and served until the dissolution of the National Assembly on December 15, 2020.

Over the course of four years, the National Assembly has been dissolved twice.

In 2022, the parliament was invalidated by a Constitutional Court ruling.

Kuwait has witnessed intense confrontations between the legislative and executive branches, resulting in the obstruction of legislation on economic reforms and contributing to a political deadlock.

Crown Prince Sheikh Mishal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah called for change after deciding to dissolve the National Assembly, stating that this dissolution was aimed at “rectifying the political scene and addressing the lack of consensus and conflicts.



Saudi Arabia Expands Digital Health System for Hajj Pilgrims

Muslims perform Tawaf in the Grand Mosque during the annual Hajj pilgrimage in the holy city of Makkah, Saudi Arabia, June 3, 2025. (SPA)
Muslims perform Tawaf in the Grand Mosque during the annual Hajj pilgrimage in the holy city of Makkah, Saudi Arabia, June 3, 2025. (SPA)
TT
20

Saudi Arabia Expands Digital Health System for Hajj Pilgrims

Muslims perform Tawaf in the Grand Mosque during the annual Hajj pilgrimage in the holy city of Makkah, Saudi Arabia, June 3, 2025. (SPA)
Muslims perform Tawaf in the Grand Mosque during the annual Hajj pilgrimage in the holy city of Makkah, Saudi Arabia, June 3, 2025. (SPA)

Saudi Arabia’s Health Ministry said it has stepped up efforts this year to expand digital health services as part of a broader strategy to harness advanced technology and ensure safe and efficient medical care for pilgrims during the Hajj.

The ministry said preparations included strengthening digital infrastructure and deploying smart solutions to improve timely access to healthcare, aiming to deliver a safe and healthy pilgrimage for all.

Speaking to Asharq Al-Awsat, Assistant Deputy Minister for Planning at the Ministry of Health, Eng. Yazeed Alotaibi highlighted a range of advanced digital solutions the ministry has developed, including the implementation of the “Electronic Health Record” system across all medical facilities in the holy sites.

The system allows for seamless, real-time connectivity between healthcare centers, speeding up diagnosis and patient transfers while enhancing medical response readiness in coordination with the command and control center.

Alotaibi added that services on the “Sehhaty” app have been upgraded to offer around-the-clock virtual medical consultations, alongside the 937 unified call center.

He said virtual clinics have also been activated in partnership with the virtual health hospital, enabling patients to receive specialized care remotely without the need to travel, easing pressure on field facilities and improving pilgrims’ access to medical services at any time.

AI integration

On the use of emerging technologies, Alotaibi said the Health Ministry has “extensively integrated artificial intelligence tools into its digital systems.”

These tools are being used to analyze medical conversations and convert them into digital records, while also suggesting accurate diagnoses, boosting the speed and quality of clinical decision-making.

AI is also employed to interpret medical images and identify critical cases that require urgent intervention.

Moreover, Saudi Arabia’s Health Ministry has rolled out a series of cutting-edge technologies to strengthen medical services for pilgrims during this year’s Hajj, including the use of drones, artificial intelligence, and cloud infrastructure.

Alotaibi said the ministry is deploying drone technology to deliver medicines and medical supplies swiftly to high-traffic areas, calling it “a fast and efficient solution” to meet urgent healthcare demands.

Cloud infrastructure has also been activated in health data centers to boost system efficiency and accelerate data sharing among relevant authorities, he added.

Digital health passport

Among other innovations, Alotaibi said the ministry has launched a “Digital Health Passport” in collaboration with Malaysia, Oman, and Indonesia. The initiative allows early access to pilgrims’ health status, allowing personalized care and streamlining medical procedures when needed.

On Monday, Health Minister Fahad Al-Jalajel inaugurated two key initiatives to support medical supply delivery using helicopters and drones.

These systems are designed to cut delivery times for medicines in high-density zones across the holy sites from 90 to just 6 minutes, enhancing emergency response capabilities.

Fahad Al-Buthi, CEO of supply chain and operations at NUPCO, a Saudi healthcare logistics company, told Asharq Al-Awsat that the drone program was launched in coordination with national authorities.

He said pilot tests showed the drone system could slash delivery time from 90 minutes to just six, a move expected to significantly improve access to critical supplies during peak Hajj periods.