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Kuwait to Hold Elections Without the Commission

A Kuwaiti woman casts her vote in previous elections for the National Assembly (KUNA)
A Kuwaiti woman casts her vote in previous elections for the National Assembly (KUNA)
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Kuwait to Hold Elections Without the Commission

A Kuwaiti woman casts her vote in previous elections for the National Assembly (KUNA)
A Kuwaiti woman casts her vote in previous elections for the National Assembly (KUNA)

Kuwait issued a decree on Wednesday temporarily suspending the National Assembly’s election law until Oct. 1.

The government has not set a date for the elections, but they are expected to be held on April 13, immediately after the Eid al-Fitr holiday.

The decree published in the Official Gazette (Kuwait al-Youm) regarding the 2024 National Assembly elections stipulated that a voter who has been convicted by final judgment of a felony, a crime against honor or trust, or a crime of insulting the divine entity, the prophets, or the Emir, shall be prohibited from voting unless rehabilitated.

The memorandum explained that the decree is aligned with the procedural rules of previous National Assembly elections and maintains all the guarantees and gains approved by the temporarily suspended law, including determining the electoral domicile according to the official data specified in the national ID to avoid tampering with the electoral restrictions.

Regarding the suspension of the Elections Commission Law, the memorandum explained that it was impossible to appoint judges to lead the commission within a short time as required by the suspended law.

Judges who join the commission will be required to resign from their work in the judiciary and lose the benefits of their position under the law and the letter sent by the head of the Court of Cassation and the President of the Supreme Council of Judges to the Minister of Justice.

Kuwaiti constitutional expert Mohammed al-Faili explained that the decree addresses the impossibility of implementing the electoral law because judges refuse to be appointed to the administrative body to monitor the electoral process.

Faili further noted that given that the law could not be implemented, and according to the Constitution, elections must be held within two months, and the decree was necessary legislation in the absence of parliament, which could be inferred as a law.

He noted that after suspending the mechanism stipulated for establishing the Elections Commission, the remaining provisions were restored, and the former election management mechanism was used, where the Ministry of Interior is responsible for updating voter lists with an urgent mechanism.

Faili clarified that this decree adopted the text of the postponed Commission law but kept its old provisions in effect, and in this regard, whoever obtained rehabilitation will benefit from it.

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Gulf

Saudi-Omani Coordination Meeting Consolidates Joint Cooperation

Saudi Minister and his Omani counterpart co-chaired the third meeting of the Saudi-Omani Coordination Council. (SPA)
Saudi Minister and his Omani counterpart co-chaired the third meeting of the Saudi-Omani Coordination Council. (SPA)
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Saudi-Omani Coordination Meeting Consolidates Joint Cooperation

Saudi Minister and his Omani counterpart co-chaired the third meeting of the Saudi-Omani Coordination Council. (SPA)
Saudi Minister and his Omani counterpart co-chaired the third meeting of the Saudi-Omani Coordination Council. (SPA)

Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs, Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah, met on Monday in Muscat with Minister of Foreign Affairs of Oman, Sayyid Badr bin Hamad bin Hamoud Al Busaidi, where they reviewed the fraternal relations between the two countries and ways to develop them across various fields.

The two sides also discussed regional and international developments, and the efforts addressed in this regard.

Following their meeting, the Saudi Minister and his Omani counterpart co-chaired the third meeting of the Saudi-Omani Coordination Council with the participation of the heads of the Council’s subsidiary committees and the two heads of the Council’s General Secretariat teams.

The meeting of the Coordination Council comes as an affirmation of the keenness of the Saudi and Omani leaderships to strengthen fraternal ties and advance them toward broader horizons that achieve greater prosperity for the two countries and peoples.

In his remarks during the meeting, Prince Faisal affirmed that the meeting builds on the second meeting of the Saudi-Omani Coordination Council, which was held in AlUla on 12 December 2024, and on its positive and fruitful outcomes within the framework of the approved recommendations and initiatives.

Prince Faisal stressed the importance of continuing the work of the Council’s subsidiary committees to complete the necessary procedures to implement the remaining initiatives, and of the General Secretariat’s role in follow-up and in addressing any challenges that may hinder implementation.

The Saudi minister underscored the importance of developing and enhancing trade relations, stimulating investment, and strengthening cooperation between the public and private sectors. He commended the signing of the minutes facilitating mutual recognition of rules of origin between the two countries and the acceptance of certificates of origin issued by the competent authorities, as well as the launch of the second phase of industrial integration initiatives between the two countries.

This, Prince Faisal highlighted, reflects the strength of economic ties and underscores the commitment to enhancing economic and trade cooperation in a manner that serves the interests of both countries and peoples.

He also praised the ongoing work to establish and launch the Coordination Council’s electronic platform, which aims to connect all committee work and initiatives to facilitate follow-up on the Council’s progress. The Foreign Minister further welcomed the progress achieved between the two countries in the fields of economy, trade, industry, energy, investment, and other vital sectors, and efforts to expand cooperation opportunities in ways that yield positive outcomes and benefits for the two peoples.

For his part, the Omani Minister of Foreign Affairs affirmed in his remarks the qualitative progress in relations between the two countries and the notable development witnessed across numerous sectors toward achieving economic integration and enhancing intra-trade and joint investments.

He also highlighted deeper cooperation in security and judicial fields, as well as cultural and tourism sectors, noting the advanced and continuous political cooperation, consultation, and coordination on regional and international issues—reflecting the shared commitment to aligning visions and objectives between the two countries.

The Omani foreign minister expressed his aspiration to continue advancing joint cooperation and achieving integration across all fields that bring further benefits to the two peoples, emphasizing the activation of agreed initiatives and the implementation of joint programs and projects in a manner that fulfills the aspirations of the leaderships and peoples of both countries.

At the conclusion of the meeting, the two sides signed the minutes of the third meeting of the Saudi-Omani Coordination Council.

The meeting was attended by Assistant Minister of Interior Dr. Hisham Al-Falih; Deputy Minister for Political Affairs Ambassador Dr. Saud Al-Sati; Saudi Arabia's Ambassador to Oman Ibrahim bin Bishan; Assistant Minister of Investment Dr. Abdullah Al-Dubaikhi; Deputy Minister for International Economic Affairs at the Ministry of Economy and Planning Rakan Tarabzoni; Head of the Secretariat's working group by from the Saudi side Engineer Fahd Al-Harthi; and Director General of International Cooperation at the Ministry of Culture Abdullah Al-Raddadi; and Advisor to the Director of the Strategic Management Office Eng. Abdulrahman Maghrabi.

Gulf

Arab League Condemns Israeli Decision to Establish New Settlements in West Bank

A general view shows the opening session of the meeting of Arab foreign ministers at the Arab League Headquarters (Reuters)
A general view shows the opening session of the meeting of Arab foreign ministers at the Arab League Headquarters (Reuters)
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Arab League Condemns Israeli Decision to Establish New Settlements in West Bank

A general view shows the opening session of the meeting of Arab foreign ministers at the Arab League Headquarters (Reuters)
A general view shows the opening session of the meeting of Arab foreign ministers at the Arab League Headquarters (Reuters)

Secretary-General of the League of Arab States Ahmed Aboul Gheit condemned the decision by the Israeli occupation’s ministerial committee to approve the establishment of 19 new settlements in the occupied West Bank, considering it a blatant challenge to the international will rejecting settlement activity and a violation of international law, which affirms the illegitimacy of settlements.

In a statement issued Monday, the secretary-general said the continued expansion of illegal settlement activity aims to prevent the establishment of a geographically contiguous Palestinian state and reflects the nature of the Israeli government, which he said is controlled by extremists and settlers, SPA reported.

Aboul Gheit stressed that settlement expansion will not make it legitimate under any circumstances.

 

He highlighted that the violence practiced by extremist settlers against Palestinians in the West Bank constitutes a form of terrorism carried out under the watch and with the protection of the official institutions of the occupying power.

Gulf

Saudi FM Arrives in Muscat for Meeting of Saudi-Omani Coordination Council 

Omani FM Sayyid Badr bin Hamad bin Hamood Albusaidi welcomes his Saudi counterpart Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah upon his arrival in Muscat. (SPA)
Omani FM Sayyid Badr bin Hamad bin Hamood Albusaidi welcomes his Saudi counterpart Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah upon his arrival in Muscat. (SPA)
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Saudi FM Arrives in Muscat for Meeting of Saudi-Omani Coordination Council 

Omani FM Sayyid Badr bin Hamad bin Hamood Albusaidi welcomes his Saudi counterpart Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah upon his arrival in Muscat. (SPA)
Omani FM Sayyid Badr bin Hamad bin Hamood Albusaidi welcomes his Saudi counterpart Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah upon his arrival in Muscat. (SPA)

Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah arrived in Muscat on Monday.

He was received by his Omani counterpart Sayyid Badr bin Hamad bin Hamood Albusaidi upon his arrival at Muscat International Airport.

The two sides are scheduled to hold the third meeting of the Saudi-Omani Coordination Council.