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Kuwaiti Government’s Disputes Referred to Public Prosecution

A general view of the Kuwait Palace of Justice (court house) in Kuwait City June 16, 2013. REUTERS/Stephanie McGehee
A general view of the Kuwait Palace of Justice (court house) in Kuwait City June 16, 2013. REUTERS/Stephanie McGehee
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Kuwaiti Government’s Disputes Referred to Public Prosecution

A general view of the Kuwait Palace of Justice (court house) in Kuwait City June 16, 2013. REUTERS/Stephanie McGehee
A general view of the Kuwait Palace of Justice (court house) in Kuwait City June 16, 2013. REUTERS/Stephanie McGehee

A dispute between members of the Kuwaiti government, who are also leading parts of the ruling family, came into the open Saturday after being referred to the Public Prosecution over the shortcoming of fighting corruption and the misappropriation of public money.

For the first time in Kuwait’s history, the defense and interior ministers clashed in public by issuing statements attacking each other.

On Saturday, reports said that the Sabah family is expected to meet to contain the dispute between resigned Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah, caretaker Defense Minister Sheikh Nasser Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah and caretaker Interior Minister Sheikh Khaled Al-Jarrah Al-Sabah.

In a statement posted on the army’s Twitter account, Defense Minister Sheikh Nasser said he discovered embezzlements of 240 million Kuwaiti dinars from the Kuwaiti army fund when Sheikh Khaled was the minister.
Interior Minister Sheikh Khaled Al-Jarrah was the defense minister between 2013 and 2016.

He became an interior minister after the appointment of Sheikh Nasser in late 2017 as a defense minister.

Sheikh Nasser said he had asked the prime minister to take action against the embezzlements.

The Defense Minister said the PM responded by setting an investigation committee to probe the allegations, however, this was not satisfactory to him and accordingly, he sent the issue to the public prosecution.

For his part, the Interior Minister lashed back at the accusations and denied that he committed any financial violation regarding the fund.

Sheikh Khaled said he was ready to stand trial in the Kuwaiti judiciary to prove his innocence for both, the political leadership and the Kuwaiti people.

On Thursday, Kuwait’s Cabinet has resigned after Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber Al Mubarak has tendered the government’s resignation to the country’s Emir Sheikh Sabah Al Ahmad. 


“The resignation of the Cabinet was not to give time to allow reshuffling the Cabinet but to avoid answering questions over the graft in the army fund,” Sheikh Nasser said, commenting on the issue.

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UAE Delegation Meets French Officials to Strengthen Cooperation

Photo by WAM
Photo by WAM
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UAE Delegation Meets French Officials to Strengthen Cooperation

Photo by WAM
Photo by WAM

A high-level delegation from the United Arab Emirates, led by the General Secretariat of the National Anti-Money Laundering and Combating the Financing of Terrorism and Illegal Organizations Committee (NAMLCFTC), visited Paris to discuss ways to enhance cooperation between the UAE and France in combating financial and organised crimes and strengthening international economic security, state news agency WAM reported.

The mission aimed to present the UAE’s National Strategy 2024–2027 in combating financial crimes, reflecting the UAE’s proactive efforts to strengthen international partnerships and exchange expertise in this field. The visit highlights the UAE’s commitment to activating effective communication channels to reduce financial crimes in alignment with its strategic goals and global AML/CFT standards.

Hamid Saif AlZaabi, Secretary-General of the General Secretariat and Vice Chairman of NAMLCFTC, emphasized the importance of enhancing international cooperation in tackling financial crime, stating, “France is one of the UAE’s largest trade partners, and likewise, the UAE is France’s primary trade partner in the region. This necessitates strengthening our partnership to address illicit global financial flows. This visit is part of our commitment to and belief in the importance of fostering international cooperation and exchanging expertise.

"Discussions focused on enhancing partnerships across various areas and with several partners, including the Ministries of Treasury, Justice, and Interior, the Financial Intelligence Unit, and others. We look forward to continuing our work with French partners, especially on priority issues such as global organised crime, combating drug trafficking, and mitigating shared risks between our countries.”

According to WAM, Fahad Saeed Al Raqbani, UAE Ambassador to the French Republic, commended the close bilateral relations between the UAE and the French Republic, saying: “This visit marks a significant milestone to enhance the strategic and enduring partnership between the UAE and France, rooted in close cooperation and our shared commitment to global economic security and the fight against international financial crime. Through strengthened collaboration and the exchange of expertise, we aim to advance international efforts to confront financial security challenges.”

He added: “The delegation, led by the General Secretariat of the National Anti-Money Laundering and Combatting Financing of Terrorism and Financing of Illegal Organizations, discussed the comprehensive approach adopted by the UAE in addressing financial crimes. Furthermore, the delegation participated in technical discussions on key priority issues with our French partners. We look forward to further deepening sustainable cooperation between the UAE and France, to reinforce regional and global frameworks to combat illicit financial activities.”