Kuwait Govt Sets Date for First Session of New National Assembly

Kuwaitis cast their votes at a polling station to cast their votes, during the parliamentary elections Kuwait City, Kuwait, on 29 September 2022. (EPA)
Kuwaitis cast their votes at a polling station to cast their votes, during the parliamentary elections Kuwait City, Kuwait, on 29 September 2022. (EPA)
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Kuwait Govt Sets Date for First Session of New National Assembly

Kuwaitis cast their votes at a polling station to cast their votes, during the parliamentary elections Kuwait City, Kuwait, on 29 September 2022. (EPA)
Kuwaitis cast their votes at a polling station to cast their votes, during the parliamentary elections Kuwait City, Kuwait, on 29 September 2022. (EPA)

The Kuwaiti government held an extraordinary session on Saturday to set the date for the first meeting of the newly-elected National Assembly.

The parliament will meet for the first time on October 11.

The government then submitted its resignation following the announcement of this week’s elections results.

The results were announced on Friday, introducing a 54 percent change in the legislature.

Only 12 lawmakers were reelected to their posts in the 50-member legisalture.

Opposition lawmakers made gains, while pro-government MPs were dealt shocking defeats.

Deputies representing the Islamic Constitutional Movement - Hadas (Muslim Brotherhood) won seats. The victors included: Osama Issa Al-Shaheen (first constituency), Hamad Muhammad Al-Matar (second district), and Abdulaziz Al-Saqabi (third constituency).

The Salafist movement achieved a remarkable win with the return of MP Muhammad Hayef to the National Assembly after his loss in the previous elections. Adel Al-Damkhi, Fahd Al-Masoud and Hamad Al-Obeid also won seats.

The entire Bloc of Five, consisting of Hassan Gohar, Abdullah Al-Mudhaf, Badr Al-Mulla, Muhalhal Al-Mudhaf, and Muhannad Al-Sayer, also won with a high number of votes in their constituencies.

About nine Shiite deputies, distributed in various electoral districts and political blocs, won seats, including two independents, Osama Al-Zayd and Jenan Boushehri.

Former National Assembly Speaker Ahmed Al-Saadoun claimed a landslide victory, receiving more than 12,200 votes in the third constituency - the highest in the country.



Saudi Industry, Mineral Resources Minister Begins Official Visit to France

Saudi Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources Bandar Alkhorayef. (SPA file photo)
Saudi Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources Bandar Alkhorayef. (SPA file photo)
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Saudi Industry, Mineral Resources Minister Begins Official Visit to France

Saudi Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources Bandar Alkhorayef. (SPA file photo)
Saudi Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources Bandar Alkhorayef. (SPA file photo)

Saudi Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources Bandar Alkhorayef, leading a high-level delegation from the industry and mining sector, began an official three-day visit to France on Monday, with scheduled stops in Paris, Marseille, and Toulouse.

The visit aims to strengthen bilateral economic ties and foster cooperation between Saudi Arabia and France in the industrial and mining sectors, as well as explore joint investment opportunities in key strategic areas that the Kingdom is prioritizing for localization, particularly the aviation and food industries.

Alkhorayef will hold a series of bilateral meetings with French government officials and leaders of prominent global French companies in the mining, aircraft manufacturing, and food sectors. The meetings will include discussions with Minister of Economy, Finance, and Industrial and Digital Sovereignty Eric Lombard, as well as the CEOs of Airbus, Safran, Orano, Sidel, Lesaffre, and the Bel Group.

The agenda includes expanding joint cooperation in the industrial and mining sectors, attracting high-quality investments to the Kingdom, and building effective partnerships to leverage the promising opportunities offered by Saudi Arabia’s specialized industrial clusters. The Kingdom's incentives and capabilities available to investors will also be highlighted.

Alkhorayef's visit will feature tours of Airbus's aircraft manufacturing plants in Marseille and Toulouse, providing insights into their industrial facilities and production lines.

The visit is also expected to include the signing of memoranda of understanding with French companies to encourage joint investments, facilitate the exchange of expertise, and promote knowledge transfer in promising industrial sectors.

Saudi Arabia and France maintain strong economic relations, with Saudi non-oil exports to France exceeding SAR1.91 billion in 2024, primarily consisting of machinery and electrical appliances, organic chemical products, and aluminum and its derivatives. French non-oil imports reached SAR18.2 billion in the same year, with essential oils, electrical appliances, and pharmaceutical products among the most significant import sectors.

Alkhorayef's visit to France aligns with the objectives of the Kingdom's Vision 2030, which emphasizes developing international partnerships to boost the competitiveness of the Saudi industrial sector and transform the Kingdom into a leading global industrial power. This includes localizing advanced strategic industries such as aviation and food, attracting high-quality investments, and facilitating the transfer of knowledge, technology, and innovation in these areas.