LOC19:15
16:15 GMT
His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Ahmad Abdullah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah chairs weekly Cabinet meeting at Bayan Palace.
KUWAIT, Dec 30 (KUNA) -- The Council of Ministers held its weekly meeting on Tuesday at Bayan Palace, chaired by His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Ahmad Abdullah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah.
Following the meeting, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs Shereeda Al-Mousherji stated the following:
The Cabinet, at the outset of its session, reviewed messages received from the Amiri Diwan addressed to His Highness the Amir Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah.
He explained that the messages were sent by leaders of several countries and addressed ways to enhance bilateral relations and activate avenues of joint cooperation between Kuwait and those countries across various political, economic, and developmental fields.
On another matter, the Cabinet reviewed a visual presentation submitted by Minister of Health Dr. Ahmad Al-Awadhi regarding the Addiction Rehabilitation Center project in the Al-Sulaibiya area, implemented pursuant to Law No. 59 of 2025 concerning combating narcotics and psychotropic substances and regulating their use and trafficking.
The Minister explained that the project constitutes an integrated addiction treatment center providing comprehensive medical and rehabilitation services in accordance with the highest professional standards, targeting individuals subject to judicial rulings and addiction complaints to enable completion of treatment without compromising planned duration.
He affirmed that the project represents a pioneering national model reflecting integration between government action and community support, embodying the pivotal role of the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Interior, in cooperation with Zakat House, in treating and rehabilitating addiction patients.
In another development, the Cabinet listened to an explanation by Minister of Social Affairs, Family and Childhood Affairs and Chairperson of the Public Authority for the Affairs of Persons with Disabilities Dr. Amthal Al-Huwaila concerning Ministerial Decision No. 696 of 2024.
She explained that the decision amended provisions of Ministerial Decision No. 206 of 2009 regulating construction works and its attached schedules, relating to the issuance of the Kuwait Accessibility Code for Persons with Disabilities based on universal design principles adopted by the authority.
She clarified that the code applies to all buildings and facilities according to each building's designated use and functional nature, and includes fundamental updates to construction, design, and implementation requirements to meet public safety, sustainability, and comprehensive accessibility standards.
She stressed that the decision enhances social inclusion for people with disabilities and aligns with relevant international conventions, foremost among them the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, as well as the State's orientation toward sustainable urban development and inclusive quality of life.
The Cabinet decided to task all ministries, government agencies, public authorities, and institutions with full compliance in applying the Building Code and the Kuwait Accessibility Code for Persons with Disabilities as mandatory references for all current and future state projects.
The Cabinet also obligated all entities to circulate the aforementioned ministerial decision and all related codes, requirements, and attached schedules, and to upload them on their official electronic websites to ensure full implementation without exception.
On another front, the Cabinet reviewed the minutes of the Ministerial Committee for Legal Affairs, which included several items, most notably a draft decree-law approving accession to the Second Protocol to the 1954 Hague Convention on protecting cultural property during armed conflict.
The draft decree-law comes in implementation of Kuwait's policy to strengthen international humanitarian law enforcement, align national legislation with international requirements, integrate protection rules domestically, and enhance institutional frameworks supporting prevention and legal accountability.
Accession to the protocol gains particular importance as it provides an advanced legal framework to protect cultural property during armed conflicts, establishes enhanced protection for designated cultural assets, restricts targeting of cultural and religious sites, and affirms heritage as humanity's shared legacy.
The Council of Ministers approved the draft decree-law on accession to the Second Protocol to the 1954 Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict and decided to submit it to His Highness the Amir.
The Cabinet also approved the minutes of the Supreme Committee for the Investigation of Kuwaiti Nationality, which included cases of loss and withdrawal of Kuwaiti nationality from certain individuals, in accordance with Decree-Law No. 15 of 1959 and its amendments.
Finally, the Council of Ministers reviewed several agenda items and approved them, while referring others to the competent ministerial committees for further study and preparation of reports required to complete the necessary procedures for their implementation. (end)
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