Kuwait is witnessing a period of optimism with the appointment of His Highness Sheikh Dr Mohammad Sabah Al-Salem Al-Sabah as prime minister, who is spearheading an economy-driven approach focused on diversifying sources of income and giving a bigger platform for the private sector to lead the charge for development. Investment in the human capital is one of the main topics highlighted in the new government program, signaling an understanding of what Kuwait needs to focus on as it searches for non-oil alternatives to drive the economy.

Kuwait’s economy has gone through various changes throughout the country’s history, even predating the discovery of oil when the state was an important hub for international trade, linking southeast Asia to the Middle East and Europe. Its unique system of governance combined with its diverse population coming from various parts of the region seeking stability have leveraged a robust economy that survived numerous conflicts and ordeals.

The discovery of oil served as a turning point that transformed Kuwait’s trade-based economy into one which relied on natural resources to fuel the state’s business boom. As important as oil has been in providing financial support for the state’s development, the human capital, Kuwait’s true valuable asset, has played a historically crucial role in keeping Kuwait running like a well-oiled machine.

It was no coincidence that Kuwait’s economic boom following the discovery of oil coincided with a boom in various other aspects, such as politics, culture, arts and sports. Throughout the period between the discovery of oil and the Iraqi Invasion, Kuwait pioneered in almost all fields, becoming a regional hub years before its peers in the Gulf became so.

And much like those years, Kuwait remains vibrant with an abundance of talent and untapped potential today. If we take sports as one example, Kuwaiti athletes have excelled at regional and international competitions in recent years, grabbing several accolades while competing at the highest level despite lacking the same level of government support that their peers in other Gulf countries enjoy.

Kuwait finds itself at a critical juncture today, but luckily, it has lessons from its rich history that can help the state navigate its way through hardships and into progress. One of the most important lessons to learn from is how migrant workers worked hand-in-hand with national manpower to contribute to the country’s development throughout the years. To understand how important this lesson is for Kuwait today, we need to look no further than at our neighbors, including the UAE which had long ago realized that its expatriate community can be an asset that helps drive economic development plans – something that Kuwait itself had applied during the state’s early modernization years.

As Kuwait embarks on a new and ambitious business-oriented strategy, the time has come for a shift in policy away from viewing the expatriate community as a burden and ‘demographic imbalance’ as a hindrance to development. The state must implement strategies and plans that take advantage of the great benefits that its diverse population can bring. The challenges of the future are numerous, especially with the current technological and AI revolution. Kuwait already has the human capital that can help it tackle those challenges. But there is no need for Kuwaitis to go on this journey alone; imagine the possibilities if we all work together for the Kuwait of tomorrow.