KUWAIT: State institutions are required to avoid raising banners or playing national anthems other than those of Kuwait during official functions inside or outside the country, the Cabinet said in a statement following its weekly meeting Tuesday. Meanwhile, the Cabinet instructed the Civil Service Commission (CSC) to take necessary measures to insure that employees at state departments remain in office during working hours and urged them to use finger biometric scanners, facial recognition systems and other electronic means.

The Cabinet held its weekly meeting on Tuesday at Bayan Palace. The meeting was chaired by the Prime Minister, His Highness Sheikh Ahmad Al-Abdullah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah. After the meeting, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs Sharida Al-Maousherji stated the following: The Council of Ministers began its meeting by offering sincere congratulations and blessings to the Amir His Highness Sheikh Mishal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah and the Crown Prince His Highness Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah, asking Allah to protect them.

The ministers also congratulated the noble Kuwaiti people and Kuwait’s residents on the occasion of Hijri New Year. The Cabinet was informed of the decision of the Civil Service Bureau to declare Hijri New Year holiday on Sunday, July 7, 2024. The Council of Ministers discussed the recommendation in the minutes of the meeting of the Ministerial Legal Affairs Committee on a draft decree-law on issuing the unified system of voluntary work in the GCC countries. The ministers decided to approve the draft decree and submitted it to His Highness the Amir.

On the other hand, the Cabinet reviewed other recommendations in the minutes of the meeting of the ministerial Economic Affairs Committee on decrees and laws linking the budgets of ministries, government departments, and bodies for the fiscal year 2024-2025. The Minister of Finance, Dr Anwar Ali Al-Mudhaf, and the Ministry officials made a visual presentation on this matter. The ministers decided to approve these decrees and submitted them to His Highness the Amir.

The Council of Ministers tasked the Ministry of Finance with the following: (1) To present its perceptions on financial and economic reforms to ensure the financial sustainability of the state as well as maximizing non-oil revenues. (2) To take measures to address overspending and wasting of resources. (3) To submit a quarterly periodic report to the Council of Ministers on the implementation of the general budget of the state for the current fiscal year 2024-2025. — KUNA