KUWAIT: Minister of Public Works Dr Noura Al-Mashaan signed on Sunday a contract for the study, design, and provision of pre-implementation services to complete the Mubarak Al-Kabeer Port project between the Ministry and the China State Construction and Communications Corporation Limited, affiliated with the Chinese Ministry of Transport and nominated by the government of China.

This is in accordance with Decree-Law No 155 of 2024, approving the memorandum of understanding between the governments of Kuwait and China on cooperation in establishing the Mubarak Al-Kabeer Port and the protocol attached to it, as well as Decree-Law No 22 of 2025, transferring the jurisdiction and financial appropriations allocated for the completion, management, and operation of the port to the Ministry of Public Works after obtaining all approvals from the regulatory authorities.

The government contract was signed by Minister Al-Mashaan, representing the government of the State of Kuwait, while the Chinese side was represented by Chen Zhong, Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Chinese company, along with a high-level Chinese government delegation. The signing was attended by Assistant Foreign Minister for Asian Affairs, member and rapporteur of the Supreme Committee for Following Up on the Implementation Position of Agreements and Memoranda of Understanding Signed between the Governments, affiliated with the Kuwaiti Council of Ministers, Ambassador Samih Jawhar Hayat.

The Undersecretary of the Ministry of Public Works, Eid Al-Rashidi, senior officials from the Ministries of Public Works and Foreign Affairs, the Chairman and members of the Technical Committee, and engineers at the Ministry of Public Works, along with the Ambassador of China to Kuwait, Zhang Jianwei, the Head of the Chinese Trade Office, Huo Hang Ming, and members of the Chinese Embassy also attended the event.

Minister Al-Mashaan stated in a press statement on the occasion that the project aims to establish a commercial port in Kuwait to serve as a regional transportation hub within the strategic transformation vision of New Kuwait 2035, designed to develop the northern region as an integrated economic and urban system based on a comprehensive and integrated development vision that considers all economic and urban aspects.

She added that the project will significantly contribute to diversifying and increasing the gross domestic product and restoring Kuwait to its regional commercial and financial role, with the Mubarak Al-Kabeer Sea Port project on Boubiyan Island being one of the main pillars of development. She stressed that it will help expand economic and commercial activity in the field of export and import, ensure the necessary resources to boost the GDP, sustain prosperity and economic growth, and enhance the state’s role in achieving the highest levels of efficiency in managing the development process. 

She noted that the port will provide a vast array of business opportunities, professional development opportunities, and job opportunities for citizens by creating various types of jobs that will be essential for the success of the port, whether during the establishment and construction phases or during the operation and production stages.

She remarked that the completion of the Mubarak Al-Kabeer Port project is a priority for the top political leadership and comes based on the lofty directives of His Highness the Amir Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, with the strong backing of His Highness the Crown Prince Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah and His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Ahmed Abdullah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, emphasizing their consistent and unwavering support for this project, which will be a cornerstone of advanced infrastructure within the ‘New Kuwait 2035’ plan.

She considered the Mubarak Al-Kabeer Port project as a development and reconstruction of Bubiyan Island, serving as a development goal, whether in the realm of commercial investments, housing, or establishing tourism projects, in line with the noble desire to capitalize on the island’s location and unique nature.

Minister Al-Mashaan stressed that the methodology followed in communication and consultation between the Kuwaiti and Chinese leadership “has become effective, important, and is continuing with solid steps toward the peak.” She highlighted the importance of upgrading and maintaining practical cooperation between the two countries, noting that the Chinese leadership views Kuwait as a major strategic partner in all political, economic, commercial, and investment fields.

For his part, Ambassador Hayat said that the atmosphere of the meeting and discussions between the two sides was characterized by realistic frankness, strategic understanding, and identical viewpoints by all standards. He emphasized that the talks were held in a spirit of deep seriousness and long-standing historical friendship with China regarding the expansion of bilateral relations in all fields and China’s participation in word and deed in achieving the noble desire of His Highness the Amir to transform Kuwait into a global financial and commercial center.

He stated that Minister Al-Mishaan had closely observed during the discussions the significant interest in the involvement of senior Chinese officials and their commitment to supporting and endorsing Kuwait’s strategy for economic development, as well as providing an appropriate climate to attract direct investments from China. Their readiness to collaborate with all concerned Kuwaiti government agencies within a unified vision aims to implement the basic strategies for sustainable growth and ensure the realization of the lofty visions of His Highness the Amir.

Hayat added that this will undoubtedly be reflected in production and export rates abroad, thus increasing the percentage of the industry’s contribution to national income, indicating that China will continue to send high-level technical delegations to visit the country to discuss all details related to major development projects. – KUNA