Govt assures it has enough strategic food reserves

By B Izzak

KUWAIT: The National Assembly is scheduled to hold a special session today to debate the fallout of the Russian invasion of Ukraine on Kuwait and the Gulf. The government has given assurances that it has sufficient food stocks and warned it will punish those who raise prices artificially. Assembly Speaker Marzouq Al-Ghanem said he received two requests from the government and 10 MPs to hold the special session, adding that the government demanded that the debate be held behind closed doors.

The speaker said the government wants to discuss the current global situation and the implications of the military confrontation between Russia and Ukraine. He said he also received a motion signed by 10 lawmakers to hold a special session today to debate the implications of the Russia-Ukraine war and its impact on the Arabian Gulf and Kuwait.

The lawmakers said in their motion that they want to know the government's position on a possible increase in food prices, a shortage in the state's food strategic stockpiles and preparations for the possibility of nuclear pollution from nuclear plants. MP Abdullah Al-Turaiji, one of the signatories of the motion, said he believes there is no need to hold the session behind closed doors and the government should state its opinions publicly.

Meanwhile, Minister of Commerce and Industry Fahad Al-Shuraian said the government has prepared the necessary strategic plans to ensure the continuity of the flow of commodities and foodstuff to the domestic market and the stability of their prices amid global fears of disruptions of supplies as a result of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

The minister said in a statement that the state has huge strategic stocks of basic food and consumer goods spread across the country's various governorates. He said supply chains to the Gulf and Kuwait have not been affected by the war. He said that the ministry's emergency teams are monitoring the markets round the clock to ensure that prices are not artificially raised, adding that legal measures will be taken against violators.