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KUWAIT: Governments are the main driver of economic growth in Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, where they contribute with more than 70 percent of the gross domestic product, a Kuwaiti minister said yesterday.
Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs Sheikh Mohammad Al-Abdullah Al-Sabah made that statement during a speech while attending the 'Consulting Services for Government Projects Forum,' organized by Nouf Expo at Crowne Plaza Hotel under the patronage of His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber Mubarak Al-Hamad Al-Sabah.
The event, entitled 'towards professionalism and transparency in consultancy services,' is held through an invitation of the Federation of Engineering Offices and the Kuwaiti Advisory Role in cooperation with the Central Agency For Public Tenders and the General Secretariat of the Supreme Council for Planning and Development and transparency in consultancy services.
Under the patronage of His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber Mubarak Al-Hamad Al-Sabah, and in the presence of Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs Sheikh Mohammad Al-Abdullah Al-Sabah, Nouf Expo organized the 'Consulting services for government projects Forum' under the title 'Towards professionalism and transparency in consultancy services.'
Sheikh Mohammed explained that the forum sheds light on imbalances, and devises mechanisms to overcome them through greater transparency and good governance, which leads to economic repercussions in the national product.
The Kuwaiti government made headways in cutting the red tape in several departments through leveraging the e-government system in order to facilitate the transactions of citizens and residents, Sheikh Mohammed added. He praised the achievements of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, as well as local municipalities in reducing the measures, in addition to efforts made by state institutions in this regard.
The minister further explained that the idea of organizing this forum is to gather all governmental and non-governmental bodies to share experiences and ideas in the hope that this initiative will continue in the coming years.
Overcoming obstacles
In the meantime, Minister of the Social Affairs and Labor, State Minister for Economic Affairs Hind Al-Sabeeh said that the government is working to overcome obstacles facing the development plan , and work also to facilitate the documentary circle.
About the most important developed projects to start soon in Kuwait, Sabeeh said: "The biggest project in this respect is the development of south Saad Al-Abdullah city in partnership with South Korea."
On the other hand, Sabeeh emphasized also that Kuwait and its people will always be at the government's top of the priorities and interests, and that the forum concentrates now on the efforts of the main active institutions to implement the state's plan, and to take the necessary measures with respect to tenders of its projects.
Commercial center
"This forum is the first consulting service platform for government projects, where the public and private sectors can cooperate to achieve the vision of His Highness the Amir of the State of Kuwait Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah in transforming Kuwait into a financial and commercial center to attract investments," said General Manager of Nouf Expo Yusuf Khalid Al-Marzouq.
He added that the forum is accompanied by a technical exhibition that provides an important platform for specialized engineering and consultancy offices to present solutions for engineering designs, project management and advanced technologies in these fields.
The forum is going to discuss the 'Kuwait 2035' vision and how to upgrade the advisory services to be the basis on which the projects of the plan are built in all stages professionally. Marzouq said. "We aim to enhance the opportunity to learn about the latest international technologies and the latest innovations and scientific solutions developed to help governments of the provide engineering and consultancy services to their people," he noted.
The three-day forum gathers representatives of 18 consultancy providers and government agencies from Kuwait and other countries in the region. Nouf Expo ensures that all conferences and forums that it organizes deal with the issues and activities that affect the growth and development of societies that would bring about development and prosperity. It focuses its services on the conferences, forums, exhibitions, and associated media services.
By Faten Omar