KUWAIT: Officials sign a KD 2.5 million contract to develop the Mubarakiya market yesterday. - KUNA

KUWAIT: Kuwait Municipality signed a KD 2.5 million contract to develop the Mubarakiya market yesterday in the presence of Minister of State for Municipal Affairs and Minister of Housing Affairs Shaya Al-Shaya. In a statement to reporters on the sidelines of the signing, Minister Shaya stressed that the development process will continue to make the Mubarakiya a tourist and heritage area.

Minister Shaya praised the efforts of the Municipality's Director General Ahmad Al-Manfouhi, head of the Voluntary Work Center and member of the Supreme Council for the Environment Sheikha Amthal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, and the Chairman of the Committee for the Preservation of Historical and Heritage Dr Hassan Kamal for their great efforts in developing Mubarakiya market in the first stage.

He also stressed that the goal is always to preserve the Mubarakiya area as a tourist and heritage place and to preserve the history and identity of the historical markets, praising the comprehensive explanation provided about the components of the project and its importance during the second phase.

Meanwhle, Manfouhi said after signing the project's contract that the municipality will execute a number of vital ventures soon under supervision of the project development sector, including the enterprise to make Mubarakiya market an attractive destination for visitors from various countries.

The project aims to stimulate domestic tourism in Kuwait, Manfouhi said, stressing the need to modernize the heritage markets to keep pace with the development that the country is witnessing to achieve the New Kuwait 2035 vision, he added. The development of the market aims to provide a more advanced tourism experience by developing its facilities and improving the traffic movement inside the market to make it easier and more comfortable for its visitors to enjoy and shop in it, he said.

The Mubarakiya development contract will link the municipality park and the markets, in addition to entertainment activities and parking with a capacity of 1,655 cars, he added. The project will be distinguished by contemporary designs inspired by the heritage and history of the Mubarakiya market to harmonize with the external environment and preserve its distinctive identity, he said.

He added that the project to develop Mubarakiya market will include the construction of a mosque and an international hotel with a heritage character, with an information center for tourists and souvenirs, as well as developing the municipality park and linking it with Mubarakiya and establishing an open theater for various activities according to national and social events.

The signing ceremony was attended by head of the projects sector in the municipality Nadia Al-Sharifah, the executive director of the Arabian Office for Engineering Consultancy Tariq Shuaib, and the Secretary-General of the National Council for Culture, Arts and Literature Kamel Abduljalil. - KUNA