KUWAIT: The Kuwaiti Cabinet announced its work program during its weekly meeting yesterday held under the chairmanship of His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah. "In implementation of Article 98 of the constitution, the government presents its work program, and in compliance with the deadline set by His Highness the Prime Minister to present this program to the National Assembly, the Minister of Finance and Minister of State for Economic Affairs Mariam Al-Aqeel provided a detailed explanation of the program's themes," Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Interior and Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs Anas Al-Saleh said after the meeting.

The government applied an unconventional work program that aimed to focus on the elements of embodying the high order of His Highness the Amir in facing corruption and securing its requirements through three main axes, which are enhancing integrity and digital transformation of government services.

Furthermore, developing government performance in accordance with specific time programs and clear practical procedures without prejudice to the implementation of projects associated with the smooth functioning of public facilities, implementation of development plan policies, annual plan projects, and others. The Integrity Enhancement Axis was based on the implementation of Kuwait's strategy to enhance integrity and combat corruption, including strengthening cooperation between oversight bodies.

The program also included ways to support institutional governance by spreading awareness in the state's administrative apparatus and employing behavioral approaches to achieve the required change as the national framework for governance was prepared and taking the necessary steps in preparing a guide for each government agency and training requirements to accomplish it.

It included measures that were taken to establish and launch the government digital services platform that includes all state services and that would reduce corruption, achieve justice and equality, develop and facilitate services and the interests of citizens and residents and enhance transparency in government transactions. The Cabinet approved the draft work program of the government and instructed the Minister of State for Economic Affairs to refer it to the National Assembly.

Meanwhile, the Cabinet reviewed the recommendations contained in the minutes of the meeting of the Legal Affairs Committee regarding a draft MoU between the government of Kuwait and the government of France regarding bilateral cooperation in the areas of preventing and combating corruption.

The Cabinet also reviewed a draft decree approving a memorandum of understanding between the government of Kuwait and the government of Greece in the field of developing industrial exports as well as a draft decree approving the agreement to establish a joint committee for cooperation between the government of Kuwait and the government of Niger. The Cabinet decided to approve the draft decrees and submit them to His Highness the Amir.

Furthermore, the cabinet discussed the draft budget of ministries and government departments for the fiscal year 2020-2021, and in this regard reviewed the directive of the Economic Affairs Committee regarding the draft law and the main tables of revenues and expenditures, and the cabinet decided to approve the draft law and submit it to His Highness the Amir. The Cabinet expressed sincere and heartfelt condolences to Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky over the victims of a Ukrainian plane crash in south Tehran, which claimed the lives of all passengers on board. - KUNA