Kuwait condemns Nairobi attack

Kuwait on Monday denounced a terrorist attack that hit a shopping mall in Nairobi on Saturday and left scores of innocent people killed or wounded. The position was voiced by the Kuwaiti cabinet during its weekly meeting, reiterating Kuwait's principled position based on rejection and condemnation of all types of terrorism, Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs and Health Minister Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah said. The cabinet offered heartfelt condolence to the families of the victims of the terrorist attack in Nairobi. In this context, it called on the international community to exert more efforts to fight worldwide terrorism, the minister said following the meeting, presided over by Acting Prime Minister and Interior Minister Sheikh Mohammad Khalid Al-Hamad Al-Sabah. His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah had sent Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta a condolence cable offering sorrow at the attack as a criminal act. On the local situation, the cabinet approved a draft decree authorizing the creation of a fresh financial investigation agency in line with Article 16 of Law 106/2013 regarding money laundering and terrorist finance. The draft decree, worked out in cooperation with International Monetary Fund (IMF) experts, was presented by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Salem Abdulaziz Al-Sabah. During the meeting, the ministers also congratulated the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on its National Day, wishing it more development, security, stability and prosperity under the wide leadership of Saudi King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz. On his part, Minister of Education and Minister of Higher Education Nayef Al-Hajraf elaborated on his ministry's preparations and arrangements for the new academic year in the country. The cabinet then reviewed the findings of a recent survey conducted by the National Assembly (parliament) on Kuwaiti citizens' priorities, saying it showed that citizens focused on housing, health and education services. On growing electricity consumption in the country, the ministers listened to a presentation from Minister of Public Works and Minister of Electricity and Water Abdulaziz Al-Ibrahim on his ministry's efforts to boost power production by using gas turbines at power plants. The cabinet finally discussed several reports on the latest Arab and international political developments.