SAFAR 12, 1439 AH WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 2017 Max 32º 32 Pages 150 Fils Established 1961 Min 21º ISSUE NO: 17370 The First Daily in the Arabian Gulf www.kuwaittimes.net Passenger seatbelt required to Jordan water crisis worsens as Historic Jewish quarter of Invincible Guardiola is 3 avoid vehicle impoundment 11 Mideast tensions slow action 32 Marrakesh sees revival 15 ripping up record books IMF urges Gulf to switch from oil, projects deficits of $160bn Fund warns GCC rift could dampen growth, endorses Saudi business zone DUBAI: The IMF yesterday advised economies to accelerate their diversi- energy-rich Gulf economies to speed fication outside oil and to promote a Dust hits up their diversification away from oil greater role for the private sector to after projecting the worst growth for lead growth and create additional the region since the global financial jobs,” said Jihad Azour, director of Kuwait with crisis. Oil exporters in the Middle the Middle East and Central Asia at East, especially those in the Gulf IMF. “Preparing their economies to cold winds Cooperation Council, have been hit the post-oil era is something that is hard by the collapse in crude prices becoming a priority for authorities all KUWAIT: A dust wave gripped which provided a major part of their over the GCC,” Azour said. “We are Kuwait in the early hours of yesterday, finances. Following the slump, GCC seeing governments developing causing visibility to drop drastically. members Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, diversification strategies and intro- Along with the storm, relatively cold Qatar, Saudi Arabia and United Arab ducing a certain number of reforms to winds were blowing with the visibility Emirates undertook fiscal measures allow the economy to be prepared for level at 500 m in some areas. The dust and reforms to cut public spending the post-oil era. And those are impor- will subside gradually as temperatures drop, an official at Kuwait and boost non-oil revenues. tant reforms,” he said. Meteorological Center Abdulaziz Al- As a result, economic growth has Jihad Azour Azour said the GCC growth pro- Qarawi said. In a statement to KUNA, KUWAIT: The Kuwait City skyline is barely visible during a dust storm yes- slowed considerably as the GCC six jections are mainly driven by the oil Qarawi said this period of the year is a terday. — Photo by Joseph Shagra and other regional oil exporters post- energy-rich Gulf nations between producers’ deal to cut output to bol- critical time of rapid and sharp ed huge budget deficits. In its 2018 and 2022. Still, the projection is ster low crude prices which meant changes in the weather due to the was halted to maintain safety of mer- despite the current dusty weather, Regional Economic Outlook, the significantly lower than the shortfall GCC states pumped and exported impact of fluctuations in barometric chant ships due to current instability of Directorate General of Civil Aviation International Monetary Fund yester- of $350 billion that these states less oil. The IMF report also project- pressure. He said the country has been weather and visibility decreasing to (DGCA) announced early yesterday. day projected GCC economic growth racked up since 2015, when oil prices ed that the economies of oil exporters affected since Monday evening by a less than 500 m due to suspended dust. DGCA said in a statement to KUNA at just 0.5 percent this year, the worst plunged to their lowest in years. The in the Middle East and North Africa - decrease in horizontal vision as a result Two vessels were waiting to enter the that visibility was in the range of 800 since the 0.3 percent growth in 2009 IMF’s figures are based on assumed also including Iran, Iraq, Algeria, of prevailing dust from northern Iraq. port, Enezi said, noting that the obser- m. Flights to and from the airport following the global financial crisis. oil prices of about $50 a barrel Libya and Yemen - would grow 1.7 Navigation has been suspended vation tower at the port is monitoring have not been affected with the cur- The IMF is projecting cumulative through the end of this year and next, percent, down from 5.6 percent the temporarily at Shuwaikh Port due to the weather round the clock. He rent weather conditions, the depart- budget deficits of $320 billion for up from last year’s average of $43. On previous year. MENA oil importers, bad weather, strong winds and dust, hoped to resume operations when the ment said. Aircraft are allowed, by Mideast oil exporters over the next Friday, Brent crude, the international on the contrary, were expected to Kuwait Ports Authority (KPA) said yes- weather improves. regulations, to land or take off at a five years, according to the report. benchmark oil, rose above $60 for expand 4.3 percent this year, up from terday. Director of Operations Captain Navigation via Kuwait visibility level ranging between 300 Approximately half of that amount - the first time since 2015. 3.6 percent in 2016, the report added. Bader Al-Enezi told KUNA navigation International Airport was proceeding to 500 m. — KUNA or $160 billion - will be sustained by “It is the right time for GCC Continued on Page 11 News in brief which has acted as a strong protection for Kuwait. political crises, adding that the next Cabinet must give MPs demand strong, He said the country is facing clear political and eco- priority to the security issue and be prepared to face nomic challenges that HH the Amir cautioned of in his regional risks. Bahrain slaps visas on Qataris address at the opening of the National Assembly term last National Assembly Speaker Marzouq Al-Ghanem competent Cabinet week. He urged the new prime minister to take his time in adjourned the Assembly session yesterday after the gov- DUBAI: Bahrain has decided to impose visas on trav- selecting capable and efficient members for his Cabinet ernment abstained from attending. Under Kuwaiti law, at ellers from Qatar, which is embroiled in a diplomatic By B Izzak and to avoid including ministers who initiate problems. least one minister must be present for an Assembly ses- crisis with its Arab neighbors, Bahraini state media Damkhi urged the next prime minister to pick up sion to be legal. Ghanem had said he will not call for new reported yesterday. Under Gulf Cooperation Council KUWAIT: Lawmakers yesterday called for forming a statesmen and decision-makers who work to serve the sessions before the new Cabinet is formed. agreements, citizens of countries in the six-state bloc, strong and competent new Cabinet in order to be able to interests of the country and not their selfish interests. He Meanwhile, rapporteur of the foreign relations com- including both Bahrain and Qatar, can visit other GCC deal with the dangerous escalation in regional tensions also urged lawmakers to delay all planned grillings at this mittee MP Mohammad Al-Huwailah said yesterday that countries without visas. But Bahrain’s King Sheikh and internal conflict within the Gulf Cooperation Council stage and focus attention on legislation and approving his panel has asked the financial and economic affairs Hamad bin Issa Al-Khalifa yesterday ordered the new (GCC). A senior opposition lawmaker meanwhile urged issues that are needed urgently. Damkhi called for holding committee to review two agreements of the GCC regard- rules and urged authorities to strengthen security MPs to suspend all planned grillings at the time being in frank discussions with HH the Amir over the prevailing ing value-added tax (VAT) and selective excise taxes. measures in the tiny Gulf kingdom, the official BNA consideration of the dangerous political situation in the situation and also to allocate Thursdays to hold an The two agreements must be approved by the Assembly news agency said. “The new measures aim at prevent- region and the possible disintegration of the GCC. Assembly session to evaluate the functioning of ministers. to become law. GCC states have agreed to impose five ing harming the security and stability of the Kingdom of Other lawmakers said that the new Cabinet must retain Opposition MP Mohammad Al-Dallal said the percent VAT on products and services in 2018. Some Bahrain, particularly in light of the latest repercussions a number of efficient ministers in the outgoing Cabinet. In methodology of selecting ministers has proven to be countries have decided to start from January next year, of the crisis with Qatar”, said a statement on BNA. an appeal to both the new prime minister and lawmakers, futile in the past and this policy must change in favor of while others are implementing it later. The excise taxes leading Islamist opposition MP Adel Al-Damkhi called for selecting capable and competent ministers who can deal include raising taxes on tobacco and energy drinks by taking into consideration the future of Kuwait amid a effectively with the Assembly. He said if the same selec- 100 percent and soft drinks by 50 percent. Saudi Arabia grave situation that could see the collapse of the GCC, tion process is used, it will lead to the same deadlock and and UAE have already applied this tax. Saudis to issue tourist visas RIYADH: Saudi Arabia plans to start issuing tourist Syria shelling kills visas “soon”, authorities said yesterday, as the ultracon- servative kingdom seeks to attract international visitors 6 schoolchildren in in a radical overhaul of its oil-dependent economy. Tourism is seen as a major driver of growth as the king- besieged enclave dom attempts to wean itself off its dependence on petrodollars amid a protracted oil slump. “Tourist visas JISREEN, Syria: At least six schoolchildren were will be introduced soon,” Prince Sultan bin Salman bin among 11 people killed in Syrian regime shelling yester- Abdul Aziz, head of the Saudi tourism authority, was day in Eastern Ghouta, a war monitor said, despite a quoted as saying in a statement.