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JAMADA ALAWWAL 27, 1439 AH TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2018 Max 35º 32 Pages Min 14º 150 Fils Established 1961 ISSUE NO: 17456 The First Daily in the Arabian Gulf www.kuwaittimes.net Mumbai’s ‘last big’ hope lies Tillerson in Egypt at NY abaya show spotlights Liverpool’s Salah is idol 9 in docklands’ inclusive revival 11 start of Mideast tour 30 rise of modest fashion 15 of his Egyptian village NGOs pledge $330m as Iraq seeks $90bn for reconstruction Urgent funds needed to restore basic infrastructure, services KUWAIT: Iraq needs nearly $90 billion to rebuild after three years of war with the Islamic State group, officials said yesterday, with large parts of the country in ruins and tens of thousands left homeless. As a three- day international reconstruction conference got underway in Kuwait, officials were seeking pledges from donors and investors to restore Zain's OGM has record quorum of 84.69% Iraq’s devastated homes, schools, hospitals and economic infrastructure. US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson was joining the conference after holding talks yesterday in Cairo, where he launched his latest Sale of treasury shares transparent, best value for stakeholders Middle East tour. The State Department has said it will not be making “direct contributions” to finance the reconstruction efforts but that over 150 American companies would travel to Kuwait as part of its private sector drive for the conference. Baghdad declared victory against IS in December, after Iraqi forces, backed by a US-led coali- tion, regained control of the large parts of the country seized by the group in mid-2014. Aid groups made pledges of $330 million on the first day of the con- ference, but officials said much more was needed. Planning Minister Salman Al-Jumaili said an assessment by Iraqi and international experts put reconstruction costs at $88.2 billion. “The funds will be initially used to reintegrate displaced people and also for rebuilding the infrastructure of public services,” the minister told AFP. Mustafa Al-Hiti, the head of Iraq’s reconstruction fund, said some work had started but that funds were needed urgently to restore basic infrastructure and services in many provinces. “What we have accom- plished is less than one percent of what Iraq needs,” Hiti said. “We have more than 138,000 houses damaged, more than half this number com- pletely destroyed,” Hiti said, adding that more than 2.5 million Iraqis are still displaced. After suffering a humiliating defeat at the hands of IS, Iraqi forces regrouped with foreign help, eventually forcing the jihadists out of its territory including second city Mosul. But the fight-back left much of the country devastated. In Mosul, entire city blocks were reduced to rubble. (From left) Hussain Al-Ghareeb, Zain Vice-Chairman and Group CEO Bader Nasser Al-Kharafi and Ossama Matta during the general assembly meeting. The IS takeover also dealt a heavy blow to Iraq’s economy. The country sits on some of the world’s largest crude reserves, which Baghdad puts at 153 billion barrels, but the war and a slump in world prices have dimin- KUWAIT: Zain Group yesterday held its ordinary general assembly at its Bader Nasser Al-Kharafi said: “The company’s board of directors and ished its oil revenues. head office with an attendance rate of 84.69 percent at the request of a executive management have followed and taken into consideration all the Raja Rehan Arshad of the World Bank said investment is required group of shareholders who own more than 10 percent of the company’s laws, regulations, administrative and financial rules related to the sale of across sectors, with more than $17.4 billion needed for housing alone. shares to discuss the Zain board of directors’ decisions regarding the com- treasury shares, and inconformity with the Capital Markets Authority’s Nearly $30 billion is needed to restore energy and industrial infrastruc- pany’s recent share transactions, the factors considered, the adoption of (CMA) regulations.” Kharafi added: “The board of directors has relied on ture, he said. The conference brings together hundreds of representa- sound corporate governance principles and compliance with regulatory the authorization granted by the ordinary general assembly meeting held tives of countries, aid groups, UN agencies and corporations. The $330 requirements regarding potential conflict of interest cases and the align- on March 12, 2017 to buy or sell the company’s shares not exceeding 10 million pledged by non-governmental organizations yesterday included ment with the interests of the shareholders. percent of the number of its shares in accordance with the minutes of the $130 million from the International Committee of the Red Cross. Speaking to a packed audience, Zain Vice-Chairman and Group CEO meeting.” (See Page 17) Continued on Page 11 maids, and the blame has been for citi- Manila slaps ban Hashem: Expats should be zens and foreigners alike. On the diplomatic standoff with the Philippines, Hashem called on the foreign on ‘all’ Filipinos banned from hiring maids ministry to send a “stronger” message to Manila by stopping aid to the Southeast bound to Kuwait By B Izzak Hashem cited the example of an expatri- Asian nation and opening the door for ate couple who allegedly killed their the recruitment of workers from other By Ben Garcia KUWAIT: MP Safa Al-Hashem went Filipina maid and stuffed her body in a countries. She also called for halting the into overdrive yesterday in her tirades freezer, where it was found after more recruitment of Filipino manpower. KUWAIT: The Philippines yesterday imposed a and abnormal proposals that blame than a year, further straining Kuwait- Hashem criticized the Assembly’s interior total ban on its workers bound to Kuwait. The ban, expats for almost every problem Kuwait Philippines relations. and defense committee for rejecting her which took effect immediately, comes in the light of faces. The lawmaker, who has been tire- Hashem has repeatedly made very proposal to increase the fees for driving several reported cases of deaths, abuse and mistreat- lessly trying to build her political popu- strange and sometimes racist proposals licenses for expatriates to KD 1,000 ment, especially of domestic helpers. “The order is larity by criticizing expatriates, said she to deprive expatriates of their basic annually from just a dinar currently. She for a total ban of all Filipino workers bound for will propose to ban expats from recruit- rights, suggestions that often brought said that she will not stop presenting Kuwait. It was signed by the secretary of the ing and hiring housemaids, blaming them her criticism from her own colleagues in proposals to resolve the imbalance in the Department of Labor and Employment and went into for mistreating their maids and distorting the National Assembly. Laws in Kuwait demographic structure, which is in favor effect immediately. It’s a level 4 alert, which means a Kuwait’s image. permit expatriates to recruit or hire of expatriates, who form 70 percent of Safa Al-Hashem total ban on Filipinos bound for Kuwait. It includes She said disasters come only from housemaids, but they have to fulfill cer- Kuwait’s population of 4.5 million. even for vacationing overseas Filipino workers,” expatriates mistreating their domestic tain conditions, including earning good Hashem, the only female lawmaker in of reconstruction and development. She Philippines Ambassador to Kuwait Renato Villa told helpers, in reference to a standoff salaries and the payment of an annual the 50-member house, also lashed out at called against giving any aid to the Iraqi Kuwait Times. between Kuwait and the Philippines, fee of KD 200. No Kuwaiti government donations by Kuwaiti charities for the government and called instead to entrust “The Philippine Embassy will clarify the matter and which has issued a total ban against agency has ever blamed expatriates reconstruction of Iraq, saying repeated Kuwaiti companies to carry out recon- hopefully there will be some considerations and exemp- Filipino workers coming to Kuwait. alone for mistreating and abusing house- Iraqi governments have failed in the field struction projects. tions to the policy. For now, my advice to Filipinos in Kuwait who are planning to go on vacation is to delay it until clear guidelines are issued from Manila. I will ask the Department of Labor and Employment to clarify the Netanyahu, US discuss ban, because I have been flooded with calls from the Filipino community,” he added. annexing of settlements; Yesterday, Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello announced the total ban will be implemented on ‘all’ OFWs. It means it covers both articles 18 and 20 visa Abbas meets Putin holders. DOLE earlier suspended the processing of JERUSALEM: Israeli Prime Minister Later yesterday, the White House new employment certificates for Kuwait-bound Benjamin Netanyahu said yesterday he denied having such discussions and a OFWs after the death of seven workers in Kuwait, has been discussing legislation with the senior Israeli official said Netanyahu had including Joanna Demafelis, whose body was found United States that would effectively not made a specific annexation proposal inside a freezer. DOLE promised to help OFWs find annex settlements in the occupied West to Washington. “Reports that the United new jobs, and they may be deployed to China or Bank, but the White House denied it in a States discussed with Israel an annexa- Russia, among others. rare show of disunity. The move would tion plan for the West Bank are false,” Filipinos who want to go back to their country will be assisted by the embassy, but those who want to severely harm remaining prospects for a White House spokesman Josh Raffel said. stay can remain and work in Kuwait as long as they two-state solution to the Israeli- “The United States and Israel have never want.

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