4 Established 1961 Local Thursday, April 8, 2021

Established 1961 The First Daily in The Arabian Gulf Indian ambassador calls on THE LEADING INDEPENDENT DAILY IN THE ARABIAN GULF ESTABLISHED 1961

Founder and Publisher Interior, Finance ministers YOUSUF S. AL-ALYAN : Indian Ambassador Sibi George visit- Alatel, Chairman, Kuwait Society of Engineers Editor-in-Chief ed top Kuwaiti officials this week including (KSE) on Monday and discussed issues related ABD AL-RAHMAN AL-ALYAN Minister of Interior Sheikh Thamer Ali Sabah Al- to Indian engineers in Kuwait and means of EDITORIAL : 24833199-24833358-24833432 Salem Al-Sabah and Minister of Finance and enhancing institutional cooperation between ADVERTISING : 24835616/7 Minister of State for Economic Affairs and and Kuwait in the field of engineering. FAX : 24835620/1 Investment Khalifa Musaed Hamada. CIRCULATION : 24833199 Extn. 163 The ambassador called on the Interior Minister Shuttle service ACCOUNTS : 24833199 Extn. 125 yesterday and held wide ranging discussions on Meanwhile, the Indian Embassy launched a COMMERCIAL : 24835618 bilateral ties and explored ways of further shuttle vehicle service from the entrance of the P.O.Box 1301 Safat,13014 Kuwait. enhancing cooperation between the countries in diplomatic enclave to the embassy premises Email: [email protected] various fields such as health, security matters and with effect from April 6, 2021. The endeavor is Website: www.kuwaittimes.net matters related to the Indian diaspora, according part of the embassy’s commitment to address to a press release issued by the Indian embassy. and resolve all genuine concerns and problems Khalifa Musaed Hamada received George in faced by the Indian community in Kuwait, an his office on Tuesday. During the meeting, both embassy press release said. All visitors to the News in brief sides discussed the entire gamut of the bilateral embassy, especially the elderly, families with relations and deliberated on ways and means of young children, and people with mobility issues Licenses for bedoon vendors? further diversifying the close cooperation across who will be given priority, are encouraged to various sectors, including economy, finance and use the shuttle service. The operating timings of KUWAIT: A government source said a pro- investments. They also discussed latest regional the Shuttle service are 0700 to 1600 hours on posal is being considered to grant bedoons and international developments including the week days. The shuttle service will be operated KUWAIT: Minister of Interior Sheikh Thamer Ali Sabah commercial licenses in a bid to organize ven- COVID-19 pandemic situation and matters of observing all the health and safety guidelines Al-Salem Al-Sabah receives Indian Ambassador Sibi dors selling on streets, pavements and round- mutual interest, the release said. related to COVID-19. The shuttle service is free George in his office yesterday. abouts, so they can be under the supervision of Separately, George called on Eng Faisal D of charge, the release added. the Municipality, commerce ministry and the food and nutrition authority. The source said it is not true that the Municipality treats roaming ty and stability. The world cannot enjoy real peace development strategies between China and regional bedoon vendors harshly; rather it takes legal China a long-term, and tranquility if the Middle East keeps suffering countries. State Councilor Wang Yi reached con- measures against violators. He said there are from instability. During his visits, State Councilor sensus with Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) reasons for not allowing hawking, and this is and Foreign Minister Wang Yi unveiled a five-point Secretary-General Nayef Falah Mubarak Al-Hajraf not particular to a certain group - the law is reliable strategic initiative for achieving security and stability in the at their meeting on the early conclusion of free applied to all those who violate decisions, Middle East, which calls for advocating mutual trade talks between China and the GCC, and signed especially those who sell food items such as partner of Middle respect, upholding equity and justice, achieving an agreement with his Iranian counterpart on the fruits and vegetables. He said the proposal has non-proliferation, jointly fostering collective securi- plan for China- comprehensive cooperation several conditions including that the license East countries ty, and accelerating development cooperation. This during his visit to Iran. China is ready to work with should be issued in the name of a retired will infuse positive energies into achieving security Middle East countries to consolidate energy coop- Kuwaiti, a form of guarantee, minimal monthly By Chinese Ambassador to Kuwait Li Minggang and stability in the Middle East. China fully sup- eration along the entire industrial chain, and expand fees, the Municipality decides where the ven- ports active international mediation over the two- in-depth cooperation on new and renewable dor stands and vehicles must be air-condi- t a time when Chinese New Year has just state solution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. sources of energy. tioned. This is in addition to having the vendor passed and spring has sprung, Chinese State When taking the rotating presidency of the UN The fifth is to build the China-Arab community obtain a health permit and not allowing those ACouncilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi Security Council this May, China will push for hold- with a shared future. China and Arab states have under 18 to work. A commerce ministry official paid official visits to , Turkey, Iran, the ing full deliberation of this issue, and will host a enjoyed friendly exchanges for centuries. Despite said the proposal is welcome if it reaches his United Arab Emirates and Bahrain, and a working seminar for Palestinian and Israeli peace activists in profound changes unseen in a hundred years and a ministry. — Al-Qabas visit to Oman. Just a month ago, Member of the due course. Continuing its active participation in once-in-a-century pandemic, China-Arab relations Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and the process of resolving the Iranian nuclear issue, have forged ahead and demonstrated strong vitality. Director of the Office of the Foreign Affairs China has sent officials to Moscow to discuss with It has become a fine example of state-to-state rela- Laundries closed Commission of the CPC Central Committee Yang Russia and Iran the roadmap and timetable of tions. In 2020, China cemented its position as the Jiechi paid official visits to Kuwait and . All reviving the nuclear deal. China will also keep close largest trading partner of Arab states, while Arab KUWAIT: Chairman of the Kuwait Laundry these not only demonstrate China’s great impor- communication with the Gulf countries over holding states became the biggest source of China’s oil Owners Association Jamal Al-Ansari said there tance attached to Middle East countries and its multilateral forums in China on the Gulf security, import. The two sides agreed to hold the first-ever are around 3,000 laundries around Kuwait, 50 firm resolve to develop the relationship between starting from topics such as safeguarding oil infra- China-Arab states summit. of which have closed down permanently, while the two sides, but also further indicate that China is structure and shipping-lane security, taking into Kuwait is an important Gulf state as well as a 400 are closed temporarily due to inability to a reliable strategic partner of the Middle East, account that easier issues should be tackled first key partner of China in the region. This year marks pay wages and rent. He said a letter was sent to sending a clear message that the two sides work in before moving on to more difficult ones in order to the 50th anniversary of the establishment of Deputy Premier, Defense Minister and concert to build an even closer community with a accumulate mutual trust. China will hold the China- China-Kuwait diplomatic relations. Over the past Chairman of the Coronavirus Emergency shared future. Arab Reform and Development Forum and the five decades, China-Kuwait relations have enjoyed Committee Sheikh Hamad Jaber Al-Ali Al- The first is to firmly support each other’s core Middle East Security Forum during the year to sound and steady development, and the two coun- Sabah with regards to allowing laundries with interests. China and countries of this region concur enhance exchanges of experience in governance tries have shown mutual understanding and sup- delivery service to operate during the partial that sovereign independence and national dignity of and promote dialogues between civilizations. port issues concerning each other’s core interests curfew hours and grant employees curfew all countries should be respected, and that inde- The third is to deepen anti-pandemic coopera- and major concerns. Kuwait was the first country passes, while observing all health precautions pendent and diverse development models can help tion. We will never forget that facing the sudden in the region to sign a document with China on and protocols. — Al-Anbaa offer more options to developing countries in their COVID-19 pandemic, Middle East countries have Belt and Road cooperation, and bilateral coopera- drive to achieve modernization and promote the extended robust support to China, which has subli- tion has yielded fruitful outcomes in such areas as harmonious co-existence of different civilizations. mated the friendship between both peoples in energy, trade, infrastructure and people-to-people Stores on fire We should reject imposing one’s ideology upon responding to this global public health crisis. China exchanges. China has all along approached China- others, and oppose wanton interference in internal is keen to work with Middle East countries to push Kuwait ties from a strategic and long-term per-

affairs of other countries and slander against other forward the anti-epidemic cooperation. spective, and stands ready to work with Kuwait to KUWAIT: The Kuwait Fire Force said firemen countries under the guise of human rights. The two The fourth is to enhance synergies of develop- implement the important consensus reach by the doused a blaze that erupted in several stores at sides also agree to safeguard the international sys- ment strategies and advance high-quality Belt and two heads of state, deepen anti-pandemic cooper- the Kuwait Army Cooperative. Industrial tem with the United Nations as the core and the Road cooperation. China has signed documents on ation, promote high-quality Belt and Road cooper- Shuwaikh, Sulaibikhat, Jleeb and backup fire international order based on international law, Belt and Road cooperation with 19 Middle East ation, push for in-depth development of the stations, in addition to the army fire brigade, uphold multilateralism, and defend international countries. During the visits, Director Yang Jiechi China-Kuwait strategic partnership, and promote participated in fighting the fire. No injuries equity and justice. and State Councilor Wang Yi held in-depth discus- peace, security, development and prosperity in the were reported. The second is to jointly preserve regional securi- sions with their counterparts on better alignment of Middle East.

IWG hosts KFH employees Canadian visit Silicon Cultural Day Valley as Part of

KUWAIT: The International Women’s ‘Forsa Program’ Group- Kuwait was honored to host a Canadian Cultural Day with the partici- KUWAIT: As part of its “Forsa Program”, pation of the Ambassador of Canada Kuwait Finance House (KFH) delegated a Louis-Pierre Emond and his spouse Ambassador of Canada Louis-Pierre Emond. group of its outstanding Kuwaiti employees KFH’s “Forsa Program” trainees in Silicon Valley. Mme Satako Araki. Rima Khalidi, spouse to Silicon Valley in the USA to enhance their of the Ambassador of the State of famous Canadian musical called ‘Come innovative digital mindset and creativity in digitization, IT, FinTech, AI, blockchain and be reflected in their performance at KFH by and simplifying all operations and making Palestine and Vice President of IWG act- from Away’. cybersecurity. implementing ideas that will contribute to them available online. To the delight of her fellow IWG ing as master of ceremonies, eloquently Forsa Program with its rich content developing and facilitating operations and Moreover, Forsa program includes out- and seamlessly managed the virtual pro- members, Araki conducted a cooking comes in line with KFH directions and its designing digital services and products to standing young Kuwaiti graduates from the gram. Ambreen Mustafa, spouse of the presentation and shared her recipe for a strategic plans to reinforce its leadership in keep pace with the millennial generation technology departments of local and inter- Ambassador of the Islamic Republic of special Canadian dessert called ‘Pudding digitization, which has become essential in its requirements and confirm KFH’s excellence national universities. It also features train- and president of IWG, delivered Chomeur’. The meeting also included various activities and business, and to and leadership in digitalization, online servic- ing programs on the latest and best infor- the welcome address and introduced the scenic views of Canada’s breathtaking embrace national talents, upgrade their pro- es and financial technology. mation technology and its applications in Ambassador of Canada. natural beauty and various cultural sites, fessional level and refine their skills accord- They pointed out that the most important the banking field. In his presentation, Ambassador a quiz about Canada and a raffle draw ing to international standards. characteristic of the program is the practical The program develops the trainees’ Emond covered various aspects and for participants with gifts kindly donated Forsa Program includes advanced train- technical projects that have been implement- capabilities in the interests of KFH and its spoke of Canada as a nation of immi- by the Canadian Embassy. The proceed- ing programs, workshops and field visits to ed away from the traditional academic lec- customers, enabling them to keep pace grants with a tremendously welcoming ings concluded with special thanks and a the largest and most prominent global tech- ture as well as the methods of digital trans- with the international levels in expertise, and caring population. An inspiring commemorative shield to Ambassador nology firms such as Microsoft, Google, formation of global institutions and the moti- skills, and knowledge of the development of video ‘Peace by Chocolate’ of a Syrian Emond and Araki. Volunteers, IWG Apple, Ripple, among others. The employ- vating creative work environment culture. banking operations and the business in its family’s settlement in Canada was Board members and online participants ees also visited laboratories of digital trans- They also learned how to avoid the tradition- broad sense. This enriches the employees’ enjoyed by all and was then followed by were also appreciated for making the formation in prominent American universi- al mentality of thinking, the flexible and agile experience and professional development performance within a culture of change and and enhances the leadership spirit of the a video performance from a world- event a great success. ties such as the University of Berkeley in California, as well as the Innovation Center continuous innovation, while accelerating young Kuwaiti. in Silicon Valley, BNP Paribas and other international institutions and prestigious FinTech companies. period (which was from 6 pm to 8 pm till In addition to extensive field visits to Police begin to yesterday, and 7 pm to 10:00 pm from Microsoft- Turkey, the employees also visit- today). When the Cabinet decided to ed the digital pioneer KFH-Turkey, which seize bikes impose a curfew from March 7, 2021, it contains research and innovation centers as announced that people are allowed to well as teams of hundreds of engineers, By Nawara Fattahova walk for two hours after the curfew where Forsa trainees learn about artificial begins in their residential areas. This per- intelligence products, process automation, KUWAIT: Authorities have started mission for walking does not include the smart branch, financing E-commerce, enforcing the ban on riding bicycles and using bicycles or scooters. Yet people, customer loyalty analysis, data science, and scooters during the walking period after mostly kids and teens, have not been digital applications which are among many the night-time curfew begins. For the respecting this ban for the past month. programs designed to promote digital inno- past two days, police patrols in Salwa And with the increasing number of bicy- vation in financial technology in trainees. and other areas have started seizing cle and scooter riders on the streets, the The trainees praised the importance of bicycles and scooters during the walking police decided to stop this activity. IWG members attend the virtual event. the program and its added value, which will