The Prime Minister pledges to fight corruption and dry up the sources of money laundering

The Crown Prince of Kuwait calls on the government and parliament to end tension and achieve consensus between them

Kuwaiti Crown Prince during a speech on behalf of the Emir of the country at the opening of Parliament.

EPA

The Crown Prince of Kuwait, Sheikh Mishaal Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, yesterday demanded the new National Assembly (Parliament) and the government to end the state of tension that has prevailed over the past years between the legislative and executive authorities, and to achieve consensus and harmony between them, while the Kuwaiti Prime Minister, Sheikh Ahmed Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah pledged combating corruption, enhancing integrity, and drying up the sources of money laundering and drug trafficking.

In a speech he delivered on behalf of the Emir of the country, Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, at the opening of the parliament that was elected on September 29, the Kuwaiti Crown Prince said, "We, the people and the political leadership, hope that you will end the time of tension and fractured relations between you."

He demanded that they respect the constitution, and that a time of consensus, harmony, purity of hearts, sincerity of intentions, and unification of the word would come between them.

The Crown Prince said, "Enough of the strenuous efforts, precious time, and misplaced money that have not benefited the country or the citizens."

The council chose its president by acclamation, the veteran parliamentarian Ahmed Abdulaziz Al-Saadoun, who held this position between 1985 and 1999, amid warm applause from the deputies. Muhammad Barak Al-Mutair was also elected as Vice-President.

The government did not participate in the voting process to choose any of the parliament’s positions, in compliance with the Crown Prince’s promise to stand neutral in electing members of the Council and its internal elections as well, so that “the Council is the master of its decision.”

Kuwait, a member of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries, relies almost entirely on oil revenues to finance the general budget, and previous governments failed to pass important financial and economic reforms due to the conflict with Parliament.

In his speech, the Crown Prince called on members of the legislative authority to “improve democratic practice, and to refrain from wasting parliament sessions with polemics and quarrels, and adjourning sessions ahead of time.”

He called on them to "focus instead on strengthening the council's oversight role and activating its legislative role by issuing laws."

He stressed the need for the deputies to "arrange their priorities for the next stage, so that the files of violators, violators and outlaws are not your most important priorities at the expense of the state's comprehensive development plans."

He said that he hoped members of Parliament "that their democratic practice will be white and not bad, so that they do not lose the people's trust and our confidence in them."

The crown prince, who has taken over most of the emir's duties, first appointed Sheikh Ahmed Nawaf al-Sabah as prime minister in July, after some opposition lawmakers staged an open-ended sit-in to press for a new prime minister.

Since assuming most of the duties of the emir late last year, the crown prince has tried to achieve the missing consensus between the appointed government and the elected parliament, and to push the wheels of reforms.

Yesterday, the Crown Prince said that members of the government "have the responsibility to go to the base, with the aim of touching the needs of the citizens, and seeking to achieve their demands."

He called on the government to develop a strategic plan in which it explains its program of work, with the aim of achieving what is called “good governance.”

He directed the government to announce and adopt two initiatives, the first “hidden references” and the second “confidential reporter,” to monitor the employee and how he deals with the auditors, while “setting the legal controls for each of the two initiatives, to prevent the employee from being slandered and slandered.”

He called on members of the legislative and executive authorities to "stay away from preoccupation with small matters, and focus on what benefits the country and people."

In his speech to Parliament, the Prime Minister spoke of welcoming “a new era with an atmosphere of optimism and hope.

And moving towards a new stage of the desired cooperation, away from the atmosphere of conflicts.”

He promised to present the government's work program "that is realistic and feasible for implementation according to a specific timetable."

He said that the program will include initiatives to sustain public finances, diversify the state's financial revenues, restructure the public sector, combat corruption, enhance integrity, and dry up sources of money laundering and drug trafficking.

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