Kuwaiti minister calls for social media investment

Minister of Information and Minister of State for Youth Affairs Sheikh Salman Sabah Al-Salem Al-Humoud Al-Sabah stressed here on Sunday importance of investing in the uses of social networking in order to attain job opportunities for youth and increase their productive abilities, as well as to increase national product. Sheikh Salman asserted, during his speech at the opening of the first regional forum for social and technological networking 2013, that ideal usage of these networks, which are equipped with telecommunication and media technologies, must be carried out in effective scientific methods on ground, especially in practicing economic, commercial, and scientific activities. Kuwait is one of the major users of Twitter in the region in accordance with proportionality, the minister said, noting that the world has become a global village as a study indicates that total users of the Internet in the Arab world is around 103 million, while users of mobile phones with social networking applications is around 270 million. Moreover, he expressed his hope in that the forum attains the general goal and reaches a strategic, scientific, and realistic work plan appropriate with the social environment in region's countries, stemmming from authentic values and traditions that are derived from sacred Islamic faith. He wished the forum to come out with recommendations that would serve Arab nations in general, especially Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries in order to achieve best usage of modern communication and media tools.