Kuwaiti cabinet okays several agreements with friendly countries

The cabinet reviewed and approved a number of draft laws relative to cooperation agreements with several friendly countries, in its weekly meeting held Monday at Seif Palace.
The bills were endorsed after thorough deliberations and upon recommendations from the Legal Affairs Committee, said Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah.
The cabinet, chaired by His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber Mubarak Al-Hamad Al-Sabah, gave thumbs up for a bill on an agreement with the French government on cooperation in the agricultural domain.
It also approved two draft laws on an investment protection and promotion agreement with Cuba and an agreement with Lithuania over avoidance of double taxation and evasion of taxation.
The ministers agreed on a bill on trade mark system of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) member states' products and a draft law amending law No 29 of 1961 for the establishment of Kuwait Flour Mills Company to transfer the private sector's shares in the company to the state.
The cabinet referred the approved draft laws and sent them to His Highness the Amir to consider before referring them to the National Assembly (Parliament) for deliberation.
Meanwhile, the cabinet approved the appointment of Bader Al-Refaie as assistant secretary general of the General Secretariat of the Supreme Council for Planning and Development as of November 12.
Minister of Social Affairs and Labor and Minister of State for Planning and Development Hend Al-Sabeeh briefed the cabinet about the progress of the work of the committee in charge of addressing the problem of the fake employment of nationals in private sector companies.
Earlier, the cabinet was informed about a letter addressed to His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah from the President of the Islamic Republic of Iran Hasan Rouhani. The letter focused on efforts and propels to expand bilateral cooperation in various domains and at different levels.
It was apprised of a letter sent to His Highness the Amir from Chadian Prime Minister Kalzeube Payimi Deubet about means to strengthen bilateral relations.
The cabinet welcomed Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama's visit to Kuwait during the period November 18-20.
The cabinet congratulated the Sultanate of Oman on the celebrations of the 44th National Day, slated for November 18. It lauded the great development and achievements of the Sultanate under the wise leadership of Sultan Qaboos bin Said. It also extolled Sultan Qaboos' efforts to strengthen Omani-Kuwaiti relations.
Later, the ministers discussed the main issues on the agenda of the coming National Assembly sessions. They also debated the latest regional and international political developments.