Kuwait PM: Four decades of giving
KUWAIT: His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Ahmad Al-Abdullah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah is distinguished with deep scientific, professional and political experience that he has acquired from serving in multiple official posts for decades. His Highness the Prime Minister’s march was capped with a resolution by His Highness the Amir Sheikh Mishal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah on April 15, 2024, appointing him as the head of the government.
He had been quite successful in his works in the sectors of banking and public administration, mirroring a unique mentality of deep know-how on setting the priorities to press ahead with the aspired development. His Highness Sheikh Ahmad Al-Abdullah, born in 1952, studied at Al-Sharqiah School in Kuwait, the American University in Beirut, and obtained a Bachelor’s degree in bank funding and investments in 1976 from the University of Illinois, the US.
Forty years ago, he kicked off his career march working at the Kuwait Financial Center until the 70s, and then he joined the Central Bank of Kuwait where he remained until 1987. Later, he occupied the post of the banking supervision administration before shifting to Burgan Bank where he was named the chairperson serving in the top post between 1987 and 1998.
Having acquired tremendous experience in the finance and business worlds, he began climbing the public echelon serving as a minister as of July 1999 in the departments of finance and transport.
Sheikh Ahmad had carried the portfolios of transport, planning, administrative development, oil and information. And on Sept 20, 2021, the Cabinet adopted a decree naming him the head of the Crown Prince Diwan with a Minister’s degree. He had employed his potential in pushing ahead the country’s development enterprises, improving the financial performance, overhauling the financial policies and boosting financial sustainability.
His Highness, on several occasions, affirmed necessity of transparency, combating corruption and protecting public funds. He had translated words into action, referring several irregularity cases to the public prosecution. Sheikh Ahmad Al-Abdullah believes that Kuwait’s real wealth is the youth and has affirmed the necessity of volunteering actions and boosting the role of technology in various sectors.
His Highness the Prime Minister, when he was named as the Minister of Transport, Minister of Planning and Minister of State for Administrative Development on July 14, 2003, laid the cornerstone for the “government mall enterprise,” sought to upgrade the administrative systems, accelerate the pace of development, enhancing skills of the national cadres and overseeing the development scheme. On June 15, 2005, he took the Health and Transport portfolios, set up partnerships with international medical institutions, devoted attention to medical research and accelerated the enacting of health legislations.
During this period, he adopted the initiative to establish a special fund for financial health ventures. On Feb 9, 2009, he was named Minister of Oil and in May of the same year, he was appointed as Minister of Oil and Information. During the service, he had taken decisive stands to solidify the national unity by activating the audio-visual law, the publishing law and blessed a package of amendments to the two laws.
While in office at the Ministry of Oil, a new strategy was adopted to increase the crude output, luring and employing national cadres to run the oil operations in and outside Kuwait, in addition to reaching new markets. Moreover, during his service in the chain of offices, he exerted great efforts to cement the bonds and ties with great powers, friendly and brotherly nations, in addition to regional and international organizations. He also advocates strengthening the inter-GCC interaction in various fields, supporting the Palestinian cause, promoting the status of Kuwait and ridding decision making of personal interests. — KUNA
