Kuwait is replacing the boards of major government entities, a far-reaching overhaul in the OPEC nation where the crown prince has vowed to end political deadlock.
The cabinet issued directives to ministers asking for the current boards to be dissolved, according to a letter issued last month and obtained by Bloomberg. Ministers were asked to propose replacement members. Crown Prince Sheikh Mishaal Al-Ahmed Al-Sabah has already replaced key figures in government.
The latest overhaul will allow “a new phase, that achieves the targets and aspirations of the political leadership” to be built, the letter from the Council of Ministers’ General Secretariat says.
It says Prime Minister Sheikh Ahmad Nawaf Al-Sabah gave directives to review and evaluate the performance of senior people, including members and trustees of boards, and terminate decrees relating to their formation.
Al-Qabas newspaper, which first reported the contents of the letter, said the order for boards to be dismantled was effective Sunday. The decision could lead to mergers of some government agencies, according to the newspaper.
It was unclear if the $769 billion wealth fund Kuwait Investment Authority and central bank would be included in the revamp. The fund has faced turmoil over its London-based arm. The decision doesn’t apply to boards that were recently formed, and is therefore unlikely to include that of state oil group Kuwait Petroleum Corp.
Years of policy paralysis and claims of corruption have created widespread discontent among citizens in Kuwait. While little is known about the replacements, many Kuwaitis are embracing any change as positive.
Government officials contacted by Bloomberg couldn’t immediately be reached for comment.
Kuwait has gone through major political upheaval in the past two years, even by the standards of a country known for deep domestic frictions and frequent elections. Its top leadership changed in 2020 after Emir Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmed Al-Sabah succeeded his half brother, who had managed the main levers of power for decades.
The crown prince announced the dissolution of parliament in a statement on behalf of the emir in June and called for fresh elections, set to take place Sept. 29.
The emir blamed discord between lawmakers and the government for months of political turbulence that have paralyzed policymaking in the OPEC nation, and said the move was aimed at addressing the issue.
