ARAB TIMES, SUNDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2015

LOCAL

Syrian crisis tops GCC summits agenda

Current unrest in region casts shadow on security
RIYADH, Dec 5, (KUNA): The
Syrian file will be one of the
most prominent files to be discussed by the 36th session of the
Supreme Council of the Gulf
Cooperation Council of Arab
Gulf states, hosted by Saudi
Arabia on December 9, especially the refugees issue.
The previous GCC summit emphasized need for a political solution to the
Syrian crisis, according to the Geneva
1 (June 2012) so as to ensure security
and stability of Syria and unity of its
territory, meet aspirations of the Syrian
people, need for concerted international efforts to deliver humanitarian assistance to all civilians affected, support
all efforts to assist and protect displaced people and refugees.
Nearly five years after outbreak of the
Syrian crisis, humanitarian situation of the

Syrian people is still being aggravated with

increasing numbers of refugees reaching
nearly four million, amidst absence of a
political solution which would require more
effort by the international community in
order to alleviate their suffering and stem
their growing numbers.
The international arena will soon witness increasing diplomatic activities, at
various levels, in a bid to find a solution
to this crisis where the Saudi capital,
Riyadh, will host on December 11 a conference of the Syrian opposition, on sidelines of the 36th GCC summit.
The meeting comes in response to a
Saudi initiative to unify the opposition
groups positions before the next round of
peace talks with the Damascus regime.
Moreover, the Saudi initiative asserts the
GCC priority concern for the crisis.
Moreover, the forecast discussions in
Riyadh will be within the framework of
the Vienna diplomatic process, which
aims to reach a political settlement in
Syria, under the UN auspices.

Not just for recreation

Theater enhances
natl unity: experts
KUWAIT CITY, Dec 5, (KUNA): Specialists taking part in a
seminar held here on Saturday stressed the role of theater for
enhancing national unity, through handling crucial issues.
The seminar was organized by the National Council for
Culture, Arts and Letters (NCCAL) under theater and promoting national unity within the framework of the 16th Kuwait
Theater Festival. Discussions stressed how theater is closely relevant to peoples concerns and national issues.
Theater is a deep intellectual discourse, that handles cultural,
social, economic and social topics, which together form the variegated fabric of national unity, NCCALs Assistant SecretaryGeneral for arts and theater sector Bader AlDuweesh told the
event.
In addition, theater is basic for protecting social conduct and
enhancing the concept of good citizenships among the Arab people, he added.
AlDuweesh reiterated how theater is pivotal for countering
extremism amid the current critical conditions the Arab World is
going through.
Theater is not merely for recreation, but it has a message that
has to address surrounding hazards, he noted.
Bahraini Zahraa Al-Mansour reviewed a paper during the
seminar on theater in the Kingdom.
Initially, after independence, theater criticized the political
and social conditions in an artistic way that appealed to the audience, she said. It later developed and theatrical troupes were
formed. Al-Mansour shared the view on the guiding role of
drama.
For the theater to be effective, its discourse has to be invested
for promoting unity, handling national causes for the good of all,
she said.
The 16th Kuwait Theater Festival, held under patronage of
Minister of Information and Minister of State for Youth Affairs
and NCCAL Chairman Sheikh Salman Al-Sabah, Dec 1-11.

A number of UN officials serving in Iraqs Kurdistan have

lauded Kuwaits leading role in relieving Syrian refugees, said
Kuwaiti General Consul in Irbil Dr Omar Al-Kanderi.
Al-Kanderi said he heard the words of praise for Kuwait during a meeting with Peter Hans, the director of UNICEF office
here, the local office head for the UN Human Settlements
Programs Yuo Estilo and the director of World Health
Organization bureau. The meeting was held at the UN compound, late on Friday.
The UN officials affirmed during the meeting that the UN designation of His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad AlJaber Al-Sabah as The Humanitarian Leader, came as a result
of his multiple initiatives for helping stricken peoples worldwide. They also expressed readiness to coordinate with the
diplomatic mission to distribute Kuwaiti aid to those in need.
The talks dealt with means of securing vaccinations for children, particularly now with onset of winter, providing psychological help to locals, who have been traumatized by the war and
the mass exodus of Syrians to Europe.
Kuwait has hosted three international conferences for raising
donations for the Syrians. Billions of dollars had been pledged
and Kuwait had already contributed with $200 million.
According to UN figures, more than 10 million people in Iraq
need aid. Up to 3.2 million Iraqis have fled their country since
January 2014.

News in Brief
Jahra Road completion 82%: Assistant Undersecretary for Roads Sector at the Ministry of Public Works Eng
Ahmad Al-Hassan has confirmed completion of 82 percent of
the Jahra Road development project and 44 percent of the
highway intersections serving Sheikh Jaber Al-Ahmad City,
disclosing four kilometers of the bridge along Jahra Road will
be opened by the end of this month, reports Al-Jarida daily.
He clarified these new roads are aimed at easing traffic
flow, particularly in the health district. He said the new road
network, once completed, will be regarded as an enormous
leap in terms of traffic movement in the country.
Stressing the ministry is keen on executing its projects
according to the schedule in coordination with the concerned
authorities, Al-Hassan affirmed the ministry has obtained
approval from the Central Tenders Committee (CTC) to construct three vital roads in new cities with an estimated cost of
KD 170 million.

Bid to improve educ system: Undersecretary at the

Ministry of Education Dr Haitham Al-Atheri has asked the
directors of educational zones to conduct a study on the possibility of appointing female teachers and their counterparts
in other sectors of the ministry in close proximity to their
accommodations, reports Al-Anba daily.
The step is in the framework of constructive cooperation
between the ministry and the National Assembly to provide
an atmosphere conducive for the women employed by the
ministry, and to improve education system in the country.
It is worth mentioning Al-Atheri received a letter from the
Undersecretary of State for National Assembly Affairs
Engineer Ahmad Al-Morshid saying the parliament had
agreed on the proposal submitted by MP Askar Al-Enezi to
appoint female teachers and their counterparts working in the
schools, institutes and departments affiliated to the ministry
in the vicinity of their accommodations.

Report alleges commission: Agents of international

companies which signed contracts for the implementation of
major oil projects in Kuwait are allegedly getting around six
to 10 percent commission, so all international companies
have local agents who act as middlemen to collect the commission, reports Al-Shahed daily quoting sources.
Sources disclosed some companies involved in the recruitment of technical workers in the oil sector raised their commission to 14 percent in fiscal 2013/2014. Sources said this
increased to 16 percent in fiscal 2014/2015 and it is up to 26
percent in some cases.

Vienna hosted the first two rounds of

talks on Syria, which took place between
the major powers and the Gulf countries,
where participants agreed on a political
process leading to elections in the troubled country in two years, but some disagreements persisted on key issues, such
as destiny of President Bashar Al-Assad.
London will also host the fourth international conference for donors to support
the humanitarian situation in Syria early
next February, co-chairing the event with
the State of Kuwait, besides Sweden and
Germany.
Since outbreak of the Syrian crisis in
March 2011, Kuwait had hosted three
international conferences for donors to
support the humanitarian situation in Syria
in cooperation with the United Nations. It
also hosted three conferences of Kuwaiti
non-governmental associations besides
Gulf, Arab and Islamic gatherings. Kuwait
hosts a regular meeting every three months
for a major donors to continue humanitarian operations in Syria.

The value of pledges during the three

international conferences for the donors
amounted to around USD 7.7 billion,
including USD 1.3 billion pledged by
Kuwait and fulfilled them to the international
humanitarian
organizations
involved in the implementation of relief
programs in and outside Syria.
The United Arab Emirates has offered
since the beginning of the conflict in Syria
more than USD 539 million whereas the
Saudi aid at the government and popular
levels has amounted at more than USD 660
million. Qatar has donated more than USD
1.5 billion, whereas Qatari non-governmental organizations carried out relief
projects of more than USD 97 million.
Also in this context, the State of
Kuwait has appealed to members of the
international community to effectively
participate in the fourth international
donors conference in order to provide
the required response to the UN appeals
to support the urgent humanitarian situation for those affected in Syria.

The current wave of violence that is

rocking the whole region casts shadow on
the security, political and economic conditions in many Arab countries, a matter that
affirms urgency to continue the march of
promoting economic integration among the
Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC).
After more than 34 years since establishment of the GCC as a regional organization aimed at achieving coordination and
coherence among its member states in all
fields down to their joint determination and
unity, an urgent need remains to promote
economic integration among them to face
consequences of political, economic and
security crises in the region as well as challenges posed by global markets and international developments as well as to deal
with sharp decline in revenues due to
falling oil prices by more than 70 percent.
The GCC states had over the past years
made long and great strides in achieving
coordination and integration in all economic fields to serve their common goals
and to achieve unity taking into account

the economic similarity of resources and

production, the environment and geographical proximity, with an average per
capita GDP of USD 33,500.
The first step, taken by the GCC states
in this regard, was approval by the
Supreme Council at its second session in
November 1981 of the Unified Economic
Agreement aimed to draw up a plan for
joint economic action, stages of integration and economic cooperation between
the GCC countries, constituting the
nucleus of complementary programs that
have been developed in detail over the
first 20 years of the Council.
This agreement included in particular
four key items including achievement of
economic integration between the GCC
states according to gradual steps, starting
with creation of a free trade zone and customs union, and then completion of the
GCC common market accomplishment of
the monetary and economic union and
establishment of the necessary common
institutions.