Kuwait

The United Nations Country Team in Kuwait

Currently, Mr. Wahid BEN AMOR (Tunis) is the UN Resident Coordinator a.i. and UNHCR Senior Liaison Officer, Head of Office in Kuwait

The United Nations Country Team in Kuwait works together to support the Government of Kuwait in meeting its national development goals, which were recently summarized by the Council of Ministers in the following 'Strategic Vision of Kuwait':

"Kuwait is a financial and commercial center, attractive to investors, where the private sector is leading the economy, creating competition and promoting efficiency, under the umbrella of enabling government institutions, which accentuate values, safeguard social identity, and realize human resource development as well as balanced development, providing adequate infrastructure, modern legislation and inspiring business environment."

In line with its expertise, the United Nations Country Team in Kuwait focuses in particular on supporting Kuwait institutions on the 'human' side of the development agenda, by prioritizing activities that can make an impact not just on how much economic wealth is generated, but also on how that economic wealth is mobilized and invested to better people’s quality of life through education, healthcare, and a vibrant and diversified private sector which provides attractive and sustainable job opportunities.

The United Nations Country Team members have grown in the past year with the addition of the World Bank and the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UNHABITAT), both of which opened resident offices in Kuwait in 2008.  These newest members of the Kuwait UNCT join the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the International Organization of Migration (IOM), all of which have been resident in Kuwait for many years.

The United Nations Country Team focuses on issues of common purpose where the agenda and scope of agencies' competencies coincide and where impact and development results can be greatly enhanced through common action. The two main themes for the UNCT in Kuwait in 2008 are promoting Gender Equality and promoting Fair Labour Policies and Practices. The Gender Thematic Group works together to ensure the mainstreaming of gender into the programmatic interventions and priorities of all of the agencies work in Kuwait and jointly sponsors national level advocacy and awareness raising events, such as the Family Law campaign conducted earlier in the year.  In the Labour area, the UN Country Team, through the representation of the International Organization of Migration, serves as a co-secretariat of bi-monthly labour meetings.

The United Nations Resident Coordinator leads the UN Country Team and is the designated representative of the United Nations Secretary-General for development operations. In the case of Kuwait, the United Nations Resident Coordinator is also the UNDP Resident Representative.

United Nations Resident Coordinator Annual Reports on Kuwait:

Annual Report 2007 for Kuwait

Annual Report 2006 for Kuwait

UNDP - United Nations Development Programme, Mr. Mohammad NACIRI, UNDP Resident Representative a.i., Kuwait.

UNHCR – United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, Mr. Wahid BEN AMOR, Senior Liaison Officer and Head of Office, Kuwait.

IOM – International Organization of Migration, Mr. Fawzi AL-ZIOUD, Officer-in-Charge, Kuwait.

ILO – International Labour Organization, Mr. Thabet AL-HAROUN, Officer in Charge, Kuwait.

Due to its Net Contributor Country (NCC) status, the limited and specialized presence of UN Agencies in Kuwait, and the limited funding available to those agencies, the UNCT in Kuwait does not have a harmonized programming framework. Instead, the UNCT meets monthly to share programmatic developments and information, coordinate activities, and provide mutual support.

The UNCT works jointly as a team on issues of common interest, most notably, on labour and migrant worker issues. Team work includes joint UNCT meetings with relevant Ministers, and joint organization and conduct of training workshops on labour – related issues through pooling of agency expertise, knowledge and financial resources.

All UNCT agencies in Kuwait are now located at the United Nations House, built and donated by the Government of Kuwait, to show its appreciation and support to the United Nations. This extraordinary building opened in January 2009 and now hosts all of the resident agencies together in one place.

UNCT News

21 June 2009

Kuwait celebrates World Refugee Day in the new UN House

The event was attended by representatives from MOFA and MOI and covered by a big number of local media and TV broadcast. The event celebrated this year under the title "real people, real needs" was an opportunity in Mr. Wahid Ben Amor, Head of Kuwait UNHCR Office statement to focus on the situation of 42 million people uprooted worldwide as mentioned in UNHCR annual report. During the Event the following NGOs were awarded for their support to UNHCR inside and outside Kuwait: Kuwait Red Crescent Society, International Islamic Charitable Organization, Zakat House, Kuwaiti Association of the Basic Evaluators for Human Rights. Kuwait Humanitarian Operations Center (HOC) was also honored for his assistance to UNHCR Basra office based in Kuwait since 2003. The ceremony was concluded with an art exhibition by Sinan Hussein an Iraqi artist, refugee in Kuwait.

28 April 2009

International Labor Organization celebrated its 90 years of existence

The Office of the ILO in Kuwait held a reception at the new United Nations House on the 28th April to celebrate 90 years since its inception. At the ceremony, the Minister of Social Affairs and Labor H.E Bader Al Dowailah, the President of the General Union of Workers of Kuwait Mr. Khalid Al-Azmi, and the representative of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Kuwait Mr. Abdul-Aziz Filij, were present as well as a significant number of diplomatic corps and guests, and the support of the UNCT,  the event was headed by ILO representative in Kuwait Mr. Thaben Al Haroon. As Al Dowailah mentioned : Kuwait is linked to the ILO since 1961 and has since joined in many of the achievements made in labor legislation to enrich and upgrade the conditions and terms of employment, thanks to the sincere desire and will confident of achieving the objectives of the ILO in its Constitution and the Charter for Philadelphia the world is under the social justice.

17 February 2009

United Nations conduct a building evacuation exercise in Kheitan compound

It has taken place by coordination with local authorities (Fire Brigade and Operation Room of Interior Ministry). An ambulance, six fire trucks, police patrol and high ranking Police Officers were present to implement the planed scenario and to ensure the full performance of local authorities and UNAMI Security Guards to deal with the event.

DO Kuwait has addressed the gathering of the staff members and her pleasant of the well organized exercise. Read the media coverage below....

15 February 2009

International Organization for Migration (IOM) organize a Workshop on Enhancing Management of Temporary Foreign Labour

Within the framework of the Abu Dhabi Dialogue and in line with its key partnerships for development between countries of origin and destination, IOM Kuwait hosted a workshop on Enhancing Management of Temporary Foreign Labour in Kuwait: An Orientation Course for Government and Civil Society Representatives aimed to increase the knowledge of relevant Government and civil society representatives on the foundations of migration management, with a specific focus on the authority and responsibilities of states as well as the rights and obligations of mobile populations. The Workshop also aimed to provide a basis for enhanced cooperation and networking between the Government and civil society in light of the interactive dialogue that took place in Abu Dhabi. This workshop was funded by the British embassy and with support of UNCT in Kuwait. Read the media coverage below....

Briefing on IOM Kuwait workshop - IOM Kuwait workshop agenda - Participants' Recommendations

27 January 2009

United Nations Resident Coordinator, Mrs. Valerie Cliff, attended the Diwaniya of Mrs. Najla al Naqi, women's activist in Kuwait

Mrs. Al Naqi hosted a forum for the Croatian media delegation, led by senior editors of the Croatian television in an open discussion to share media experience with Kuwait media representatives. Read the media coverage below....

18 January 2009

Inauguration of the New United Nations House in Kuwait

The official inauguration of the new United Nations house was held on Sunday, January 18, 2009. The Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sheikh Dr. Mohammad Al-Sabah joined the United Nations Secretary General Ban-Ki Moon for this occasion. They shared in a special ribbon cutting ceremony at the traditional Kuwaiti doors entrance followed by a walk through tour of the building. Visit our Photo Gallery for more pictures on this event. Read the media coverage below....