LOCAL
7
ISSUES
Why Companies
Should Refuse
Trump’s Deregulation
Housemaids employment
company to start
operation in August
www.timeskuwait.com
30 April - 06 May, 2017
Established 1996
Issue No 845
5
150 Fils
Private firms face succession, governance challenges
I
in GCC economies, next only to
governments of the region. With
nearly three-quarter of all private
sector enterprises belonging to this
category, family-controlled firms not
only drive regional economies but
also collectively constitute a crucial
variable element in the development
n the highly competitive modern-day
business environment, family-run
enterprises in Gulf Cooperation Council
(GCC) states face several challenges,
including succession issues and adhering
to corporate governance standards that
unless tackled will continue to hobble
their growth potential.
A new report by the Gulf Family
Business Council (GFBC) and
management
consultancy
firm,
McKinsey & Company, shows that the
largest GCC family-owned businesses
collectively generate over US$100
billion in annual revenues and remain
Times AD Sale.pdf
1
4/26/17
the second largest shareholder
agenda of the region.
In recent years, rapid globalization
and closer GCC integration, which
opened up new vistas for businesses,
also brought more competition to
the home turfs of many Gulf family
enterprises. The pressure to expand
11:16 PM
or be trampled over by more agile new
Painting
9.
80x80
arrivals, led many family businesses
to engage in rapid, ill-planned
expansion drives for which they either
did not have the resources or the
competencies.
The
financial
and
human
resource challenges faced by these
family enterprises were further
exacerbated by the lack of effective
corporate governance frameworks
and the absence of proper
succession planning. Accordingly,
many companies ended up either
floundering in the new competitive
environment, or becoming embroiled
in acrimonious legal cases. Second
or third generation family members
squabbling over the sharing and
managing of family assets are a
common occurrence among many
family-run firms in the Gulf.
Structured governance process
and succession planning are crucial to
firms, especially to family businesses
as many of them are expected to
undergo a generational change over
the next five to 10 years. With over
half of family businesses in the Gulf
currently transitioning from second to
third generation, this unpreparedness
for succession has held back the
growth potential of many companies.
Continued on Page 12
Pope Francis in Egypt on historic visit
P
ope Francis started a historic
two-day official visit to Egypt
on Friday, 28 April, by holding talks
with Egyptian President Abdelfatah
Al-Sisi on means of boosting ties
between Cairo and the Vatican,
and on reinforcing inter-religious
dialogue and supporting tolerance.
The papal visit comes upon
an invitation from President
Abdelfatah Al-Sisi, who met Pope
Francis when he visited the Vatican
in late 2014. The visit also coincides
with the 70th anniversary of the
Egyptian-Vatican relations, which
dates back to 1947.
An official statement form the
Egyptian Presidency stated that
President Al-Sisi hosted Pope Francis
in a bilateral meeting, followed with
another one including members of
the Pope's delegation and Egyptian
officials. During the meetings,
President Al-Sisi lauded the Pope
for making this significant visit to
the nation amid hard circumstances
prevailing across the world.
Continued on Page 13
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30 April - 06 May, 2017
SPOTLIGHT
The Times Kuwait
www.timeskuwait.com
EXCLUSIVE to
THE TIMES KUWAIT
Uniting against Malaria
Julie Essiam and Joy Phumaphi
Julie Essiam is Chief Executive Officer of the
Ecobank Foundation. Joy Phumaphi is Executive
Secretary of the African Leaders Malaria Alliance.
A
s African women leading influential and
impact-driven organizations — the Ecobank
Foundation and the African Leaders Malaria
Alliance (ALMA) — we are passionate about
building a prosperous, inclusive, and sustainable
African economy. But achieving that goal requires
accelerating progress toward eradicating the
diseases that continue to deplete our communities
of their most valuable resource: healthy people.
One such disease is malaria.
To be sure, Africa has lately made significant
progress in combating malaria. From 2010 to 2015,
as part of the global Millennium Development
Goals, the continent reduced the malaria incidence
rate (the number of new infections) by 21 percent
and malaria deaths by 31 percent.
But malaria remains a serious threat to the
wellbeing of millions of Africans. In 2015, an
estimated 212 million people contracted malaria
worldwide, with 47 percent of cases concentrated
in just six African countries. An estimated 429,000
people – mostly children under five years of age
– died from malaria that year, with 92 percent of
those deaths occurring in Africa and 40 percent
occurring in just two countries, Nigeria and the
Democratic Republic of Congo. There is, therefore,
an urgent need to accelerate progress – and end
malaria for good.
This is both a moral and economic imperative.
Preventable illnesses and deaths limit the ability
of communities to contribute to Africa’s muchneeded economic transformation. In many African
countries, malaria reduces GDP growth by one
percentage point per year. The effort to end
malaria can therefore not be separated from the
effort to ensure prosperity across Africa.
The Copenhagen Consensus think tank
estimates that every dollar invested in ending
malaria yields $36 in economic returns. To reap
these benefits, African countries must increase
domestic-resource mobilization substantially.
Africa’s private sector, in particular, has a crucial
role to play in developing innovative solutions that
address malaria’s growing resistance to existing
drugs, as well as mosquitoes’ growing resistance
to insecticides. Moreover, the private sector can
help to address inefficiencies in supply-chain
management and logistics, thereby facilitating
distribution of insecticides and long-lasting
insecticidal nets.
Of course, even with private-sector investment,
progress toward eradicating malaria in Africa will
be uneven, not least because different countries
are at different points on the path. Senegal –
where the share of malaria-related outpatient
visits fell from 36 percent in 2001 to just 3.3
percent last year – is now on track to achieve socalled pre-elimination by 2020. Meanwhile, other
African countries – such as Angola and Somalia
– are struggling to make any progress at all, as
indicated in the ALMA scorecard for accountability
and action.
No single African country can reliably eliminate
malaria so long as the disease remains rampant
among its neighbors. Malaria does not, after all,
respect borders. That is why it is vital for African
governments to work together, using every tool
at their disposal, to achieve comprehensive
malaria control, pre-elimination, and, ultimately,
elimination.
ALMA – a coalition of 49 African heads of state
and government working to eliminate malaria by
2030 – aims to advance precisely such cooperation,
by focusing on accountability and action at
the national, regional, and global levels. ALMA
provides management tools, such as the scorecard
for accountability and action that help to track
progress, identify obstacles and bottlenecks,
and advance solutions. These tools are versatile
and adaptable throughout the continent. Where
needed, ALMA has provided support to address
challenges directly with countries, in cooperation
with partners, or through results-based
management structures.
The Ecobank Foundation is also doing its part:
its investment of both cash and in-kind services
and training has enhanced the impact of the
Global Fund partnership in Africa. By helping to
strengthen the financial-management capabilities
of grant recipients in Nigeria, Senegal, and South
Sudan, the foundation is unlocking funding for
health programs in those countries – and is now
expanding its support to Chad and Zambia.
And there is more. Through its digital financial
platform, the Ecobank Foundation is leveraging
its presence to bring in new funding for the fight
against malaria. And it is raising awareness as
well, among its own staff and other stakeholders,
of how to support malaria prevention, including
through mosquito nets and a clean environment.
The goal of eradicating malaria in our lifetime
may sound ambitious, but it is achievable.
Together, Africa’s governments and private sector
can produce the investment and action needed
to stop the disease for good – and ensure greater
prosperity across the continent.
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30 April - 06 May, 2017
FOCUS
The Times Kuwait
www.timeskuwait.com
EXCLUSIVE to
THE TIMES KUWAIT
The Path to Universal Education
Jakaya Kikwete
Former president of Tanzania, is a member of the
International Commission on Financing Global
Education Opportunity
I
t may be true that every journey begins with a
single step. But when it comes to education,
especially in low- and middle-income countries,
we have a long way to go. Fortunately, many
efforts are now underway to help these
countries cover the distance and reach the
Sustainable Development Goal of ensuring
quality education for all by 2030.
As a special envoy for the International
Commission on Financing Global Education
Opportunity, I have led high-level delegations
to 14 countries across Africa. On those visits,
I witnessed firsthand the commitment of the
continent’s leaders to undertake reforms and
boost investment in education.
But if the SDG on education is to be
achieved, African leaders’ commitment must
be matched by commensurate support from
the international community, potentially
through an International Finance Facility for
Education (IFFEd). As matters now stand, the
international community is falling short in this
area, particularly when it comes to financing.
Even as many countries in the developing
world have stepped up their commitment
to improving and expanding education
opportunities, education has remained
chronically underfinanced, with funding levels
The IFFEd would not be a handout. It would
far below what is needed to achieve education
support countries, many of which already invest
benchmarks. Since 2002, education’s share
a significant portion of their national budgets in
of official development assistance (ODA) has
education, in their efforts to achieve the SDG on
actually fallen, from 13 percent to 10 percent.
education. It is the biggest, boldest, and most
The
Education
Commission’s
profound step we can take to ensure that the
groundbreaking Learning Generation report
next generation is not lost, but learning.
makes clear what is at stake, particularly for
In partnership with Education Commission
African countries that have long suffered
Chair and former British Prime Minister Gordon
from education shortfalls. By 2050, Africa
Brown, I have taken several steps to advance
will be home to a billion young people. By
the creation of an IFFEd. The first step was to
2030, if current trends persist, only one in ten
determine which countries, if any, saw the need
young people will be on track to gain basic
for it and would be willing to do the work needed
secondary-level skills in low-income countries,
to benefit from it.
the majority of which are in Africa. Simply put,
So, when visiting an African leader, I would ask
we now risk compromising the future of an
a simple question: In light of
entire generation.
the Education Commission’s
But that outcome can
report and action plan,
be avoided. The Education
would they be willing to
Commission’s report also
commit to the levels of
shows that progress on By 2050, Africa will be home
education investment and
education reform, coupled
to a billion young people.
reform required to qualify
with more effective spending,
By 2030, if current trends
for IFFEd assistance? The
could increase access to
leaders of all 14 countries I
education, boost completion
persist, only one in ten
visited said yes. Indeed, they
rates, and improve learning
young people will be on track not only expressed their
outcomes considerably.
to gain basic secondaryinterest in becoming ‘pioneer
To advance these goals,
countries’; all of the leaders
the Education Commission
level skills in low-income
I met declared that such
proposes a financing compact
countries, the majority of
a breakthrough was both
whereby low- and middlecritical and long overdue.
which are in Africa.
income countries would
Now comes the hard
agree to increase domestic
part: turning rhetoric into
public
expenditure
on
reality and commitment into
education from an average
progress. With the demand
of about 4 percent of GDP
for an IFFEd well established, we are ready
today to 5.8 percent of GDP by 2030, while
to bring the call for a mass mobilization of
implementing reforms that ensure the efficient
international finance for education to those who
use of resources. In exchange, the international
can make it happen. We will do so at the IMFcommunity would increase its financing over
World Bank Spring Meetings this week, at the
this period, from about $16 billion per year to
G20 summit in July, and at the United Nations
some $90 billion, as well as provide coordination
General Assembly in September.
mechanisms to ensure the most efficient use of
We will continue taking steps to advance
funds. ODA would have an important role to
education reform and development where it
play in delivering on the compact. And, indeed,
is needed most. We hope that, before long,
the Education Commission calls for increasing
the international community will join us, by
education’s share of ODA to 15 percent. But
participating in the IFFEd. Only if we all work
even with such an increase, more funding will be
in unison can we fulfill our promise to have all
needed. That is where the IFFEd comes in.
children in school within a generation.
The IFFEd would bring together bilateral
As we take further steps to achieve this vital
donors, the World Bank, and regional
goal, we should be inspired and guided by the
development banks in a coordinated manner,
words of Nelson Mandela: “Education is the
enabling them to pool their resources and
most powerful weapon which you can use to
leverage idle capital where appropriate. Once
change the world.”
in operation, the IFFEd could, by 2020, mobilize
We can achieve a world-changing education
$13 billion annually in additional resources for
revolution within a generation. But everyone
education in countries determined to invest in
needs to play their part.
and reform education.
The Times Kuwait
www.timeskuwait.com
30 April - 06 May, 2017
VIEWPOINT
Why
be the desirable mining and manufacturing jobs
Trump keeps promising. They are more likely
to be in areas like environmental remediation.
Perhaps additional medical specialties will
emerge or grow, to deal with the consequences
of outcomes like polluted waterways.
Maintaining
regulations,
particularly
environmental rules, would also produce new
Lucy P. Marcus
kinds of jobs. Clean energy, for example, is
CEO of Marcus Venture Consulting
already creating new jobs faster than almost
any other sector in the American economy
— a trend that could, with the right policies,
S President Donald Trump may seem
continue to gain momentum. Yet, far from
like a dream come true for business. A
implementing the right policies, the Trump
businessman himself, Trump is eager to please
administration wants to decimate them.
companies with extensive deregulation. But, if
This creates a conundrum for businesses
companies are not careful, they will come to
around the world. Previously, companies were
regret what they wished for.
largely able to avoid thorny discussions about
Just as Trump governs by id, he wants to allow
ethics and morality, if they just followed the
business leaders to manage their companies
law. Now, boards and executive teams must
the same way. It is certainly tempting for
consider carefully how to balance their shortsome. Indeed, companies are lining up to
term commercial objectives not only with
take advantage of rollbacks of data privacy,
their long-term business prospects, but also
environmental rules, worker protections,
with their fundamental ethical obligations. In
banking regulations, consumer rights, and rules
something of a prisoner’s dilemma, CEOs will
regarding conflict minerals. Many are keen to
have to decide whether they can risk losing
see how far they can push an administration
ground to competitors who take advantage of
that, so far, seems willing to agree to just about
supposed opportunities, like
anything.
the ability to dump toxic coal
But, contrary to Trump’s
ash into streams and rivers
rhetoric, this approach is
with complete impunity.
not really pro-business. By
Fortunately,
some
pursuing radical deregulation,
companies
seem
to
be
the Trump administration is
making the right choice,
practically begging businesses
speaking out in support of
to harm consumers, the
maintaining
regulations,
environment, and, in the
especially
those
aimed at
long
run,
themselves.
mitigating climate change.
Indeed, as the consequences
Retailer Gap Inc., global food
of companies’ actions are
and drinks manufacturer
exposed, public trust in those
Mars Inc., beer maker
businesses — not to mention
Anheuser-Busch
InBev,
in the government that was
The impact of deregulation and technology company
supposed to regulate them
Microsoft, among others,
— will be decimated. Boards
in the US will be felt
have committed to continue
of directors’ risk committees
worldwide, especially if the adhering to now-eliminated
should be sounding the alarm.
environmental regulations.
Public trust in corporations
US-based multinational
But these companies
is already weak. Throughout
companies
that
take
remain
in the minority. Boards
the
developed
world,
of
directors,
large global
companies, like governments,
advantage of it are allowed
investors, and consumers
are confronting growing
to benefit from that choice. must step up to persuade
cynicism and anger, with
more companies to join
much of the public feeling
them. As the ‘shareholder
violated and dismissed. Far
springs’ of the last several
from seizing on deregulation
years have shown, investors
to improve their own profit
—
particularly
private-equity
and sovereignmargins, at the expense of consumers and
wealth funds — can shift the trajectory of
communities, companies should be working
corporate decision-making. Likewise, outspoken
hard to boost transparency.
consumers, using means from protests to
But what about job creation? That is, after
social media, can help swing the pendulum on
all, a pillar of Trump’s economic plan — an
a wide range of issues, from remuneration to
objective that he claims deregulation will go a
corporate responsibility. Indeed, just last week,
long way toward achieving. Here, too, the likely
the Fox News host Bill O’Reilly lost his job,
result does not live up to Trump’s rhetoric.
despite having America’s most popular cable
To be sure, deregulation may create some new
news show, when advertisers, facing concerted
jobs over the next decade or so. But they will not
U
5
Companies Should Refuse
Trump’s Deregulation
grassroots pressure, quickly deserted him. The
revelation that O’Reilly and Fox News’s parent
company had paid $13 million to multiple women
to settle complaints of sexual harassment
against him made him a high-risk proposition
to advertisers, many of which decided that the
danger of alienating their customers, and their
own employees, was too great.
With general-meeting season for publicly
traded companies just beginning, now is the
ideal time for shareholders and stakeholders to
let companies know what they think. If company
leaders decide to take advantage of Trump’s
deregulation spree, they must be made to feel
the repercussions immediately and directly.
This is not just an American problem.
The impact of deregulation in the US will be
felt worldwide, especially if the US-based
multinational companies that take advantage of
it are allowed to benefit from that choice. The
result would be to encourage companies based
elsewhere to follow suit.
No one elected companies to run the
world. (The kind of leadership demonstrated
recently by the likes of Uber, Pepsi, and United
Airlines is certainly not what voters seek in
their government.) But there is no denying
that companies’ decisions have far-reaching
consequences. If their managers fall prey to the
same governance by id that Trump has brought
to Washington, DC, they will lose, just as
Trump will lose. The only question is whether
they, unlike Trump, will have to clean up their
own mess.
6
30 April - 06 May, 2017
AFRICA
The Times Kuwait
www.timeskuwait.com
Shell and ENI face trial in Italy for bribes in Nigeria
"Etete can smell the money. If, at 70 years old, he does turn his nose up at 1.2 billion he is completely certifiable."
T
hat quote taken from a
confidential email by a Shell
employee, not only embarrasses
the oil giant, but could also lead
to the company being convicted of
corruption. The Etete, mentioned
in the leaked email refers to former
Nigerian oil minister and convicted
money launderer Dan Etete.
Criminal proceedings against
Shell, and its Italian partner ENI, are
currently underway in a Milan court
in relation to the paying of bribes to
secure the purchase of a Nigerian oil
field. Shell had previously denied that
it had any involvement with Etete
when it purchased the rights to one
of Nigeria's biggest oil fields, OPL 245.
But last week, the British
environmentalist and anti-corruption
organization,
Global
Witness,
published
confidential
emails
written by the Shell employee. This
correspondence, which went right
to the top of the Shell management
hierarchy, proves that there was a
direct link to the convicted Nigerian.
After publication of the email,
Shell provided a clarification of its
correspondence by stating that one
had to negotiate with Etete "whether
one wanted to or not."
The case dates back to 2011 when
Shell and the Italian oil giant ENI
transferred $1.3 billion (1.2 billion
euros) to a back account owned by
the Nigerian government. With this
payment, the two companies wanted
to secure the rights to one of Africa's
largest oil fields. But a huge share of
the money did not end up in Nigeria's
state coffers; instead, it went to a
company called Malabu which was
controlled by Dan Etete. The former
oil minister under Nigerian military
ruler Sani Abacaha was convicted of
money laundering in a separate case
in France in 2007.
According to Italian prosecutors
and research conducted by the
international
non-governmental
organization (NGO) Global Witness,
Etete was obliged to hand over a
substantial fraction of the bribes his
company received to high-ranking
Nigerian politicians. And, one name
that repeatedly crops up in the list of
recipients is that of former Nigerian
president Goodluck Jonathan.
Unlike Shell, ENI has continued
to insist that it only dealt with the
Nigerian government authorities
and nobody else. In a written
statement, the company said that "an
independent inquiry commissioned
by ENI found no evidence that ENI
employees were engaged in corrupt
deals in connection with financial
transactions, or had any knowledge
of such deals through third parties."
Anti-corruption
activists
however contend that Shell and
ENI knew very well that they had
paid the money for the oil field to a
convicted money launderer.
Barnaby Pace from Global
Witness noted: “We believe that
the two oil concerns not only broke
the law with their deal, they also
swindled the Nigerian population.
Five million people are going hungry
in Nigeria at a moment when more
than a billion dollars were taken
away from them. That amount
is one and a half times the sum
which the United Nations says is
needed to combat Nigeria's current
humanitarian crisis," Pace said.
Authorities in six countries are
involved in investigations into the
activities of Shell and ENI. More than
$100 million in assets has been frozen
in Switzerland and the UK. Nigeria's
lower house of parliament has already
set up a committee to investigate
the award of the rights. The oil field
in question is estimated to hold nine
billion barrels of crude oil.
Exploitation of natural resources in
poor countries and the accompanying
corruption is not new to Shell; shortly
prior to its purchase of the rights to
OPL 245, Shell agreed to a payment
of $30 million to avoid conviction in
another case of suspected corruption.
At the time, Shell promised to
bolster its internal defenses against
corruption. That was just a few
months before Shell management
received the emails about Dan Etete.
Global forum calls for enhancing
private investment in Africa
B
Conakry becomes
World Book Capital 2017
A
s the world marked World Book and
Copyright Day on 23rd April, Guinea’s
capital Conakry officially donned the mantle of
World Book Capital 2017 for a one-year tenure.
This year the focus is on visually impaired
persons who have difficulty accessing
books and other printed materials thereby
leaving them unable to fully and effectively
contribute to society.
Conakry becomes the 17th city to be
chosen as World Book Capital since cities
began to be designated so by the United
Nations Education Cultural and Scientific
Organization (UNESCO) in 2001. Conakry
was selected in recognition of its programs
to promote reading among youth and
underprivileged sections of the population,
and the authorities in the country have
earmarked activities that will nurture the
reading culture amongst its population
especially young people.
Among the projects being planned by the
city are the construction of a media center in
each commune within the capital and a series
of reading areas in each neighborhood at an
estimated cost of 5 billion CFA Francs ($8.3
million). In a country where the illiteracy rate
stands at 60 percent officials hope that the
series of events planned for a whole year will
contribute towards lowering the figure.
The city takes over from Wroclaw, Poland
and becomes the third African city after
Alexandria in 2002 and Port Harcourt in
Nigeria in 2014 to hold the title.
KUWAIT’S PREMIER WEEKLY NEWS MAGAZINE
oosting private investment in Africa is
necessary to avoid the destructive rise of
populism which is often fueled by the widening
gap between the rich and the poor, says the
German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble.
Speaking at the annual Global Infrastructure
Forum in Washington, the German finance
minister warned: “If we do nothing to change
this, we can expect a rise in populist parties
and demagogues, and a rise in instability
around the world, with all its negative effects
on sustainable growth.”
The Global Infrastructure Forum, organized
by multilateral development banks (MDB) in
close cooperation with the United Nations,
aims to promote collaborative financing for
infrastructure development in support of the
UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDG).
Held under the theme of ‘Delivering
Inclusive, Sustainable Infrastructure’, the
Global Infrastructure Forum 2017 provided
a venue to discuss how MDBs can best work
with countries and the private sector to create
markets for infrastructure projects.
With trillions of dollars in capital sitting
on the sidelines earning low or even negative
returns, deeper engagement with the private
sector can create win-win scenarios where
investors earn better returns on long-term
investments and developing countries get
much needed investment and expertise.
Germany, which holds the presidency of
the G20 group of nations, is pushing a plan to
have Africa nations partner with certain G20
countries and international lenders, such as the
World Bank, to attract other investors into the
continent. The German foreign minister noted
that the first stage of the proposal tagged
‘Compact with Africa’ would focus on Rwanda,
Senegal Tunisia, Morocco and Ivory Coast.
“If we want to ensure long-term stability and
security, we have to continue to reduce the gap
in wealth between the rich countries and the
poor countries of this world, especially on the
African continent,” he added.
South Sudan takes first steps to a new constitution
S
outh Sudan is racing against time to
draw up a new constitution in line with
the 2015 Peace Agreement, even as the
security situation in the country continues to
deteriorate.
Last week, the National Constitution
Amendment Committee (NCAC) led by
Gichira Kibaara, a former Kenyan Permanent
Secretary for Constitutional Affairs, presented
a draft constitution to South Sudan’s Minister
for Justice and Constitutional Affairs, Paulino
Wanawilla.
But the country is behind schedule, as
the agreement required that the country
would have a new constitution 18 months
after the establishment of the Transitional
Government of National Unity. The
Publisher & Editor-In-Chief
Managing Editor
Tareq Yousuf Al-Shumaimry
[email protected]
Reaven D’Souza
[email protected]
transitional government is now 20 months
old. The delay, blamed on the ongoing conflict
in the country, has put in doubt whether
South Sudan will be able to hold elections by
2018 as promised in the peace agreement.
So far only the technical part of the
constitutional reform process has been
completed. The next step would be for the
minister to table the draft in parliament.
The committee and parliament would then
identify articles that need to be amended
to conform to the Agreement. From there,
the draft will be taken to the grassroots for
consultation and gathering of public views.
P O Box 5141, Safat 13052, Kuwait
Tel : 24814404, 24810109
Fax : 24834815
Email : [email protected]
Printed in: Al Khat Printing Press Co.
The Times Kuwait
www.timeskuwait.com
30 April - 06 May, 2017
LOCAL
7
Housemaids employment company to start operation in August
A
company,
that
will
organize the procedures
to employ housemaids, will
kick start operations next
August, said Deputy Prime
Minister and Minister of
Finance Anas Al-Saleh on
Tuesday.
Speaking at a regular
session for parliament, AlSaleh replied to an inquiry by
MP Yousef Al-Fadala, saying
that the company's board
members have attended
meetings for the National
Assembly's health, social, and
labor affairs committee to
coordinate on the issue.
He stressed that procedures
for the launch of the company
will be underway with no
interruption.
Agreements
were inked with several local
housemaids agencies and
offices, said the minister,
adding that the similar
deals were struck with maid
employment bureaus abroad.
PAS holds IGCSE Graduation 2017 ceremony
WCSS Chairman awarded the
Knight of the Légion d’Honneur
P
akistan Academy School (PAS) Al-Ahmadi
Kuwait organized their IGCSE Graduation
ceremony to felicitate the graduating students
of the outgoing class of 2017. Ambassador of
Pakistan to Kuwait H.E. Ghulam Dastgir was
the Guest of Honor at the gathering which
was attended by an audience of students
accompanied by their families, as well as
Owner's Representative of PAS Madam Minal
and school management, along with the
staff of the British Council namely School
Relationship Manager Suchitra Sen and Deputy
Country Exams Manager Anuj Gangola.
Opening the ceremony was the National
Anthem of Kuwait and Pakistan followed
by the recitation of the Holy Quran. The PAS
Principal Shammas Zia delivered a welcome
address which was followed by a speech from
the Chief Guest Ambassador Dastgir. Students
gave speeches on the occasion regarding their
experiences in the school before the Pakistani
Ambassador Dastgir and Principal Zia awarded
certificates to 21 IGCSE graduates. Tariq Iqbal
from Voop Media Kuwait was awarded a
Certificate of Appreciation for the Media
Coverage of this Graduation Ceremony 2017.
Gulf Bank sponsors
‘Women in the Economy’ forum
I
n line with its corporate social responsibility
focus to empower women, Gulf Bank
sponsored the ‘Women and the Economy’
forum, organized by Kuwait University’s
Women’s Research and Studies Center. The
event took place from 24- 26 April, under
the auspices of H.E Dr. Mohammad Al-Fares,
Minister of Education and Minister of Higher
Education, at Kuwait University’s College of
Social Sciences in Shuwaikh.
The forum, which was attended by high profile
individuals from Kuwait, the Gulf and other
Arab countries, shed light on the significant role
women play in developing a country’s economy.
It also addressed the important role which
organizations play in providing training programs
that encourage women to join the workforce, and
more importantly, the nation’s role in encouraging
the diversity in the roles which women lead, by
altering certain policies.
Commenting on Gulf Bank’s sponsorship and
participation, Ms. Laila Al-Qatami, Assistant
General Manager for Corporate Communications,
said: “Numerous studies show the positive
business and financial impact of having a
workplace that is appealing to women. Events
such as these play an important role in in bringing
this topic to the forefront and offering solutions
to increase female participation in the workplace
and economy.” A series of workshops were also
held during the two-day forum, which focused
on the development of women’s personal and
social skills, and addressed topics such as how
to choose the ideal career and how to create a
balance between work and personal life. Women
and the sustainable development 2030 objectives
were also one of the main topics addressed
during these sessions.
The forum also featured an exhibition, in
which Gulf Bank participated, among several
other economic and social entities and public
benefit associations.
L
ulwa Saleh Al-Mulla, Chairman of the
Women’s Cultural & Social Society
(WCSS), was conferred the highest French
civilian distinction - the Knight of the Légion
d’Honneur (Legion of Honour) by the French
Ambassador to Kuwait H.E. Christian
Nakhlé during a ceremony. Al-Mulla plays a
significant role in the WCSS to advance and
empower Kuwaiti women through many
social initiatives.
The event, held at the Al Mulla Diwaniya on 26
April, was attended by special guests and invitees.
France presents this award to distinguished
leaders who have been instrumental in
supporting or spearheading initiatives in the
humanitarian and women's rights fields.
8
30 April - 06 May, 2017
FOOD
D
n
ng
IN KUWAIT
The Times Kuwait
www.timeskuwait.com
For a complete list of featured restaurants, visit
http://www.timeskuwait.com/News_Dining In Kuwait
Pei Wei Asian Diner
I
f you are looking for a fast-food
style Asian diner with a funky,
fresh and unpretentious approach
to food, then Pei Wei is your place.
Located in the Food World at The
Avenues, Pei Wei brings a touch of
class to the typical food court fare
found in this part of the mall. The
food here is cooked for all to see in
the flash of a sizzling 600-degree
wok. So give the credit cards, and
your feet, a rest next time you are
indulging in a little retail therapy at
The Avenues and drop by Pei Wei.
Cooking
EGGPLANT
to tender, silky perfection
T
Popular dish: Spice Market Noodles
2nd Avenue – The Avenues and Arabella
in Al Bida’a. Call 2221 4755.
Le Notre
S
ince its official inauguration
in Kuwait in 1998 under the
supervision of the prestigious MMC
Kuwait, Le Notre has always been a
place where diners experienced all
things Parisian and chic. From the
exemplary food to beautiful décor,
Le Notre’s main location on Gulf
Road always had an inimitable vibe.
hink eggplant has to be stringy, bitter, greasy, or
bland? Chances are you have just never eaten it
when it is cooked right. The pale meat of this botanicalfruit-turned-culinary-vegetable is certainly mild in flavor,
and its spongy texture means it is prone to soaking up an
excess of oil. But all it takes to make eggplant appealing
is a little know-how, whether you are grilling it, roasting,
sautéing, or blending into smooth dips. Read on to know
how to cook eggplant to tender, silky perfection.
Peeling: Because globe
eggplant and other large
varieties usually have tough
skins, peeling it is a good
idea, especially if you are
serving it in chunks or slices.
If you do not like the idea of
removing the skin entirely, you can always partially peel it
in striped fashion. When you grill-roast the eggplant and
then separate the flesh from the peel, keep the skin on
during cooking to keep the eggplant intact.
Expect the finest in contemporary
French gastronomy coupled
with a Middle Eastern twist
alongside your favorite classics
at Le Notre. More importantly,
Le Notre adheres to a ‘paddle
to plate’ policy, ensuring that
customers receive only the freshest
ingredients.
Popular dish: Almond crusted Hammour steak with a side of caramelized
onions and tomato sauce
Gulf Road, by the Kuwait Towers, Al Fanar Complex, Marina Mall and 360
Mall. Call 1805 050 or 9933 3100.
Haute Gourmet Hotdogs
Salting: Globe eggplant works deliciously in just about any
eggplant dish, provided you salt it first. Salting, also known
as purging, accomplishes two goals: it pulls out juices that
carry bitter flavors, and it collapses the air pockets in
the eggplant's sponge-like flesh, thus preventing it from
absorbing too much oil and getting greasy.
To salt your eggplant, peel it and then slice, cube,
or quarter depending on the recipe. Sprinkle the pieces
generously with salt and let them sit in a colander for an
hour. Rinse in plenty of water to remove the salt, firmly
squeeze a few pieces at a time in the palm of your hand to
draw out almost all the moisture, and then pat dry with
paper towels. Thorough drying is important; squeezing out
excess moisture will give you a less greasy result.
Avoid under-cooking: Eggplant must be completely
cooked through until it is meltingly soft, smooth, and
creamy. This way it will be flavorful on its own as well as
receptive to the other flavors with which you will blend it.
Grilling: To grill, first salt and thoroughly dry the eggplant.
Then brush the slices with oil and grill over a medium-hot
fire until soft and cooked through. Grill-roasting can get
messy, so if you are trying this over an indoor gas flame,
line the burner trays with foil or try broiling the pierced
eggplant instead. Peel off the blackened skin, drain the
flesh in a colander, and squeeze out all the moisture.
R
edefining hot dogs one bun at a
time, Haute Gourmet Hotdogs
caters to the health-conscious foodie
by serving a clean, creative twist on
the all-American classic – the hot
dog. Offering Kuwait’s only madefrom-scratch hot dogs smoked daily
using only the finest premium beef
and ingredients, Haute combines
both tradition and innovation
through its trendy fluorescent interior
and mealtime twists. Set in an ideal
casual setting with menu items made
for everyone to enjoy, satisfy those
cravings at Haute with their Classic,
or Mac & Cheese hot dogs.
Popular dish: Chicago Hotdog
Khalid Bin Waleed Street, Kuwait City. Call 5147 0388.
Every week, our 'Dining in Kuwait’ section features selected
restaurants in the country that provide sumptuous cuisines from
around the world. Want to feature your restaurant in our ‘Dining
in Kuwait’ section and reach out to our wide reader base?
Email us at [email protected] with a brief about your
restaurant along with images in high resolution.
Oven-Roasting: As an alternative to grill-roasting, pierce
the eggplant in several places and roast it whole and
unpeeled on a baking sheet at 177 degrees Celsius until it
is quite soft and starting to collapse (almost an hour). Peel
and drain it as you would for grill-roast.
Fry and Stir-fry: These cooking methods seem to throw
people the most because of how much grease eggplant
can soak up. If you are using globe eggplant, salt it and
squeeze dry; other varieties do not need salting. Be sure
the oil is very hot and add the slices in the pan in one layer
(if you crowd the pan, the eggplant will steam instead of
fry and will not cook evenly). Turn often and adjust the
heat to avoid burning until the slices are a rich brown color
(about one to two minutes). Drain on paper towels.
Quick-cooking Japanese and Chinese eggplant are the
best candidates for stir-frying. Cut the eggplant into 1/2inch cubes. When the oil is very hot, toss the cubes into
the pan with a little salt and stir-fry until the eggplant is a
rich brown color.
Eggplant with
fragrant Spices and Herbs
Ingredients
2 medium globe eggplant
2 tsp. ground coriander
2 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. turmeric
1/2 tsp. cayenne, or to taste
Salt to taste
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 large onions, chopped
2 tsp. minced garlic
1-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and minced
1 small fresh green chili
2 medium tomatoes, chopped
1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
Fresh lemon juice
Fresh cilantro leaves for garnish
Preparation:
Light a grill fire and grill the eggplants, turning
frequently, until the skins are black and parched
and the flesh feels soft when pierced with a fork.
(Alternatively, prick the eggplant in several places
and roast on a foil-lined baking sheet in a 177 degrees
Celsius oven until soft, turning two or three times.)
When the eggplants are cool enough to handle,
peel the charred skin and place them in a colander to
drain. Squeeze gently to get rid of the extra moisture,
chop the pulp and set aside.
In a small bowl, combine the coriander, cumin,
turmeric, cayenne, and a little salt.
Heat oil in a skillet and fry the onion over mediumhigh heat until golden brown. Add the garlic,
ginger, fresh chili and cook, stirring frequently, until
fragrant. Add the spice mixture and stir for another
few seconds. Then, add the tomatoes and cook over
medium heat until soft. Stir in the eggplant pulp and
the chopped cilantro. Cook, stirring often, until all
the liquid in the pan evaporates and the oil begins
to separate and forms a glaze over the mixture (20
minutes). Taste and add salt as required. Serve in a
bowl sprinkled with more cilantro leaves.
The Times Kuwait
www.timeskuwait.com
30 April - 06 May, 2017
DIMENSIONS
9
H.H. the Amir attends, patronizes opening of Al-Ahmadi Hospital
H
is Highness the Amir Sheikh
Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber AlSabah patronized and attended the
opening ceremony of Al-Ahmadi
Hospital.
His Highness the Amir was
received at the hospital by Minister of
Oil as well as Minister of Water and
Electricity Essam Al-Marzouq, CEO
of Kuwait Petroleum Corporation
(KPC) Nizar Al-Adsani, CEO of Kuwait
Oil Company (KOC) Jamal Abdulaziz
Jaafar, in addition to a score of
senior oil officials in the country.The
opening ceremony was attended by
His Highness the Crown Prince Sheikh
Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah,
Speaker of the National Assembly
Marzouq Al-Ghanim and ministers, as
well as senior officials of the state.
During his speech to the event,
Minister Al-Marzouq thanked His
Highness the Amir for his guidance
and continuous support to the oil
sector, saying that the opening of
the new Al-Ahmadi Hospital also
displayed the leadership's keenness
on bolstering health services in the
country. The minister affirmed that
Al-Ahmadi city was the location
in which Kuwait began harnessing
the power of petroleum, which
contributed to the development of
the country as a whole.
The minister touched on recent
achievements in Kuwait, revealing
that under the orders and guidelines
of His Highness the Amir Sheikh
Sabah, Kuwait began to look into
ways to use renewable energy.
One of the chief achievements
in this regard was the Sedra 500
solar energy project, which helped to
produce oil in Um Qudair field west of
Kuwait, said the Al-Marzouq, adding
that the Kuwaiti decision to seek
alternative energy resources aimed
at protecting the environment of
the country. Efforts for environment
protection led to the decrease of the
burning of natural gas from 17 percent
in 2005 to around one percent in 2017,
said the state official.
Meanwhile, Kuwait Oil Company
(KOC) CEO Jaafar also delivered a
speech during the event, welcoming
His Highness the Amir and the
Kuwaiti leadership to the Hospital.
Jaafar affirmed that the medical
facility, owned by the KOC, would
garner to the needs of some 120,000
employees of the company who are
the backbone of the oil industry.
He also stressed that the hospital
was in line with the industry's 2030
development strategy. The new AlAhmadi Hospital is constructed on
an area of 380,000 square meters
with new facilities and areas costing
around KD 94 million, said Jaafar.
ICSK Senior emerges victorious in TRISHNA 11
MES holds workshop on
‘Multiple Intelligences for Success’
he Indian Community School
Kuwait (ICSK) Senior lauded
T
its students for securing the
first prize in the inter-school
competition of the 11th edition
of TRISHNA, the annual festival
of quizzes organized by National
Institute of Technology, Calicut
Alumni Association (NITCAA),
Kuwait Chapter on 21 April 2017 at
Cambridge English School, Mangaf.
The 6-hour competition saw 71
teams from 13 schools fight it out
to establish intellectual supremacy.
Master Mohammad Mishal of class
12 A and Master Vivek Prasad of class
12 B, under the guidance of Shyna
Ramesh, the team manager, bagged
the first prize in the senior category
with a lead of 40 points and made
their alma mater proud.
M
uslim Educational Society (MES) Kuwait, conducted
a workshop on ‘Multiple Intelligences for Success’
at KMA Hall in Jabriya on 22 April. The workshop was
facilitated by Santhosh Kumar Shenoy and R. Roopesh.
Students from various Indian schools enthusiastically
participated in the workshop. Through various activities,
students learned how to think differently and be
unique; goal setting, strategies for achieving success,
and importance of lateral thinking, were also explored
during the workshop. Students also learned how to
deal with failures in life and to improve their confidence
while dealing with situations, as well as how to face
examinations confidently and be successful in life.
The workshop was part of ongoing social
commitment efforts by MES, to develop global citizens
while keeping their cultural roots intact.
Certificates were given to the participants, MES
president Sadiq Ali welcomed the gathering and
Education Convener Anwar Mansoor Saith delivered
the vote of thanks. General Secretary Arshad T.V., Dr.
Mustafa, Mohammed Rafi, Mujeeb, Rameez Saleh,
Ashraf P.T., Feroz and Rayiz Saleh coordinated the event.
10
30 April - 06 May, 2017
LOCAL
For publication of your announcements, upcoming activities or local events
please email us at [email protected]
To publish images kindly send pictures in high resolution.
3 May
Peter Pan: The Never Ending Story:
An extraordinary theatre production,
‘Peter Pan – The Never Ending Story’
musical will be held on 3 and 6
May, at the Sheikh Jaber Al-Ahmad
Cultural Center, Gulf Road, from 8pm
to 10pm. This theatre version is a mix
of spectacle, magic, stunning visual
effects and soul warming music. The
show consists of actors, dancers,
stuntmen, acrobats and magicians.
To book your tickets:
Visit, www.jacc-kw.com
4 May
Red Bull Car Park Drift: One
of the most-awaited motorsports
events in the region, Red Bull Car
Park Drift qualifiers will be held on
4 and 5 May at Sirbb Circuit. The
competition, which was held for the
first time in Lebanon ten years ago, is
designed to give amateur enthusiasts
a chance to showcase their skills
and represent their countries at the
regional final in Qatar at the end of
this year. The qualifier (4 May) will
comprise of the selection of Kuwait's
elite drifters who will take part in
the national final on the next day (5
May). For more information: Visit,
www.redbull.com/mea/en
5 May
Lifestyle Exhibition: SB Fashions
will be organizing a lifestyle
exhibition cum sale at UCMAS
Kids Club basement, Apsara Bazar
Building, near Indian Community
School, Salmiya, from 2pm. The
exhibition will showcase trending
jewelry. Snack counters will also be
available at the event. The exhibition
is open to all.
The Afterthought Think Again
Tour: The Afterthought, an acoustic
and rock group that has been
playing together since 1997, will be
performing at the Australian College
of Kuwait (ACK) from 7:30pm. The
event will showcase unique comedic
talents of George Taraby, followed
by a set list featuring a blend of
original tracks and signature classic
covers. The event will also have
Rockhouse Sliders and Made Caffe to
tantalize your taste buds. The event
is open to all and ticket price is set
at KD5. For more information and to
book your tickets: Visit, www.tktti.
com or call, 99947768.
Tap Dance Workshop: LOYAC
Academy of Performing Arts (LAPA)
will be organizing a Tap Dance
Workshop
by Avalon
Rathgeb, from
6 to 18 May at
its premises.
The workshop
is open for
student’s age
7 to 65 years.
The fee is set
at KD45 for
six sessions.
Students will have a discounted rate
of KD35. For more information and
to register: Call, 97267931.
The Times Kuwait
www.timeskuwait.com
is caught. The first runners passed
after a few kilometers are the first
to celebrate their accomplishments,
while the last man and woman
to be caught are declared Global
Champions. Entry fees and donations
are sent to life-changing spinal cord
research projects and clinical trials at
renowned universities and institutes
worldwide. For more information and
to register: Visit, www.registration.
wingsforlifeworldrun.com.
8 May
The Gym Team holds
African dance masterclass
Ricky Laxa
Staff Writer
Amein AlAmeddine will be
organizing an animation workshop
from 8 May to 13 May, at LoYAC,
Kuwait, Opposite Boubyan Bank,
Mubarkiya Branch, Al Ma'arri St,
Kuwait City. As the Co-Founder
and Creative Director of Caustik,
a Beirut based design driven
animation studio, Amine provides
expert guidance and direction in
animation, motion design, scripting
and automation, and other areas to
produce high quality digital content
for his clients. The workshop is open
to participants aged 16 years and
above, and the fee is set at KD25. For
more information and to register:
Call, 224 34 603 or visit,
www.l1labs.loyac.org
M
ousli Mbacke from Africa held
an African Dance Master Class
at the Radisson Blu Hotel on Friday
morning with over thirty fitness and
dance enthusiasts. The masterclass,
which lasted an hour and half, kicked off
with Helen Rahi, Zumba Trainer from
Marina Hotel leading an energetic warm
up followed by Mbacke with a series of
choreographed dance routines.
Mbacke is a dance enthusiast, who has
been dancing for fun from a very young
age. However, it wasn’t until 2009 when
she moved to Canada that she discovered
her interest in African dances specifically.
Thanks to her many African friends that
she has met during her time in Canada,
Mousse was exposed to a variety of music
genres from countries like Ghana, Nigeria,
Angola, Cote d’Ivoire, South Africa and
Kenya. “I am here today because I want to
spread my love for African dance with you
all and hope that you will enjoy it as much
as I do," commented Mbacke before the
class started.
Zumba enthusiasts and fitness
trainers attended the event. “This is a
good opportunity for me to learn basic
African dance steps so I can somehow
incorporate it with my cardio and fitness
classes. Steps are interesting but hyped
with a contemporary approach ideal for
younger fitness buffs,” added Frances De
Guzman, a trainer from Mabroor Gym.
Mbacke hopes to hold more classes
in the coming weeks via invitations from
other gyms and fitness centers.
10 May
6 May
Open Jam and Live Painting
for Coexistence: Manifesto13,
an art studio that offers longterm courses to unleash the
artistic potential of their students,
along with Co-Exist Kuwait will
be organizing Open Jam and Live
Painting for Coexistence at Manifesto
13’s premises in Hawally, Al-Mulla
Complex, Ibn Khaldoun St., Block
216, Bldg. 14, from 7pm to 9pm. This
event is a means to invite musicians
and artists to raise the frequency
of peace, tolerance, inclusivity and
acceptance through music and art.
The event is open to all.
7 May
Wings for Life World Run: A
global charity event with a unique fun
format, Wings for Life World Run, a run
where participants from around the
world start their race simultaneously,
will be held at BoulevardQ8, Block
8, Salmiya from 2pm. Participants
are given the freedom to set their
own goals. Half an hour after the
beginning of the race, a moving finish
line called ‘Catcher Car’, chases the
running along the course, gradually
getting faster until each participant
Beauty and the Beast: Staged
in Kuwait (SIK) Productions will
be organizing a musical, Beauty
and the Beast, which will be held
from 10 to 13 May at The English
School, Performing Arts Centre
and at Musaed Al Azmi Street. The
timings will be available on booking
your tickets. The ticket prices range
from KD7.5 to KD12.5, depending
on the seating choices. For more
information and to book your tickets:
Visit, www.siktkts.com.
10 May
The Beatles Sing-Along
Concert: Ahmadi Music Group
(AMG) will be organizing The
Beatles Sing-Along Concert on 18
and 19 May, at Dasman Bilingual
School, at 7:30pm. Also performing
at the concert will be the Messila
Beach Blues Band. The sing-along
concert is open to all and further
information on ticket prices will be
available on registration. For more
information and to register: Visit,
www.ahmadimusicgroup.com or
call, 6618 4192.
Enjoy the perfect wedding
celebration at Arraya Ballroom
E
very couple wants their big day
to be perfect, special, and truly
memorable. What better place to
celebrate this special occasion than
at Arraya Ballroom – the epitome of
elegance and breathtaking beauty.
Located in the heart of
the city close to Courtyard
by Marriott Kuwait, Arraya
Ballroom is one of the most
popular wedding venues
in the country. Its idyllic
location, aesthetic appeal
and picture perfect grounds
make it ideal for a regal
wedding, leaving a lasting
impression on you and your
guests. The pre-function
area, corridors and banquet lobby– all
have been designed to offer a perfect
setting for your wedding ceremonies.
Before and throughout your
big day, the professional wedding
planners at Arraya Ballroom will guide
you through every step to ensure your
special day is truly unforgettable.
From stunning flower arrangements
and customized wedding cakes to
cutting-edge audio-visual technology
and high speed internet, Arraya
Ballroom offers a choice of packages
and options that will surpass
everything you have ever imagined.
When it comes to cuisine, we satisfy
every taste with a wide range of
buffet menus designed by
our world class chefs.
To ease the stress and
take care of every single
detail, we offer tailormade packages that can
be individually designed to
suit your special needs.
The special wedding
package
includes
a
complimentary night in
one of the deluxe rooms at
Courtyard by Marriott Kuwait, a free
use of the bridal suite, a customized
wedding cake, an upgraded menu
featuring an elegant buffet, free
parking and a lot more.
Whether you dream of an
intimate gathering or a grand gala,
our experienced team will craft the
perfect celebration, allowing you and
your guests to relax and enjoy the
experience.
The Times Kuwait
www.timeskuwait.com
30 April - 06 May, 2017
LOCAL
11
Vietnam embassy launches Arabic-language website
T
he Vietnam embassy launched
its new Arabic language website,
‘The Arabic Gate to Vietnam' at www.
vnarabicgate.com.
The site is the first and the only
Arabic website that provides indepth knowledge on Vietnam, and
can be accessed on PC, laptops, and
smartphones.
Arab businessmen,
budding entrepreneurs and tourists
across the Arab world, who are
interested in business and investment
opportunities in the Southeast Asian
country, can browse the website to find
the answers to their queries on various
facets of Vietnam.
The Ambassador of Kingdom
of Thailand to Kuwait H.E. Dusit
Manapan was the special guest at the
website launch held at the Crowne
Plaza Hotel on 25 April. The event
was attended by the Chairman of ON
DOT Company Ali Al Sayegh, Kuwaiti
businessmen, embassy officials and
media personnel.
In
his
opening
remarks,
Ambassador of Vietnam to Kuwait
H.E. Nguyen Hong Thao welcomed
the gathering and said, “Vietnam,
together with Kuwait in particular
and the Arab World countries in
general, have enjoyed long-standing
fruitful diplomatic relations. Vietnam
and Kuwait established diplomatic
relation since 1976 and since then
has made remarkable achievements.
However, the cooperation potential
between Vietnam and Kuwait as
well as the Arab World remains
enormous.”
He added, “In order to promote
cooperation and bring Vietnam closer
to the Arab World as a whole, and
especially to Kuwait, the Embassy of
Vietnam in Kuwait has always focused
on disseminating information on
tourism, trade, economy, culture of
both sides in the media and social
press events. The delivery of this
information directly to local people and
businessmen in the Arabic language has
been our target for a while, and now we
are so lucky to find a reliable partner. “
Salmiya Play School holds
Graduation Day ceremony
S
almiya Play School celebrated their children
learning and growing in the teacher’s care
with a graduation day ceremony that also
acknowledged the efforts of the teachers and
young ones.
The children are prepared to enter LKG, and
carry with them all the lessons they learnt at
the play school. On this occasion, the Managing
Director of the school Usha Shetty distributed
mementos and gifts to the children.
He said in conclusion, “I hope
the website will enjoy support from
ASEAN Ambassadors and local
businessmen. The website will be a
useful address for everybody, and a
connecting bridge between Vietnam,
ASEAN and the Arab word.”
For his part, Ali Al Sayegh,
Chairman of ON DOT, whose
business worked on setting up the
website, emphasized the site’s various
features, underlining its functionality,
vast database of content and easy
usability.
He mentioned that the website
provides information on Vietnam
embassies in Arab Countries and
Consular services, as well as lists details
about the country’s trade, economy,
tourism, investment and labor aspects.
He explained how it would serve
Arabic-speaking businessmen and
entrepreneurs by highlighting the many
benefits such as easy download of visa
forms, trustworthy information on
Vietnamese companies, a comprehensive
list of Vietnamese products as well
as particulars on conferences and
exhibitions hosted in Vietnam.
12
30 April - 06 May, 2017
REGIONAL
The Times Kuwait
www.timeskuwait.com
Saudi Arabia privatization drive to raise $200 billion
N
on-oil economic growth in Saudi Arabia
almost ground to a halt last year as the
government slashed public spending on the back
of lackluster oil prices. With the government still
struggling to overcome the US$79 billion budget
deficit that it posted last year, Riyadh hopes to
revive growth by persuading private companies
to invest more in the economy through publicprivate partnerships where the state and private
firms share investment costs, risks and profits in
select projects.
The government is aiming to raise around
$200 billion in the next several years by selling
stakes in state enterprises ranging from
hospitals to airports and from power and
water generation to rain silos. If achieved, the
privatization drive could transform the Saudi
economy by putting large parts in private hands,
while helping to repair state finances that have
been severely hurt by low oil prices.
Last week, Saudi Deputy Minister for
Economy and Planning Mohammed Al Tuwaijri
said that the $200 billion figure was achievable,
UAE visa on arrival for Indians with US visa
F
ollowing a Cabinet decision
last month, the United Arab
Emirates has announced that
Indian passport holders with a
valid American visa or a Green
Card will be eligible to get UAE
visa on arrival at all ports starting
1 May, 2017.
In a letter circulated to all
border posts and air and sea ports,
the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs
and International Cooperation
(MOFAIC) asked authorities to
grant the UAE visa to Indians with
valid America visa or Green Card
An official statement said:
“Citizens of the Republic of
India who are holders of normal
passports with a six-month, or
more, valid green card or visa
issued by the United States of
America shall be granted entry
visas to the UAE from all ports for
a period of 14 days, subject for a
single renewal for the same period
upon payment of applicable fees.”
The validity of the passport must
be not less than six months and
the fee for an entry permit will
be Dh100. The fee for one-time
extension of the entry permit will
be Dh250.
The UAE decision to have a
simplified visa process is aimed at
advancing the UAE-India relations
in economic, politics, and trade.
It is also expected to contribute
to achieving UAE’s vision to be
the leading country in attracting
global tourism. According to latest
figures, the UAE-India trade has
grown to around $60 billion per
annum, making India the second
largest trading partner of UAE.
The UAE exports to India totaled
$27 billion, while Indian exports to
UAE totaled $33 billion.
The number of Indian tourists
coming to the UAE last year
reached about 1.6 million Indian
tourists, and there were about
50,000 UAE tourists who visited
India in the same year. There are
about 143 flights a day between
the UAE and Indian cities, at a rate
of 1000 flights per week.
Private firms face succession, governance challenges
Continued from Page 1
A recent survey by accounting
firm
PricewaterhouseCoopers
(PwC) found that only 14 percent
of Middle East family firms have a
plan for the succession process for
all their senior executives, while 38
percent have none at all.
According to the PwC survey,
while the region’s family businesses
continue to be active and successful,
the changing political and economic
environment is also affecting both
their current performance and
their growth expectations. The
survey found that areas such as
succession, diversification, digital,
cyber security, and innovation are
not being tackled by family firms in
the Middle East.
Respondents to the PwC
survey said that the three most
significant challenges faced by
their family firms are government
policy, legislation and regulation
(42 percent); skills shortages (35
percent); and market conditions (31
percent). Nearly half (48 percent)
said keeping pace with digital and
new technologies is one of their
key challenges, yet only 35 percent
believe their business is prepared
for dealing with a data breach or
cyber-attack.
Also, while some family
businesses have made significant
progress in putting corporate
governance systems in place,
few have been successful in
completing end-to-end effective
implementation. In the survey, over
Suhail Bahwan with daughter Amal Bahwan
66 percent of participants reported
that they have started to put the
corporate governance building
blocks in place, but only around 33
percent reported that the practices
are fully adopted and are working
effectively.
Abdulaziz Abdullah Al Ghurair,
chairman of GFBC, and the most
prominent member of one of the
Abdulla bin Ahmad Al Ghurair with son Abdul Aziz Al Ghurair
largest merchant families in the
Gulf, said: “More than half of GCC’s
family businesses are in the midst
of the transition from the second to
third generation.
This is a critical transition as
just around 15 percent of those
businesses are likely to survive it.
A major risk during this transition
is for large family businesses to get
fragmented. Preparation is needed
to avoid loss of family harmony and
business disruption, which in turn
leads to loss of economic value.”
The PwC report pointed out
that growth outlook for family
businesses could also be curtailed
by the organization’s own lack
of strategic planning rather
than economic factors or other
external concerns.
Firas Haddad, PwC Middle
East partner and family business
advisory services leader in the
Middle East, said: “Both the survey
results and our own experience
lead us to conclude that greater
emphasis on strategic and mediumterm planning would allow family
businesses to achieve greater
success, and fulfill their true
potential.
“Overall, Middle East family
businesses’ performance and
outlook for growth remain
strong with notable progress
on
professionalization,
but
less so on strategic planning.
Having an ambition to grow,
without a strategic plan of how
to get there, remains just an
aspiration,” Firas added.
and was based on detailed studies of valuations
and market demand since authorities
announced plans for a privatization drive a year
ago. He added that the figure did not include
tens of billions of dollars which the government
expects to raise next year when it offers up to
five percent of national oil firm Saudi Aramco.
Enterprises in 16 sectors are expected
to be fully or partly privatized by 2020
said Tuwaijri, with King Faisal Specialist
Hospital and Research Centre in Riyadh
being among the first assets to be offered
for privatization. The government views
healthcare as the sector with the best
potential for privatization and is studying
whether to sell off all public hospitals and
200,000 pharmacies, he added.
Richest families
in the Arab World
I
n 1987, when Forbes
magazine launched
its first ever list of
individual and family
billionaires in the
world, they came from
just 24 nations. Only
three countries in the
Middle East — Saudi
Arabia, Kuwait and
Lebanon —representing eight billionaires n total
made it on that list.
The roll-call for Forbes’ 2017 list of billionaires
shows that they now come from 71 countries
worldwide, including 42 billionaires from the
Arab world. The Arab billionaires represent
the initial three countries, plus Algeria, Egypt,
Morocco, Oman, Qatar and the UAE.
Though the Forbes billionaire list for 2017
is not exhaustive, the 42 Arab billionaires who
made on the list today are only a little more
than five times the number thirty years ago. By
comparison, Turkey had no known billionaires in
1987, today it has 10; India had just one family,
today it has 105 billionaires. Also, the youngest
billionaires in the Arab world, the three Saudi
Alhokair brothers have an average age of
around 50. By contrast, in the United States,
Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg, the fifth
richest person in the world with a $56 billion
fortune, is only 32 years old.
While the Arab world still awaits its crop of
young billionaire entrepreneurs, here is a list
of those who made it to the 2017 Forbes list of
billionaire families in the Arab world. Among
individual billionaires from the region, Prince
Waleed Bin Talal Al Saud of Saudi Arabia with
$18.7 billion in assets topped the list, followed
by Majid Al Futtaim of the UAE with $10.6
billion and Mohammed Al-Amoudi of Saudi
Arabia with $8.1billion
Among family billionaires, the Olayan family
of Saudi Arabia, with an estimated wealth of $8
billion, headed the family rankings, followed by
AlShaya family from Kuwait with a wealth of $5
billion and the Abudawood family from Saudi
with $4 billion. All three owe their fortunes to
long-held licensing rights to premium foreign
brands. Others in this year’s rankings were
Jameel family (KSA, $2.2bn), Al-Dabbagh (KSA,
$2bn), Alajlan (KSA, $2bn), AlRashed (KSA,
$2bn), Al Muhaidib (KSA, $1.7bn), Alagil (KSA,
$1.5bn), Sharbatly (KSA, $1.3bn), Al Fahim (UAE,
$1bn) and Al Subeaei (KSA, $1bn).
A new report on family businesses in the
Arab world found that they face many issues
mainly due to a lack of strategic planning
– the ‘missing middle’ – namely having a
strategic plan that links where the business is
now to the long-term and where it could be.
Moreover, many of these family enterprises
are run by ageing patriarchs and so on how
these businesses hand over control to the next
generation could be crucial.
While some family firms are managing
strategic planning well, many are caught
between the deluge of everyday issues and the
weight of inter-generational expectations, says
the report from PricewaterhouseCoopers, the
multinational professional services network.
The Times Kuwait
www.timeskuwait.com
30 April - 06 May, 2017
ISSUES
13
Leaving No One Behind
WHO urged to invite Taiwan to WHA
C
ountries and health organizations
around the world are urging the
World Health Organization (WHO) to
extend an invitation to the Republic of
China (Taiwan) to attend the annual
session of the World Health Assembly
(WHA), which is due to be held in
Geneva from 22 to 31 May.
WHA is the world’s highest health policy
setting entity and the decision-making body
through which the WHO is governed by health
ministers from its 194 member states. The
70th session of WHA, which will be held at
the WHO headquarters in Geneva, will decide
on major policy questions, approve the work
programs and annual budget for WHO, as
well as elect a replacement for Dr. Margaret
Chan, the incumbent Director-General of the
organization.
The outgoing Director-General who is
from Hong Kong, had on numerous occasion
attempted to stall or include conditions on
the inclusion of Taiwan in global health related
events. The right to health is a universal and
fundamental right of every human being, and
global health should not be at the whim and
fancy of petty politicians.
Eight years ago, in 2009, following
overwhelming international support and Chinese
reservations notwithstanding, Taiwan was invited
by WHO to attend the 62nd session of WHA as an
observer. Since then, Taiwan’s active participation
in WHA and WHO technical meetings has helped
improve disease control and healthcare not just
in Taiwan, but around the world.
Taiwan's commitment to assisting other
countries in overcoming their health challenges,
and fulfilling the vision of WHO ‘to leave no
one behind’, has seen Taiwanese medical teams
render service worldwide, especially in countries
in Africa, Asia, Central and South America, and
the South Pacific. Acting both in residence and
as mobile medical teams, these professionals
have provided clinical care, offered sanitation
education, and training in midwifery and
medical management, as well as on projects
to improve the health of pregnant women
and infants. Since 1996, Taiwan has invested
over US$6 billion in international medical and
humanitarian aid efforts that have benefited
millions of people directly or indirectly in over 80
countries. Taiwan’s participation in WHO over
the past eight years has also enabled Taiwan
to share experiences with other countries,
to report and receive disease prevention
information promptly and to better contribute
to health worldwide.
Taiwan now seeks to continue its professional
and pragmatic participation in WHO, including
in the Health Emergencies Program, so as to
contribute to global efforts to ensure healthy
lives and promote wellbeing for all at all ages
in line with the United Nations' vision for global
health by 2030. Taiwan’s continued participation
in WHA and in the world health body's programs
is also crucial to ensuring that serious fissures do
not arise in the global health system, and that
health risks when identified can be contained
and combated quickly and efficiently.
In today's world, where international travel
has dramatically increased the potential for
Pope Francis in Egypt on historic visit
Continued from Page 1
For his part, the Pope reciprocated by expressing
his happiness in visiting Egypt, noting the nation's
grand contributions to the human race and its
advocacy of peace.
Moreover, the Pope underlined Egypt's
significant role in resolving complex issues in the
Middle East and declared support for Cairo in its
efforts against violence and terrorism. In his reply,
the Egyptian President assured the Pope that
Egypt would continue to adopt moderate Islam,
emphasizing that the Christians are an inseparable
part of the Egyptian national social fabric. The State
deals with all segments of the society based on
citizenship, constitutional and legal rights, stressed
the president. During his two-day stay in Cairo, the
Pope is scheduled to celebrate Mass, participate in
a Conference for Peace to be organized by Al-Azhar
mosque and university, one of the most influential
centers of Sunni Islamic learning. He will also
meet with clergy and with the Egyptian Christian
community.
On Saturday, at the Conference for Peace, the
Pope warned against wrapping violence and terror
in the garb of religion. He said: “As religious leaders,
we are called, therefore, to unmask the violence
that masquerades as purported sanctity,” adding,
“we have an obligation to denounce violations
of human dignity and human rights, to expose
attempts to justify every form of hatred in the
name of religion, and to condemn these attempts
as idolatrous caricatures of God.” For his part the
Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, Sheikh Ahmad al-Tayyeb,
urged the West not to hold an entire religion
“accountable for the crimes of any small group of
followers.” In his meeting with the Orthodox Coptic
Patriarch, Tawadros II, Pope Francis said in reference
to the Palm Sunday attack on the Orthodox Coptic
churches in Tanta and Alexandria that claimed
the lives of nearly 50 worshippers that their evercloser bond was “sustained, in mysterious and quite
relevant way, by a genuine ecumenism of blood.” He
added, “Their innocent blood unites us.”
Reflecting the strong bilateral ties, Egypt and
the Vatican formed a joint dialogue committee in
1998. This was followed by several high-profile visits
between Cairo and the Holy See. On 24 February,
2000, Pope John Paul II paid the first every papal
visit to Egypt and received a warm welcome from
the government and Egyptian people, Muslims and
Christians alike. Former Egyptian president Hosni
Mubarak paid a visit to Vatican on 13 March, 2006
and met Pope Benedict XVI and discussed bilateral
relations and several of key issues of mutual concern
such as the future of peace in the Middle East.
In May 2016, the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar
visited the Vatican, where the pope embraced him.
During their meeting, they focused on their mutual
efforts to foster inter-religious dialogue, peaceful
coexistence and tolerance. On July 16, 2016, a
delegation from the Vatican visited Egypt where
they discussed launching an international initiative
for interfaith dialogue and proposed organization
of an international conference for dialogue among
civilizations in 2019.
In a letter to the Egyptians published by the
Catholic Church in Egypt, Pope Francis said that
he hoped the visit would contribute to dialogue
among faiths. Both Egypt and Vatican share the
same stances over a several key religious and
political issues, particularly the importance of the
Muslim-Christian dialogue, countering extremism
and peace in the Middle East.
dangerous infectious diseases to spread rapidly
around the world, Taiwan strategic position in
the global transportation network is critical to
containing the spread of epidemics. An outbreak
of infectious disease such as MERS, Ebola or
Zika, would be amplified by flights through
Taipei Flight Information Region, which oversees
more than 60 million incoming and outgoing
passengers a year. Also, given that Taiwan is a
stopover for more than 1.25 million birds as
they migrate annually from mainland China,
Japan and South Korea to Southeast Asia and
Pacific island nations, the risk of avian influenza
outbreaks is considerable without Taiwanese
monitoring. Moreover, according to a WHO
report in 2015, over two million people die each
year from contaminated food and water. With
manufactured food products increasingly using
ingredients from around the world, global food
safety would be difficult to manage and control
without the inclusion of Taiwan, which is the
world's 17th-largest exporter and 18th-largest
importer of merchandise.
To showcase the Republic of China's
contributions to medicine and international
health over many decades, the Taiwanese
Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in collaboration with
the Ministry of Health and Welfare, is holding
an online photography exhibition titled 'Leave
No One Behind: World Health Security Needs
Taiwan, Taiwan Needs the WHO' at
http://www.leavenoonebehind.com.tw.
The exhibition also highlights how Taiwan
works with the international community
in ensuring that 'No one is left behind'
as envisioned in the UN 2030 Agenda for
Sustainable Development and, in particular, to
realize Sustainable Development Goal 3, which
calls for ensuring healthy lives and promoting
the wellbeing of all people all around the world.
Taiwan’s continued participation in
WHA and other WHO-related mechanisms,
meetings and activities, will further ensure
the implementation of the United Nations'
Sustainable Development Goals in particular
those associated with global health. Taiwan's
participation is a triple-win situation for
global health, as it serves the interests of
Taiwan, the WHO and the international
community as a whole.
14
N
30 April - 06 May, 2017
HEALTH
ew research suggests that
excess sugar, especially the
fructose sugar found in sugary drinks,
might damage the brain resulting in
poorer memory, smaller overall brain
volume and a significantly smaller
hippocampus — the area of the brain
related to learning and memory.
A follow-up study also found that
people who drank diet soda daily were
almost three times as likely to develop
stroke and dementia when compared
to those who did not.
Researchers behind the study
were quick to caution that their
findings demonstrate correlation
but not cause-and-effect. While
the researchers warn against overconsuming either diet soda or sugary
drinks, they admit more research is
needed to determine how these drinks
actually damage the brain.
Excess sugar has long been
associated with cardiovascular and
metabolic diseases like obesity, heart
disease, and type 2 diabetes, but little
is known about its long-term effects
Soda
and
diet-soda
equally bad for brain
on the human brain. Researchers
examined data, including magnetic
resonance imaging (MRI) scans and
cognitive testing results, from about
Adjustable ‘smart’
eyeglasses
E
ngineers have developed glasses with liquidbased lenses that adjust its focus based on
whatever the wearer is viewing.
The adjustable ‘smart glasses’, developed by a
University of Utah team, incorporates an array of
electrical, mechanical, optical, sensor, and computer
technologies that work together seamlessly to offer
a one-size-fits-all approach to vision correction,.
The glasses are designed to mimic the behavior of
the eye's natural lens — flexing to focus on wherever
an individual is looking: near, far or in-between.
Unfortunately for many of us, as we age our
lenses become stiffer and lose the ability to bend
enough to focus at different distances. This is usually
corrected by the use of standard glasses. And, in the
case of those who are unable to focus at multiple
distances, glasses with multiple lenses, such as
bifocal, trifocal or progressive lenses are prescribed.
However, these glasses have to be regularly replaced
as our eyesight changes.
The newly developed ‘liquid lenses’ are made of
glycerin, a thick liquid, sandwiched between flexible
membranes. An electromechanical system in the
frame of the eyeglass causes the membranes to bend,
adjusting their focus and acting like multiple lenses.
The glasses are designed to work for most people
at a wide range of distances due to a sophisticated
computer algorithm that works with two critical
variables. One is the eyeglass prescription that
the user enters into the system using an attached
mobile app. The other is where the user is looking —
specifically how far away. This information is provided
by a sensor mounted in the bridge of the glasses that
uses pulses of infrared light to identify where the user
is looking and provide the precise distance.
The combination of the user's prescription
information and the distance information is used by
the algorithm to instantly adjust the shape of the
liquid lenses to allow the user to focus on what they
are viewing. Remarkably, if the user looks elsewhere,
the change in lens shape needed to focus at the new
distance is made in a staggering 14 milliseconds — 25
times faster than an eye blink. Theoretically, these
would be the only glasses a person would ever have
to buy because they can correct the majority of
focusing problems, with users having to only input
their new prescription as their eyesight changes.
Because they contain a lot of technology,
including a rechargeable battery, the current
prototype is on the bulky side.
However, a startup company, Sharpeyes, has
been created to move toward commercialization
with the aim of making thinner glasses available
on the market in about three years.
4,000 people. In one study, the
researchers looked at people who
consumed more than two sugary
drinks a day of any type — soda,
fruit juice, and other soft drinks — or
more than three per week of soda
alone. Among that ‘high intake’
group, they found multiple signs of
The Times Kuwait
www.timeskuwait.com
accelerated brain aging, including
smaller overall brain volume, poorer
episodic memory, and a shrunken
hippocampus, all risk factors for earlystage Alzheimer's disease.
In a second study using data from
a different group, the researchers
looked specifically at whether
participants had suffered a stroke
or been diagnosed with dementia
due to Alzheimer's disease. After
measuring volunteers' beverage
intake at three points over seven
years, the researchers then monitored
the volunteers for 10 years, looking
for evidence of stroke in 2,888 people
over age 45, and dementia in 1,484
participants over age 60, they found
that people who drank at least one
diet soda per day were almost three
times as likely to develop stroke and
dementia.
Silica cages to protect vaccines from high temperatures
A
new discovery that vaccines and
antibodies could be transported and
stored without refrigeration by capturing
them in tiny silica 'cages' could make getting
vital medicines to remote or to places lacking
infrastructure much easier, cheaper and safer.
Vaccines and many other medicines contain
proteins which break down and become
unusable at room temperatures. This means
that they need to be refrigerated during
storage and transportation in a so-called
‘cold chain’. In many parts of the developing
world, breaks in the ‘cold chain’ could lead to
the loss of millions of doses of vaccines each
year, resulting in a serious public health issue,
especially when it comes to mass childhood
vaccination programs.
But scientists at Bath University in the UK
have now created a technique that can keep
the proteins intact in high temperatures of
even 100°C, by encasing them in silica cages.
Silica, which is the main constituent of ordinary
sand, is a non-toxic and inert element. Once
the protein has been encased in silica it can be
stored or transported without refrigeration. At
the right time, the silica coat can be removed
chemically, leaving the proteins unaffected.
Scientists behind the technique, who call
their method ensilication, hope it will solve
the costly and often impractical need for a
cold chain to protect protein-based products
including vaccines, antibodies and enzymes.
"We have demonstrated with ensilication that
we can simply and reliably keep proteins from
breaking down even at up to 100°C, or store
them as a powder for up to three years at
room temperature without loss of function,”
said the research team.
Waist not weight
key to life span
L
Children in primary school
get less active with age
A
new study shows that there is an age-related decline
in children's physical activity levels as they progress
through primary school. Researchers at the University of
Bristol in the United Kingdom found that children spent
less time doing physical activity and spent more time
sedentary from Year 1 (aged 5-6) to Year 4 (aged 8-9).
Additionally, by the time they got to Year 4, around
a third of boys and two thirds of girls aged eight
to nine years old in the study were failing to meet
recommended physical activity guidelines of an hour
of physical activity per day.
Previous research has shown that low levels of physical
activity in childhood can track into adulthood, suggesting
that we should be doing more to ensure children keep
active throughout their younger lives.
In the study, published in the International Journal of
Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity, the researchers
tracked the physical activity levels of 1,300 children in Year
1, aged 5-6, over a week.
The study tracked the physical activity levels of 1,300
children in Year 1 using an accelerometer, a smart device
which gives an accurate measurement of movement. They
then tracked the same children three years later, when
they were in Year 4, and compared the results.
The levels of moderate-to-vigorous-intensity physical
activity dropped by four percent in boys, and eleven
percent in girls, but even more worryingly the sedentary
time increased by 20 percent in boys and 23 percent in girls.
Further examination of the data showed that
62.3 percent of boys and 35 percent of girls met the
recommendation of an hour per day in Year 4, compared
with 72.5 percent and 53.7 percent respectively in Year 1.
arge waist size, rather than
increased
weight,
could
determine your risk of an early death
says a new study. Additionally, the
increased risk posed by having a
larger waistline occurs even if a
person's body-mass index (BMI)
indicates a healthy weight.
The BMI is a rough estimate
of a person's body fat based on
height and weight measurements.
Doctors consider normal BMI to be
in the range of 18.5 to 24.9, while
overweight is 25 to 29.9, and obese is
30 and over. People who carry extra
weight around the middle — also
called ‘central obesity’ — but have a
normal BMI have a 22 percent higher
risk of death than people whose fat
is stored elsewhere in their bodies,
the study found. In folks with a BMI
that indicates obesity, the risk of
early death was 13 percent higher for
those with central obesity.
The study also found that a large
waistline is an even greater hazard
for heart health. The risk of heartrelated death is 25 percent higher for
someone with central obesity and a
normal BMI. It is 26 percent greater
for those with an overweight BMI
and extra waist girth, and 56 higher
percent for an obese BMI and central
obesity, the study found.
Waist-to-hip ratio, calculated by
dividing your waist measurement by
hip measurement, is another scale
used to determine if there is excess
belly fat. If a person’s waist-to-hip
ratio is over 0.85 (for females), or
over 0.90 (for males), then it is cause
for concern and they should look at
ways of altering their lifestyle to lose
or reduce their abdominal size, said
the researchers.
For this latest study, researchers
looked at almost 43,000 participants
in the Health Survey for England and
the Scottish Health Survey. Each
person's BMI and waist-to-hip ratio
was compared against their health
history during 10 years of followup. Researchers found that the risk
posed by a big belly was the same for
men and women. However, men are
more likely to store fat around their
middle, which could mean they are
more likely to develop this risk, while
women tend to store fat in their hips
and buttocks.
Excessive fat around the waist
has been linked to insulin resistance,
high cholesterol and increased
inflammation, all of which are
risk factors for heart disease.
Unfortunately, weight loss efforts
will not necessarily eliminate your
spare tire. Weight loss tends to occur
evenly across the entire body, and
cannot be directed toward any exact
store of fat.
The Times Kuwait
www.timeskuwait.com
30 April - 06 May, 2017
TECHNOLOGY
15
Streaming browser videos to get better with Chromecast
G
oogle is testing a major leap in
quality when casting a tab with
video content from a Chrome desktop
browser to your Chromecast, the
attractively-priced streaming device
from Google.
Ever since the streaming gadget
was introduced, this has been a rather
lackluster way of sending video to the
TV from sources that do not natively
support Chromecast, such as Amazon
Video. Tab casting can be laggy, drops
frames, and never preserves the
video’s original quality. That is about
have got to do a little bit of work: If
you happen to own a Chromecast
device, then in your Chrome browser
type in: Chrome://flags/#mediaremoting and enable the highlighted
flag. Restart Chrome and go to
https://vimeo.com or any other video
site and play a random video. Click
‘Cast’ in the Chrome menu and make
the video full screen to enjoy that
experience.
So go get streaming. Amazon
Video is one obvious example of
where this will be very useful.
to soon become a thing of the past and
you can try the new solution right now.
Instead of just mirroring the entire
tab (and low-quality video) on your
TV screen, the Chrome browser will
now send the exact video stream
to the Chromecast. All you need to
do is toggle on full-screen mode in
the content you are watching, and
Chrome will handle the rest. “This
‘simple’ feature allows to save battery
and keep video quality intact.”
The feature is not yet ready for all
Chromecast users, so to try it out you
Mastercard cards with
fingerprint scanner
Wikipedia co-founder to launch
Wikitribune online newspaper
F
M
obile payments have made buying things with your fingerprint
commonplace; Mastercard has now got into the game by including
a fingerprint scanner at the bottom of its credit cards.
The scanner embedded Mastercard will allow users to authorize
payment with a touch, rather than using a PIN or signature
The new card is no thicker than a normal one and will work with all
existing chip-and-PIN readers (no magnetic stripe-only terminals), and is
currently being trialed in South Africa. Additional trials are planned for
Europe and the Asia-Pacific region in coming months, with a full roll out
expected later this year.
In a press release, Mastercard’s chief of security Ajay Bhalla said the card
would offer customers “additional convenience and security.” However, his
claim that a fingerprint is “not something that can be taken or replicated”
is just wrong, as we have found out with fingerprint scanners on phones.
Criminals can easily steal and fake someone’s fingerprint with even
something as simple as dental mold and a bit of play-dough. Moreover,
once someone has your fingerprint, you cannot do anything to change it
like you would with a password or PIN.
Nevertheless, security experts say a fingerprint might still be better
than a PIN. “With the combination of chip and PIN, the PIN is the weaker
element. Using a fingerprint gets rid of that and also helps us avoid those
terribly weak passwords.
To get one of the new cards, customers will have to visit an enrollment
center, such as a bank, where their fingerprint will be scanned and
transferred onto their card. It will be stored as encrypted data on the card’s
EMV chip, and users will be able to save up to two prints (although you
cannot put a print from someone else’s hand on there.
ake news has been hot news ever since the Brexit
vote and Donald Trump’s election. The co-founder of
Wikipedia, Jimmy Wales, is now aiming to counter this fake
news by launching a new online publication project called
Wikitribune.
The project will bring together professional journalists
and a community of interested readers to produce and
publish news stories. The site will be financed by a crowdfunding campaign that launched last week and will focus on
a range of issues — from politics to specialists science and
technology subjects — based on user recommendations.
The core value of the site will be its dedication to facts,
says Mr. Wales. Readers will be able to easily see the sources
for each published story, and journalists will share materials
like the transcripts and audio of interviews. “Wikitribune is
news by the people and for the people,” he said.
“The quality of media has declined in many areas —
not all areas — and there’s a real desire by the public for
something more serious and more reliable,” he added.
Wikitribune will initially hire 10 professional journalists
who will work alongside members of the community and
help fact-check and copyedit articles. Any member of the
public will be able to suggest edits to a story, but changes
will have to be approved by a staff member or trusted
volunteer before going live.
Saying that the battle for attention online has been
detrimental to the quality of the news, Mr. Wales added
that Wikitribune will be ad-free and will not rely on “clicks
to appease advertisers. There will also be no pay-wall for
the proposed site meaning that anyone would be able to
freely download the news.
However, Wikitribune readers who take out monthly
subscriptions of around $15, will in return be able to
suggest topics for coverage by the site. These could be
specialist subjects, like Bitcoin, or local news coverage, if
enough money can be raised to find a reporter in a specific
area. But this system will not affect the neutrality of the
site, as all published articles will be subject to the same
fact-checking and transparency standards.
The co-founder of Wikipedia says he is confident that
if the quality is good enough, Wikitribune will not have
to optimize for social media or other funding methods.
“One thing that’s still true is that word of mouth is very
powerful,” he says. “People do talk about things. Wikipedia
has never paid a penny for advertising, but yet remains one
of the most popular things in the world.”
While the aim behind Wikitribune is certainly noble,
some journalism experts have questioned the impact such
a site could have on the global news community. “There are
a variety of people who — if it does this right — will view it
as a trusted platform," Joshua Benton, director of Harvard
University's Nieman Journalism Lab said. “There's certainly
a model for non-profit news that can be successful [...]
but I have a hard time seeing this scale up into becoming a
massive news organization.”
But Mr. Wales says this is just the beginning, and that
the first step is simply to attract funding and hire the
journalists. English news will be the first to be covered,
but he imagines the site will expand quickly into other
languages, and sees German as a good second step. Mainly,
though, he wants to attract “supporters who believe in
good journalism.” He adds that he would like to put out
something thoughtful and serious that people read and
they think, “Hey, that really moves the needle for me.”
16
30 April - 06 May, 2017
LIFESTYLE
NON-NEGOTIABLE
MAKEUP
RULES
T
he top-of-the-line beauty products in your
beauty kit are not enough, unless you have
the skills to utilize the products effectively in
your daily makeup routine. Here are some nonnegotiable makeup rules you can learn from the
experts.
Embrace your natural beauty: When wearing
makeup, stick to the goal of embracing your
natural beauty. Sometimes less really is the best
for your overall look.
Let your skin tone guide you: Trying new
lipsticks or makeup products can be a tedious
task, but there is a surefire way to take the agony
out of it — let your skin tone be your guide. Those
undertones in your skin (cool, warm or neutral)
are what make a color look flattering or fall
flat. To figure out what your tone is, think of the
colors you look best in. Do you shine in silvers,
grays, blues and whites? You are a cool tone. Do
you light up in golds, yellows, oranges and reds?
Then you have a warm undertone. Can you wear
almost every color in the rainbow and still look
bright? You are a neutral.
Use double-duty makeup:
Multitasking
makeup can do wonders, giving you a great look
while being friendly on your budget. Mascara can
be used to define lashes and give a little depth
with a light swipe to the eyebrows. Stains and
tints can be used to brighten the cheeks or bring
life to the lips.
Highlight your favorite features: With a little
bit of eye makeup it is possible to enhance your
entire appearance. At the very least, a dash of
mascara and contour on your cheekbones will
work wonders to highlight out your natural
beauty. You can even make do with lip gloss
to instantly pull an outfit together or just give
yourself a little afternoon pick-me-up.
Go big for brows and say no to foundation
lines: Eyebrows define the face, so it’s so
important to take good care of them. Thin brows
make you look older, so don’t overdo it with the
plucking. Instead get a brow wax every six to
eight weeks. A rule to follow is that foundation
and concealer must match your skin. Otherwise
it looks fake and obvious.
Brow stencils are a foolproof way to take your
brushed-out brows to vixen levels without the
worries that go along with free-handing it.
The Times Kuwait
www.timeskuwait.com
L
iving in the big city, you
might be accustomed to
that urban style that resorts to
leather ensembles, skinny jeans,
and ankle boots. However, this
look can easily be plain and
boring, so you might want to add
a twist to your daily style with
the introduction of a bohemian
edge. Update your city style with
some tricks.
Think
of
breezy
and
carefree silhouettes to add
some personality to your city
style: Urban clothing is all
about structured pieces and
streamlined silhouettes, but it
doesn’t hurt to add a carefree
touch to your looks. One option
is to trade your basic tee for a
statement sleeved tops to add
some flair to your regular jeans.
Or, make your leather jacket a
bit carefree with a bohemian
top and flared pants that still fit
in the urban look. This way, your
urban ensemble will benefit from
a feminine and carefree edge.
Resort to peep-toes, grunge
boots, and even lace-up flats
that look edgy at the same time
sexy: Shoes can make or break
your outfit. Ankle boots and over
the knee boots may be the go-to
shoes of city dwelling women,
but peep-toes, grunge boots,
and even lace-up flats can be the
icing on the cake of bohemianready ensemble, adding a bit of
extra oomph to a throw-on-andgo outfit.
A pair of lace up flats introduce
a feminine touch to your ripped
I
t’s time to bust out all your
pretty polishes and nail art
accents, because mosaic nails are
the latest beauty trend.
But how exactly does one
replicate this art-inspired trend?
Trust us — it’s easier than you
think. All you need are a few
of your favorite colors and a
selection of your go-to nail art
additions (think glitter, foils, or
crystals). Combine them all on
one statement nail or on every
digit for an all-over effect. Here
are six ways you can rock the
mosaic trend for spring.
Sunburst: Complement your
sunny personality by strutting
these bold orange nails. Keep it
minimal with a single accented
nail or rock a full set of foils for a
flashy take on this artistic trend.
Paint splatter foil: Let your nails
shine by adding your favorite
hues in an abstract design that
combines multi-hued foils into
Add a bohemian flair
to your urban looks
jeans and off shoulder top. Or,
how about throwing on a pair of
cut-out boots or grunge boots
for some edgy vibes to your plain
shirtdress.
Garner some interest with
bohemian prints: Stripes may
be timeless but bohemian and
exotic prints bring the drama
without taking from your look.
You can also ensure your getup
stays grounded in girlboss
territory with casual blouse and
skinny jeans paired with a plaid
coat. When things start to heat
up, take a step back from your
standard city girl routine and
get ready to embrace carefree
silhouettes and vibrant colors.
A lightweight maxi is packed
with polish and panache but will
keep you cool. Dress up its freewheelin’ feel with statementmaking outerwear, and colorful
kicks. If you’re a black-and-white
type of girl, you can still wear
the ambiance of the bohemian
chic with wooden or funky
accessories. Be creative yet a bit
unexpected on your street looks:
Bohemian style is known for
unexpected layers and eccentric
silhouettes so don’t be afraid to
try new things and find out what
works for you. If you’re not a fan
of free-flowing ensembles, there
are always frilly and eccentric
blouses in your choice list that
will look modern at the same
time urban inspired. If you love a
denim jacket in the springtime,
try one that is embellished with
patches or embroidery in a shiny
fabric. Just throw it over an
elegant dress, break out your best
sunglasses, and you are all set.
Mosaic
nail trend
one epic look. We say go bold or
go home when it comes to this
trend.
Metal head: While the highshine, gold digits are so very
fierce, it is the gem-inspired
design that truly stands out.
Use colorful metallic polish
over a deep burgundy or black
bottom coat to create style with
dimension.
Ceramic gems: While the mosaic
design normally incorporates
foils, you can also rock this trend
with textured materials like
medium-grade sequins. Paint
your nails a light metallic hue
and top it off with multi-colored
Now Open in The Gate Mall
(Al Egaila)
Baitak Tower Ph: 22496158
@atyab_alkuzama
www.atyabalkuzama.com
confetti for an OTT style that is
bold and beautiful.
Stain glass window: Bring on
the iridescent foil, because you
have some Insta-worthy nails
to create. Cut a few pieces of
colored tape or sheer foil into
simple geometric shapes and
strategically place them on top
of your nail. Seal with a clear coat
and get ready for the double taps.
Bubbles and glitter: This trend
is all about the textures, so take
your nail art game to the next
level by mixing together glitter
and mirrored baubles. Keep the
textures in the same color family
to create a seamless finish.
The Times Kuwait
www.timeskuwait.com
TRAVEL
30 April - 06 May, 2017
From its stunning old towns of Krakow,
Zamość, Gdańsk and Wroclaw, to
its rich culture of food, dance and
music, to its pristine wilderness of
Białowieża National Park with its
epic vistas, Poland, with its checkered
history of over a thousand years, offers
something for everyone.
P
oland’s scenic beauty is as varied as it is
extraordinary. The Baltic coast is pretty,
while Słowiński National Park is all ethereal
forests, bogs and sand dunes. The Great
Masurian Lakes in the northeast are popular
for kayakers, with hundreds of unspoiled
lakes broken up by dense forest. The KrakowWielun Upland with its limestone caves and
medieval castles is another highlight, while
the Carpathian Mountains in the far south are
unremittingly beautiful.
POLAND
it the world’s largest brick castle. It took 230
years to build, a majority of which was destroyed
during World War II. Much of the castle has been
restored since then.
Poland; and the destruction of WWII have
all bequeathed this grand old dame a special
atmosphere that millions of tourists now come
to enjoy. And those visitors are coming in ever
greater numbers to wander the narrow, cobbled
streets of the Main Town, to gaze in wonder at
monster red-brick churches, to scatter along
its historical thoroughfares lined with grand,
elegantly slender buildings and to wander in
and out of characterful cafes, amber shops and
intriguing museums.
Wawel Royal Castle: As the political and
cultural heart of Poland through the 16th
century, Wawel Castle is a potent symbol of
national identity. It is now a museum containing
five separate sections: Crown Treasury and
Warsaw: Rather than being centered on an
old market square, this capital city is spread
across a broad area with diverse architecture:
restored Gothic, communist concrete, modern
glass and steel. This jumble is a sign of the city’s
tumultuous past. Warsaw has suffered the
worst that history could throw at it — including
virtual destruction at the end of World War
II — and survived. Today, Warsaw is a city with
a verve and enthusiasm that almost palpable,
its restaurants and entertainment scenes are
among the best in Poland. You can dine well, and
affordably, on cuisines from around the world.
Gdańsk: Like a mini-state all to itself, Gdańsk
has a unique feel that sets it apart from the
other cities in Poland. Centuries of maritime ebb
and flow as a port city; streets of distinctively
un-Polish architecture influenced by a united
nations of wealthy merchants who shaped the
city’s past; the to-ing and fro-ing of Danzig/
Gdańsk between Teutonic Prussia and Slavic
17
Armory, State Rooms, Royal Private Apartments,
Lost Wawel, and the Exhibition of Oriental Art.
There is also a special display here of the city's
most valuable painting, Leonardo da Vinci's The
Lady with an Ermine.
Malbork Castle: The medieval town of
Malbork, perhaps better known by the German
name of Marienburg, is most well-known for
its castle, which was ordered built in the 13th
century by the Knights of the Teutonic Order
as their headquarters. Europe’s largest Gothic
fortress, this castle is named after the Virgin
Mary, the patron saint of the city and castle. The
castle is actually a combination of three, making
Kłodzko Fortress: This mighty fortification,
begun under Austrian rule in the mid-17th
century, was extended, modernized and
modified over the following 200 years. Today
it covers 17 hectares, making it the largest and
best-preserved fortification of its kind in Poland.
On entering, you can wander around various
pathways and chambers and go to the top of
the fortress for a bird’s-eye view of town. There
are several exhibitions in the grounds, including
a lapidarium containing old stone sculptures
(mostly tombstones) collected from historic
buildings around the region. However, the real
attraction here is the extensive network of
defensive tunnels.
Tatra National Park: Travelers who crave scenic
beauty will find it in Tatra National Park, located
in south-central Poland. Established in 1954, the
park is mainly forests, meadows and numerous
rock formations covering the Tatra Mountains.
Spelunkers may enjoy touring six of the park’s
650 caves that are open to the public. The park
also offers more than 30 alpine lakes as well as
the Wielka Siklawa waterfall that is 230 feet
high. The park will also delight hikers with its
long winding trails. There is a similar national
park in the neighboring part of Slovakia, also
called the Tatra National Park.
Wrocław: Everyone loves Wrocław and
it is easy to see why. Though in some
ways it is a more manageable version
of Krakow, with all the cultural attributes
and entertainment of that popular
destination, the capital of Lower Silesia
also has an appealing character all of its
own. Having absorbed Bohemian, Austrian
and Prussian influences, the city has a
unique architectural and cultural makeup, symbolized by its magnificent market
square (Rynek). Wrocław’s location on the
Odra River, with its 12 islands, 130 bridges
and riverside parks, is idyllic, and the
beautifully preserved Cathedral Island is
a treat for lovers of Gothic architecture.
But Wrocław is not just a pretty face; it is
Poland’s fourth-largest city and the major
industrial, commercial and educational
center for the region. Virtually everything in
southwestern Poland starts, finishes, or is
taking place in Wrocław. At the same time
it is a lively cultural center, with several
theatres, major festivals, rampant nightlife
and a large student community.
Long Market: Known as Długi Targ, Long
Market was once the main city market and
is now the major focus for visitors. Things
have got a bit touristy here over the last few
years (dubious amber stalls, restaurant touts),
but look up from the crowds to appreciate
the period architecture, all of which is a very
selective postwar rebuild.
The
18
Dipl mat
30 April - 06 May, 2017
The Times Kuwait
www.timeskuwait.com
British Embassy
Celebrates
I
n celebration of Her Majesty
Queen Elizabeth II’s Birthday, the
British Embassy held a reception
at the Ambassador’s Residence,
attended by Guest of Honour Minister
of Information and Minister of
State for Cabinet Affairs H.E. Sheikh
Mohammed Abdullah Al Mubarak Al
Sabah. More than 650 guests were
present at the event attended by
current and former MPs, Ministers,
Ambassadors, business leaders, civil
society actors, media personalities
and representatives from both the
British and local community in Kuwait.
In his address to his guests, British
Ambassador to Kuwait H.E. Matthew
Lodge thanked partners and guests for
Queen’s
Birthday
supporting this year’s celebration, and
said: “This evening’s celebration is to
mark the two remarkable and happy
milestones of a 91st birthday and Her
Majesty’s Sapphire Jubilee year - 65
years on the throne. And not forgetting
that Her Majesty is also the Sovereign of
Canada, Australia and New Zealand and
12 other realms, stretching from Tuvalu,
to Belize and the Solomon Islands. At
one point or other during her reign, Her
Majesty has been Sovereign of a total
of 32 independent countries. So I hope
that all of us, wherever we are from,
can join in celebrating a life devoted to
public service and a monarch who is
known across the whole world.”
He added, “When we considered
how best we could mark this year’s
celebrations, at a time when change
seems to come thick and fast and old
certainties no longer look so solid,
when cries of division frequently seem
louder than calls for unity, when we
face genuinely global challenges but
too often seem to struggle to come
up with even local answers, I thought
we should celebrate one of the United
Kingdom’s particular strengths and
defining characteristics – namely our
diversity and the identity and culture
of each of the four nations that make
Farewell luncheon held in honor of DCM
D
eputy Chief of Mission (DCM)
Shubashis Goldar of the Indian
Embassy was accorded a warm farewell
at a luncheon hosted in his honor by the
Indian Ambassador to Kuwait H.E. Sunil
Jain at India House.
The event also marked his
retirement, and recognized his
excellent 37-year career in the Indian
Foreign Service (IFS). Embassy officials
and guests from the Indian community
attended the gathering. In his address
on the occasion, the Indian Ambassador
lauded Goldar’s commendable service
to the Indian community in his capacity
as Chief of Mission.
On his part, Goldar expressed his
appreciation for being honored in the
farewell luncheon. During his tenure
as the Deputy Chief of Mission of the
Indian Embassy, Goldar was activity
involved in various aspects of the
Indian community from representing
the embassy in various functions to
handling the larger issues afflicting the
community, particularly the problems
faced by Indian laborers and Indian
nurses. Ambassador Jain extended his
best wishes for a successful retired life
to Goldar.
up the United Kingdom of Great Britain
and Northern Ireland. I also wanted us
to look forward – to think about the
younger generation and their futures.
So I am delighted that the garden
this evening features displays from
Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales and
England.”
Appointment of
Her Majesty’s
Ambassador to Kuwait
M
ichael Davenport MBE
has been appointed
Her Majesty's Ambassador to
Kuwait in succession to Matthew
Lodge, who will be transferring
to another Diplomatic Service
appointment, says a press
release from the British Embassy.
Davenport, who is married to
Dr. Lavinia and father of three
children, is currently occupying
the position of EU Ambassador
and Head of EU delegation in
Belgrade, Serbia. He will start
his appointment in Kuwait in
September 2017.
The
The Times Kuwait
www.timeskuwait.com
Dipl mat
30 April - 06 May, 2017
19
Netherlands embassy commemorates King's Day with reception
O
n the occasion of the 50th
birthday of His Majesty King
Willem Alexander, the Netherlands
Ambassador to Kuwait H.E. Frans
Potuyt hosted a reception at his
diplomatic residence.
Kuwait's Assistant Foreign Minister
for Development and International
Cooperation affairs Ambassador H.E.
Nasser Al-Sabeeh was the chief guest
at the event, which was attended by
members of the diplomatic corps,
Kuwaiti officials, Dutch nationals and
special invitees. In his speech to the
guests, Ambassador Potuyt welcomed
the gathering and lauded the excellent
bilateral relations between Holland and
Kuwait. “Tonight, we are celebrating the
birthday of our King Willem-Alexander.
Just like His Highness the Amir, our King
is relentlessly working for the prosperity
and happiness of his people. In these days
of international turmoil, both, Kuwait
and The Netherlands, are blessed with
wise monarchs, who are striving to
protect the stability of their countries,”
said the ambassador. The event also
aimed to promote the benefits of
healthy food products imported from
The Netherlands, with the ambassador
revealing that in 2017 the embassy would
aim to promote Dutch fruits, vegetables,
meat and cheese. He said, “We hope that
all our friends, Kuwaitis and others will
take up the daily routine of tasting these
fantastic products.”
race,” said UNESCO Director-General
Irina Bokova.
“In today’s world, marked by the
tragedy of Aleppo and the fate of
Palmira, the reconstruction of Warsaw
and the painstaking reconstruction
of its monuments after WW2 send a
positive message to all who have seen
their towns destroyed by hostilities.
Destruction does not have to spell the
end of a town’s existence, it could be
the beginning of its reconstruction,”
said Deputy Prime Minister Gliński.
He added that the 41st session
will continue the tradition of
commemorating World Heritage List
sites, fourteen of which are located in
Poland. Poland’s request for inscribing
a site on the World Heritage List
this year concerns Tarnowskie Góry
underground, i.e. lead, silver and zinc
ore mines with their underground
water management system in
Tarnowskie Góry.
Poland to host 41st UNESCO
World Heritage Committee
T
he 41st session of UNESCO
World Heritage Committee will
take place from 2 and 12 July, 2017 in
Kraków, Poland. The session, which
will be attended by representatives
of 21 member states that form the
committee, will make decisions
concerning cultural and natural
heritage sites worldwide.
The agreement to host the UNESCO
event was signed on behalf of Poland
by the country’s Deputy Prime Minister
and Minister of Culture and Natural
Heritage, Prof. Piotr Gliński in Paris on
19 April 2017. The 41st session of the
World Heritage Committee, which will
be organized by the Ministry of Culture
and National Heritage, will be chaired
by Professor Jacek Purchla, President
of the Polish National Commission for
UNESCO, Director of the International
Cultural Centre.
The World Heritage Committee
is made up of 21 countries which
have been elected from among the
states which ratified the Convention
concerning the Protection of the World
Cultural and Natural Heritage of 1972.
The governments of State Parties elect
members of the Committee for sixyear terms by the General Assembly.
Currently, it is made up of Angola,
Azerbaijan, Burkina Faso, Croatia,
Cuba, Finland, Indonesia, Jamaica,
Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Peru, the
Philippines, Portugal, the Republic of
Korea, Tunisia, Turkey, United Republic
of Tanzania, Vietnam, Zimbabwe and
Poland, which sits on the Committee
for the second time since its inception.
The current term, which started in
2013, ends in October 2017.
The World Heritage List includes
historical buildings as well as natural
monuments, geological formations
and ecosystems, plus cultural
landscapes. To date, 1052 items
spread across 165 countries have been
inscribed on the List.
“UNESCO World Heritage relies on
a clear and positive vision of humanity
united around shared values and
common history.
At a time when culture and people
are under attack in too many parts
of the world, we need to foster this
vision and that is the purpose of this
year’s session in Krakow: to join forces
to safeguard heritage and strengthen
a sense of unity of the whole human