Major events of State of Kuwait in '17

   Foreign Policy:
   January 24: The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Istanbul Cooperation Initiative (ICI) Regional Center opened in Kuwait at the Mishref Diplomatic Area.
   January 25: Envoy of His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah: First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Sabah Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah arrived in the Iranian capital, Tehran, on an official visit.
   February 2: Kuwaiti embassy in Jordan handed in donation of USD two million to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA).
   March 20: Representing His Highness the Amir, Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs and Acting Information Minister Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah Al-Sabah announced Kuwait's pledge of USD five million for a fresh fund for the protection of heritage in conflict zones during conference in Paris.
   April 25: Kuwait announced the allocation of USD 100 million to support humanitarian needs in Yemen during the conference of Yemen Humanitarian Response Plan 2017, held in Geneva.
   April 30:  Kuwait Consulate in Istanbul confirmed that a Kuwait citizen was shot dead in the Turkish city.
   May 26: First Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Sabah Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah met with Qatari Amir Sheikh Tamim Al Thani during a visit to Doha.
   May 29: Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Science (KFAS) signed two agreements, worth USD six million, with the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) to educate Syrian refugees in Lebanon and Jordan.
   June 2: The State of Kuwait won a non-permanent seat at the United Nations Security Council for two years as of January 2018.
   June 12: Kuwait chaired the Executive Board of the World Food Program (WFP) for the current annual session, for the first time.
   July 3: Kuwait and Serbia signed some memorandums of understanding in oil, energy and culture sectors in the Serbian capital.
   July 5: Kuwait and the UK signed a memorandum of understanding to promote e-security, within the framework of the tenth meeting of joint Kuwaiti-British guidance committee.
   July 8: Kuwaiti Foreign Minister Sheikh Sabah Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah received his British counterpart Boris Johnson.
   July 10: Kuwaiti Foreign Minister Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah held a joint meeting with US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and British national security advisor Mark Sedwill, within the framework of their official visit to Kuwait.
   July 20: Kuwait decided to reduce number of diplomats at the Iranian embassy in the country, shutting down its technical offices and freezing activities of the joint committees following the issuance of a verdict on the so-called "Al-Abdali terror cell."
   July 27: Kuwait's Foreign Minister Sheikh Sabah Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah delivered a speech at the urgent session of the Arab League's ministerial level in Cairo, and called on the international community to put an end to Israeli practices in Jerusalem.
   August 14: Kuwait's Foreign Ministry condemned a terror attack on a restaurant on Burkina Faso that killed some people, including two Kuwaitis - Dr. Waleed Al-Ali and Fahad Al-Husseini - who were on duty to carry out some charitable acts.
   August 17: Kuwait donated a sum of USD 2.2 million to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), as part of its annual financial aid to support the Palestinian people.
   September 7: The US and Kuwait inked agreements in the fields of economy, science and commerce, on the sidelines of His Highness the Amir's official visit to Washington.
   September 8:  Kuwait's Foreign Minister Sheikh Sabah Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah and his US counterpart Rex Tillerson co-chaired the Second session of the Kuwaiti-US Strategic Dialogue.
   September 14: Kuwait and Turkey signed six agreements in promoting cooperation in trade, security, transport and youth affairs, during His Highness the Premier's visit to Istanbul.
   September 20: Representative of His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Hamad Al-Sabah, delivered Kuwait's speech before the 72nd session of UN General Assembly in New York.
   November 9: The UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS) chose Kuwait to occupy the Arab seat at the institute's board of directors, on the sidelines of the 39th session of UNESCO general conference in Paris.
   November 14: Kuwait and Turkey signed some agreements to promote cooperation in the areas of sports and direct investment, in addition to a cooperative protocol between Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research and its Turkish counterpart, within the framework of Turkish President Recep Tayyid Erdogan's visit to Kuwait.
   November 21: Kuwait donated USD one million to victims of Hurricanes Irma and Maria, which hit the Caribbean Sea region back in September.
   November 24: Kuwait donated about USD 6.6 million for the expansion of the British Royal Air Force Museum.
   December 9: Kuwait handed over a USD five-million donation to the UN Palestinian refugees agency (UNRWA).


   Economic Agreements:
   February 13: EQUATE Petrochemical and Maersk Line signed a partnership agreement to eliminate CO2 emissions in sea transport to protect and safeguard the environment.
   March 6: the Communication and Information Technology Regulatory Authority (CITRA) and Huawei Company signed memorandum of understanding to develop Communication Industry in the country.
   July 18: Public Authority for Industry won an excellent award in the field of geographic information systems (GIS).
   August 28: Kuwait and Honduras signed an agreement to promote bilateral economic and technical cooperation.
   September 6: Kuwait's Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Anas Al-Saleh delivered a speech at the first US-Kuwait economic forum in Washington.
   November 4: Kuwait's Petrochemical Industries Co (PIC) signed a contract to carry out engineering and design works for a planned polypropylene plant in Canada.

 KUWAIT -- Kuwait witnessed major events that dominated the local scene throughout 2017.
   Following are major events that took place this year.


   Energy:
   January 26: Kuwait Petrochemical Industries Company (PIC) signed a contract for studying architectural designs of the third olefins project and second aromatics venture worth USD 34 million.
   February 8: Kuwait National Petroleum Company (KNPC) collaborated with Gulf Spic General Trading and Contracting Company (GS) to build facilities for the treatment of liquid sulfur in Al-Ahmadi port refinery: with production capacity of 1,000 tons per day.
   May 24: KNPC signed a USD 6.25 billion loan agreement with seven export credit agencies for financing the clean fuel project.
   July 6: Kuwait Oil Company (KOC) controlled a leak of a crude oil pipeline in the northern Al-Ratqa oilfield, without any reports of injuries or interruption to its operations.
   July 20: KOC controlled a limited fire at a gas pipeline at Burgan oil field, south of Kuwait.
   September 6: Kuwait Petroleum Corporation (KPC) and US Chemical Company (DOW) signed a memorandum of understanding in mutual petrochemical industry and investment in the US.
   September 18: KNPC and Kuwait Petroleum International signed a USD 4.2 million contract for obtaining oils.


   Defense and Interior Affairs:
   April 19: Kuwait National Guard signed a cooperation protocol with Jordan's armed forces to boost security cooperation and technical training.
   May 18: Interior Ministry's coast guard forces foiled an attempt by some Iraqis aimed to violate the country's territorial waters.
   July 19: Ministry of Interior appealed to public to cooperate with security personnel and providing any information on the fugitives convicted of belonging to the so-called "Al-Abadli terror cell."
   August 12: Ministry of Interior arrested 12 people convicted in the so-called "Al-Abadli terror cell" in several areas across the country.
   August 13: Ministry of Interior arrested one person convicted in the so-called "Al-Abadli terror cell."
   August 19: Ministry of Interior arrested another person convicted in the final verdict of the so-called "Al-Abadli terror cell."
   September 12: The first-ever Desert Observer exercise, led by Kuwaiti land forces, kicked off. The US army, and Kuwait's air forces, Ministry of Interior and National Guard took part in the drill.
   November 2: At least five Kuwaiti citizens were killed and 13 others injured during a road accident while visiting the southern Iraqi city of Karbala.
   November 18: The French government conferred The National Order of the Legion Honor on deputy chief of Kuwait National Guards Hashem Al-Refaie for his contributions to military field and cementing relations between the two countries.
   November 20: Kuwait's Interior Ministry announced it foiled an attempt to smuggle narcotics, worth USD one million, into the country.
   November 27: The Court of Appeals sentenced some defendants in prison for entering the National Assembly.
   December 5: The Ministry of Interior arrested seven people who attempted to smuggle 110 kilograms of Hashish.


   Education:
   March 21: A Kuwait University team won first place of the 10th Arab Open Robotics Championship held in Qatar.
   March 22: Minister of Higher Education Dr. Mohammad Al-Fares opened an Academy for Gifted boys in Kuwait and Arab world.
   June 8: The Higher Institute for Communications and Navigation of the Public Authority for Applied Education and Training (PAAET) won ISO 9001 certificate.
   June 13: The World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) offered Salah Al-Najem, a Kuwaiti professor at Kuwait University, its e-learning award.
   October 24: Higher Education Ministry signed a cooperation agreement with UAE's Zayed University to exchange scholarships.
   November 19: Ministry of Education signed a memo of cooperation with Saudi National Center for Assessment.


   Science:
   January 9: Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research's (KISR) Shawqi Halih obtained a patent to reduce the flow of water to oil and gas wells.
   January 15: A Gulf popular heritage festival opened in Sabah Al-Ahmad village, drawing a large turnout.
   June 28: Kuwait won a two-year membership in the executive council of the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO (IOC-UNESCO) during the 29th Session in Geneva.
   October 6: World Health Organization (WHO) rated Kuwait as the top Arab country in terms of the quality of sanitation, drinking water and hygiene.
   October 30: Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research signed a contract with the World Bank on environment risks.
   November 5: Dr. Ali Al-Dosari, at Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research, won Abdul Hameed Shoman Foundation (AHSF)'s Arab Researchers Award.
   November 29: Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research signed a contract with Doha's anti-doping laboratory on food security, environmental pollutants and the promotion of cooperation and scientific research.


   Kuwait Fire Services Directorate (KFSD):
   May 24: A big fire broke out at a 2,000-square meter petrochemical warehouse in Al-Rai district.
   June 23: Firefighters contained a huge fire that broke out at a building under construction belonging to Kuwait Credit Bank in South Surra district.
   June 30:  Firefighters controlled a fire that erupted in two buildings under construction in Sharq district in Al-Asimah Governorate.
   July 6: A fire broke out at an expansion project of the Avenues Mall in Al-Rai that led to material losses.
   July 11: Seven people were injured in an explosion caused by a gas leakage at a confectionery shop belonging to Mishref Co-Operative Society.
   July 28: A fire broke out at a paper factory in Al-Ahmadi area that led to the injury of six firefighters and material losses.
   August 21: A blaze broke out at some shops in Al-Rai, wounding three firefighters during extinguishing the fire.
   October 16: A fire broke out in a residential building in Salmiya, killing five people and wounding four others.


   Environment Public Authority (EPA):
   May 8: EPA announced that harm bacteria led to the killing of fish.
   August 14: Concerned bodies controlled oil spills monitored at the territorial waters that polluted shores between Al-Khiran and Ras Al-Zour.
   August 27: EPA and Ministry of Defense signed a memo to promote cooperation in the areas of navigation, scientific and technical training.
   September 18: EPA observed an oil leak of an unknown source in the northern area of Ras Al-Zour plant.
   November 12:  An earthquake measuring between 4-5 degrees on the Richter scale hit the country and was felt by many residents.


   Health:
   June 24: Minister of Health Jamal Al-Harbi inaugurated a unit for cancer treatment using stem cells transplant at the National Bank of Kuwait Pediatric Hospital.
   September 10: Kuwait and Australia inked a memorandum of understanding on combating diabetes.
   October 12: The World Health Organization lauded efficiency of Health Ministry's viral inspection laboratories.


   Transportation:
   January 9: Fourteen flights heading to Kuwait Airport were redirected to Dammam, Doha and Manama airports after visibility dropped before 100 meters.
   January 31: The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) signed contract with general trade and contracting company for implementing the automated baggage check system at Kuwait International Airport.
   March 12: Kuwait Airways received fifth aircraft of the family of long-range twin-engine jets, the Boeing 777-300ER.
   June 11: The Kuwait Airways and ALAFCO Aviation Lease and Finance Company signed an initial agreement for the selling and re-leasing of four Boeing 777-300ER.
   July 1: Kuwait Airways received an aircraft of the long-range twin-engine jets, the Boeing 777 300ER.
   July 12: Kuwait's Directorate General of Civil Aviation and its Hungarian counterpart signed an agreement to promote bilateral cooperation in the areas of air transport and trade exchange.
   July 21: Kuwait Airways received (Al-Wafra) aircraft of the long-range twin-engine jets, the Boeing 777 300ER.
   August 30: Kuwait Airways and the Aviation Lease and Finance Company (ALAFCO) signed a deal to sell and re-lease four 777-300ER aircrafts for 12 years.
   November 8: Kuwait Ports Authority signed a contract with the international consultancy office (RINA) estimated at USD 1.6 million to develop the authority's actions. (end)
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