Prime Minister Sheikh Ahmad Al-Abdullah Al-Sabah issued the order during the Cabinet meeting chaired by Sheikh Ahmad Abdullah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah to strengthen controls over government expenditures. The directive requires every ministry and public entity to secure Cabinet consent before awarding any form of consultancy agreement. This applies without exception to prevent unilateral decisions on advisory contracts that often carry substantial costs. The move aligns with longstanding efforts to enhance transparency in public procurement.
The Cabinet’s decision builds directly on Resolution No. 1179 of 2023 concerning the Kuwaitisation of government contracts, which established frameworks for local workforce participation and compliance standards across public projects. A legal overview from Lexis Middle East documented how that resolution excluded only the oil sector while imposing recruitment quotas and penalties for violations. Subsequent enforcement has focused on integrating these requirements into tender processes managed by relevant authorities. The latest order on consultancy adds a mandatory high-level review layer to existing rules.
Kuwait regulates public tenders primarily through Law No. 49 of 2016, under which the Central Agency for Public Tenders evaluates bids for contracts exceeding set financial thresholds. Amendments to the Public Funds Protection Law, recently approved by the Cabinet, introduce stricter penalties and faster court proceedings to deter misuse of state resources. These updates, combined with the new consultancy restriction, form part of a sequenced reform agenda that officials have pursued to address past irregularities in advisory and service contracts. The Central Agency for Public Tenders has routinely processed dozens of maintenance and infrastructure tenders each year under these guidelines.
During the same session the Cabinet condemned recent Iranian attacks on Kuwait and Bahrain, describing them as violations of sovereignty and international law. It heard a briefing from Defense Minister Sheikh Abdullah Ali Abdullah Al-Sabah on military readiness and operational efficiency following the incidents. The Cabinet reiterated the right to take protective measures and affirmed that Bahrain’s security forms an integral part of GCC collective defense arrangements. Full solidarity with Bahrain was expressed in the official readout.
The meeting further reviewed discussions with US Senator Marco Rubio, who conveyed greetings from President Trump and focused on bilateral ties and regional stability. Outcomes from a GCC-US meeting in Bahrain were presented, highlighting commitments to strategic cooperation and respect for UN Security Council Resolution 833 on Iraq-Kuwait borders. The Cabinet noted the US pledge to support GCC security amid ongoing diplomatic engagements. Condolences were extended to Saudi Arabia over an Aramco-related crash and to Qatar following the death of a citizen from shrapnel injuries.
