Kuwait Approves Overhaul of Municipal Law, Revamps Council Structure

Kuwait’s Cabinet has approved a draft decree-law introducing significant amendments to the country’s Municipal Law, including changes to the composition, qualifications and tenure of the Municipal Council.

The four-article draft decree-law, approved during a Cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Sheikh Ahmad Abdullah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, seeks to amend several provisions of Law No. 33 of 2016 governing Kuwait Municipality.

Under the proposed amendments, Articles 4, 6, 7, 13, 14 and 26 of the existing law will be revised.

The amended Article 4 provides that the Municipal Council will comprise 12 members appointed by decree. Members must be Kuwaiti citizens by birth, at least 30 years old at the time of appointment and hold a university degree in engineering, architecture or another field related to municipal affairs.

Article 6 sets the Council’s term at two years, beginning from the date of its first meeting. The Council must convene within 15 days of the issuance of the appointment decree.

The revised provisions also allow for a decree to be issued before the end of the Council’s term to dissolve and reconstitute the body or replace individual members. Any newly appointed members would serve the remainder of their predecessors’ terms.

In addition, the Council’s tenure may be extended by up to six months, or until a new Council is appointed, whichever occurs first.

Following Cabinet approval, the draft decree-law has been submitted to His Highness the Amir Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah for consideration.

During the meeting, ministers were also briefed on a range of regional and international developments. The Cabinet reviewed the outcomes of the Prime Minister’s participation, as the Amir’s representative, in the first EU-GCC Geopolitical and Investment Summit held in Greece.

Addressing the summit, Sheikh Ahmad Abdullah highlighted the longstanding ties between GCC states and their European partners, reaffirming Kuwait’s commitment to expanding cooperation in areas including energy, investment, infrastructure and digital transformation.

The Cabinet was further informed of meetings held by the Prime Minister on the sidelines of the summit with Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides, Finnish President Alexander Stubb, European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde and former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair.

Ministers also reviewed diplomatic correspondence exchanged between Kuwait and several countries, including Italy, Spain and France, aimed at strengthening bilateral relations and discussing regional developments.

For any enquiries or information, contact ask@tlr.ae or call us on +971 52 644 3004. Follow The Law Reporters on WhatsApp Channels.