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Kuwait

Kuwait news and analysis, tenders, contracts awarded, commentary and economic data

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Profile

Kuwait_map_527x286px Kuwait+flag Emir+Sheikh+Sabah+al-Ahmad+al-Jaber+al-Sabah
Kuwait
Leader
Emir Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Jaber al-Sabah

Kuwait country datafile
Country overview
Government contacts

Country data

Iran 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012f 2013f
Nominal GDP ($bn) 114.7 147.4 106 119.9 161 174.6 175.2
GDP per capita ($) 33,733 42,824 30,410 33,481 43,723 46,142 45,050
Real GDP growth (annual change, %) 6.5 4.2 -7.8 2.5 8.2 6.3 1.9
Government revenue (% of GDP) 69.2 60.2 69 68.4 67.6* 69.6 69.3
Government total expenditure (% of GDP) 30.1 40.4 42.2 43.1 38.5* 39.4 42.9
Total government debt (gross, % of GDP) 11.8 9.8 11.3 10.9 8.1* 7.2 7.1
Current account balance (% of GDP) 36.8 40.9 26.7 31.9 44 44.1 39.2
Value of oil imports 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Value of oil exports 59.1 82.6 48.9 61.8 96.7 105.9 100.7
Inflation (%) 5.5 5.9 6 6.1 6.3 6.4 6.5
Click to see full economic data (2005 - 2017 forecast)
Source: International Monetary Fund, World Economic Outlook Database; Last updated: March 2013; *=Estimate

Doing business in...

Doing Business in Kuwait

MEED’s guide to doing business in Kuwait

4 November 2012, 10:57 GMT

For many business people, Kuwait is one of the region’s sleeping giants

Kuwait trends

Ten-year smoothed commodity price growth

Commodity super cycle on verge of downward trend Subscription

7 May 2013, 10:18 GMT | By

Analysts predicting 2013-14 could be the start of lower prices for commodities such as oil and gas

Middle East contracts awarded April 2013

Middle East contracts awarded: April 2013 Subscription

5 May 2013, 7:41 GMT

Just over $12bn-worth of contracts were awarded in April

Middle East contract awards March 2013

Middle East contracts awarded: March 2013 Subscription

8 April 2013, 10:34 GMT

Just over $8bn-worth of contracts were awarded in March

Middle East contracts awarded February 2013

Middle East contracts awarded: February 2013 Subscription

3 March 2013, 11:41 GMT

Just over $4bn-worth of contracts were awarded in February

Middle East and North Africa inflation

Inflation risks social unrest Subscription

7 February 2013, 7:50 GMT | By Richard Nield

Oil exporters will increase subsidises to contain inflation, but other governments are likely to struggle

Middle East contracts awarded

Middle East contracts awarded: January 2013 Subscription

3 February 2013, 11:02 GMT

Just over $3bn-worth of contracts were awarded in January

Political will: The new National Assembly is more willing to support investment in Kuwait's projects sector

Al-Zour North raises optimism for Kuwait's projects market Subscription

17 January 2013, 9:51 GMT | By

Hopes are high that Kuwait’s projects market has found new momentum following parliamentary elections

Introducing VAT

Political will erodes for GCC tax plan Subscription

10 January 2013, 1:37 GMT | By James Gavin

The Arab uprisings and economic crisis sap urgency for introducing value-added tax in the GCC

Expanded GCC plans

Plans stall for an expanded GCC Subscription

9 January 2013, 23:39 GMT | By Peter Salisbury

Some members are reluctant to welcome Amman or Rabat into the GCC due to their fiscal weakness

Middle East contracts awarded: December 2012 Subscription

2 January 2013, 8:17 GMT

Over $4bn-worth of contracts were awarded in December

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MEED comment

Kuwait

Refining overhaul gets under way

2 May 2013, 12:22 GMT | By

Progress on the first of Kuwait’s refining megaprojects is gaining momentum after year of delay

Kuwait

Al-Zour a boost to private sector

25 April 2013, 15:30 GMT

Kuwait’s invitation for interest in Al-Zour North phase 2 shows commitment to private partnerships

Kuwait

Kuwait PPP delays to hit confidence

31 January 2013, 12:03 GMT

A ministerial review that is delaying four projects risks sapping faith in Kuwait’s plan to attract more private sector investment

Kuwait

Kick-starting a market revival

17 January 2013, 13:30 GMT

Kuwait’s projects market gains much-needed momentum after political bureaucracy is pushed to the wayside

Growth

Kuwait's Al-Zour to lead PPP growth Subscription

10 January 2013, 13:46 GMT

The Al-Zour North independent water and power project could act as a catalyst for Kuwait’s PPP programme

More MEED commentary

Special reports

Kuwait

Kuwait: Political crisis takes turn for worse Subscription

24 October 2012, 14:07 GMT

Kuwait’s political impasse, which has seen the dismissal of five governments since 2006, has brought the country to the brink recently

Kuwait's Emir Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad Al-Sabah

Kuwait: Breaking the cycle of political crises Subscription

21 June 2012, 12:22 GMT

A special report on the turmoil in the country and its effect on economic and project development

More Kuwait special reports

Market presentations

After the Uprisings webinar

After the Uprisings: The outlook for business in the Middle East in 2013 and beyond Subscription

4 March 2013, 5:52 GMT

A webinar on the region’s business environment, providing current data and exclusive expert analysis drawn from MEED’s team of experts

Wastewater

Webinar: Project opportunities in GCC wastewater Subscription

15 May 2012, 11:24 GMT

Join MEED for an exclusive online seminar looking at the Gulf wastewater sector

Kuwait

Kuwaiti projects market 2012 Subscription

6 March 2012, 8:32 GMT

MEED’s online seminar on the Kuwiat projects market, providing a comprehensive forecast and review of opportunities in the country

Barzan: The gas project raised $5.7bn

Rebuilding the Middle East: Prospects for the projects market 2012 Subscription

6 February 2012, 5:40 GMT

MEED’s webinar looks at expected growth in the Middle East and North Africa

Arab uprising: Facebook gave power to protesters

The impact of the Arab uprisings on business growth Subscription

27 July 2011, 12:50 GMT

MEED’s webinar is a mid-year review that assesses the consequences of protests in the region on project plans

Implementing the region’s long-term rail plans Subscription

20 July 2011, 12:54 GMT

More than $250bn worth of rail projects are planned or under development in the Middle East; in this webinar, MEED presents an overview of the market and its growth

Construction

GCC Construction: The move from private to public infrastructure spending

7 June 2011, 6:50 GMT

MEED’s webinar on the major changes impacting the region’s construction sector

MEED's 2020 Vision: A presentation Subscription

27 January 2011, 9:23 GMT | By

An exclusive MEED presentation looking at the key trends that will shape the Middle East economy in the coming decade.

Project awards

Ava wins $84m drilling mud contract in Kuwait Subscription

19 May 2013, 11:53 GMT | By

Italian group to provide drilling mud products and engineering services for Kuwait Oil Company

Mott McDonald wins Divided Zone contract Subscription

30 April 2013, 7:58 GMT | By

UK engineering consultancy wins five-year deal

Local contractor wins Kuwait pipeline maintenance deal Subscription

24 April 2013, 10:24 GMT | By

O&G Engineering awarded $73m contract by Kuwait Oil Company

Kuwait awards two mud services deals Subscription

24 April 2013, 10:21 GMT | By

Mud products and engineering services deals worth $337m

Punj Lloyd wins Divided Zone offshore project Subscription

20 March 2013, 5:45 GMT | By

The $57.8m deal is the Indian contractor’s first offshore contract in the Middle East

O&G Engineering approved for Kuwait gas pipeline deal Subscription

7 March 2013, 8:09 GMT | By

Local contractor seals $73.6m maintenance deal

Arabi Enertech wins $98m Kuwait pipeline deal Subscription

17 February 2013, 10:40 GMT | By

More than $761m-worth of upstream deals signed in January

Kuwait awards upstream and field services deals Subscription

12 February 2013, 11:03 GMT | By

Local group wins two contracts worth $211m to supply drilling rigs to state-owned energy company

Turkey’s STFA wins Kuwait harbour contract

27 January 2013, 12:18 GMT | By

Engineering firm to build and expand small boat harbours at Mina al-Ahmadi

Kuwait awards contract for Al-Zour North power project Subscription

8 January 2013, 12:50 GMT | By

The GDF Suez-led consortium will build Kuwait’s first independent power and water project

Projects trends

Gulf projects index 14.05.13

Sharp drops lead to Gulf index decline Subscription

16 May 2013, 9:18 GMT

Kuwait only GCC state to record fall in value of projects sector

Gulf Projects Index

UAE and Iran push down Gulf index Subscription

9 May 2013, 9:48 GMT

Kuwait records biggest market growth after the launch of new transformer stations project

Gulf Projects Index

Iraq and Oman lift Gulf projects index Subscription

2 May 2013, 10:19 GMT

Baghdad projects market reaches a $500bn high registering a growth of 3.3 per cent

More Gulf Projects index

Top 10 projects

Rank Project Name Sector Contract value ($m)
1 Subiya Causeway Transport 2,600
2 Al Zour IWPP: Phase 1 Power 2,000
3 Oil and Gas Pipelines from Mina Al Ahmadi Refinery to Kuwait Power Plants Gas 1,802
4 Jurassic Non Associated Gas Reserves Expansion: Phase 2 Gas 1,556
5 Al Zour South Power Plant Upgrade Power 1,200
6 Bubiyan Seaport Project: Phase 1: Package 2 Transport 1,162
7 Jaber Ahmed al-Jabber al-Sabah Hospital Healthcare 1,000
8 Al-Jahra Road Upgrade Transport 965
9 Booster Station 171 Gas 900
10 Mina Al Ahmadi Refinery: Gas Fractionation Train 4 Gas 886
Click through to the full data table on Kuwait's biggest projects in construction
Click through to MEED's Q1 2013 Top 100 Projects report
Source: MEED Projects; Data compiled: April 2013; All projects are in execution

Companies

Ahli United Bank

Ahli United Bank (Kuwait) Subscription

Al-Ahli Bank of Kuwait logo

Al-Ahli Bank of Kuwait Subscription

See all Kuwait company profiles

People

Hisham Allam Subscription

7 April 2013, 13:35 GMT

Hisham Allam is chief technology officer, Mobile Communications Company (Zain Group)

Menahi Saeed al-Anzi Subscription

25 February 2013, 12:07 GMT

Menahi Saeed al-Anzi is deputy managing director, planning and gas, Kuwait Oil Company (KOC)

Ahmad Atallah Subscription

25 February 2013, 12:00 GMT

Ahmad Atallah is chairman and managing director, Shell Kuwait

Jorn Hinge Subscription

21 January 2013, 12:53 GMT

Jorn Hinge is president and CEO, United Arab Shipping Company

Hani Hussein Subscription

6 January 2013, 6:14 GMT

Hani Hussein is Oil Minister, Kuwait

Bader Mohammad al-Saad Subscription

18 September 2012, 10:17 GMT

Bader Mohammad al-Saad is managing director, Kuwait Investment Authority

See all Kuwait biographies

Latest Kuwait news

Ava wins $84m drilling mud contract in Kuwait Subscription

19 May 2013, 11:53 GMT | By

Italian group to provide drilling mud products and engineering services for Kuwait Oil Company

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Tenders

Kuwait: Cleaning services Subscription

14 May 2013, 16:48 GMT | By

Carrying out cleaning services at the Al-Mubarakiya camps

Filter Kuwait tenders by sector

Research reports

ProjFinance

Pre-launch offer: Mena Project Finance Report 2013

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