Sheikh Nasser will need clear vision for Kuwaiti petroleum sector
The Kuwaiti prime minister must build a strong petroleum council to regain his government's credibility.
The clock is ticking for Kuwait's Prime Minister Sheikh Nasser Mohammed al-Ahmed al-Sabah. With little more than a month left before the current parliamentary session ends, the premier faces a stern test to convince lawmakers of the strength of his vision for the development of the country's economy.
A five-year development plan will be handed out to members of Kuwait's National Assembly (parliament) before they take a summer vacation in mid-July.
The prime minister must also select representatives for the country's oil and gas regulator, the Supreme Petroleum Council (SPC).
The next month will be crucial to the credibility of Sheikh Nasser's latest government, the sixth he has headed since first being appointed prime minister in 2006.
Constant cabinet reshuffles are seen as diluting the impact of policy decisions and long-term planning.
Sheikh Nasser must install a council which is prepared to make tough decisions quickly. If he fails, the outlook is gloomy.
Talk is rife that, in the absence of any long-term political stability, parliament could be suspended indefinitely in favour of Kuwait's ruler, Emir Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmed al-Jaber al-Sabah, pushing ahead with his own development plans.
That may provide a short-term economic boost but would prove a blow to the country's democratic credentials.
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