The draft executive regulations for Kuwait’s new and amended public-private partnership (PPP) laws are 80 per cent complete, and should be issued on schedule in early 2015, less than six months after the law was passed.

Under the amendment to the 2008 PPP law applying to independent power projects (IPPs), and the new law 116 of 2014, the Partnerships Technical Bureau (PTB) will become an executive authority named the Public Authority for Public Private Partnerships (PAPPP) attached to the Finance Ministry.

It will have more autonomy and authority, according to the PTB’s general manager Adel Alroumi, speaking at the MEED Kuwait Projects 2014 conference. This should end speculation that the body was being sidelined, after major projects were returned to ministries, including the $6 billion airport expansion and the metro project.

The PTB has been unable to progress with many projects while the regulations are being finalised. These include:

• Al Zour North Phase 2 independent water and power project (IWPP)
• Al Khiran IWPP
• Al Abdaliyah integrated solar combined cycle (ISCC) plant
• Umm al-Hayman wastewater treatment plant.
• The Kuwait Schools Development programme for nine schools, one Olympic-sized swimming pool and one residential building for school faculty
• The Kabd treatment plant, which is designed to treat 50 per cent of total municipal solid waste generated in Kuwait (576,615 tones)
• The Failaka Island development to transform the island.
• A commercial/recreational centre on Abdullah al-Ahmed Street for a multi-floor cultural, recreational, commercial and sports centre.
• Rest homes and Doha chalet centres. This calls for the development of  17 rest houses on five main highways and two chalet service centres comprising commercial spaces.
• The South Jahra Labour city. This will be the first city to house expatriate labour. It includes residential units, public and commercial facilities.