THE PRIME Minister of Kuwait, His Highness, Sheikh Nasser Mohamed Al-Ahmed Al-Jaber Al-Sabah arrives here today on a one-day State Visit to a 21-gun salute.
He will be met by President Bharrat Jagdeo, Prime Minister Sam Hinds and other Ministers of  Government at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport, Timehri, before journeying to the city for a series of  official activities.
It will be his first visit to this country. He is on a tour of Latin America and the Caribbean, and is accompanied by a 66-member high-level delegation.
During the fleeting visit, the 65-year-old second-in-command of Kuwaiti affairs will hold private talks with President Jagdeo, followed by official talks between the two parties and their respective delegations.
The two countries are to sign five bilateral agreements relating to bilateral trade, economic and technical cooperation, the establishment of a joint commission, and the avoidance of double taxation and prevention of fiscal evasion with respect to taxes on income and capital.
Before departing these shores, the Kuwaiti PM will be a guest-of-honour at luncheon hosted by President Jagdeo at his State House official residence.

Who is Prime Minister Sheikh Nasser

Born in 1940, Prime Minister Sheikh Nasser was educated both at home in Kuwait and in the United Kingdom, where he obtained eight ‘O’ Levels and six ‘A’ levels and pursued higher education in French.
A Political science and economics graduate from the University of Geneva, Switzerland, he is fluent in not only in his native Arabic, but in French, English and Persian as well.
A former career diplomat, he recently held a high-profile job as the Minister in Charge of Amiri Diwan Affairs, serving the late Emir, President Sheikh Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah.
The political career of the Kuwait PM took off in August 1964 with his appointment as Third Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
In October of the same year, he was transferred from the Foreign Ministry to the Kuwait Permanent Mission at the United Nations in New York, USA where he served briefly before being returned to the Foreign Ministry in June of 1965.
In December of that year, his career saw two rapid advancements, firstly as First as Minister Extraordinary Plenipotentiary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and then Permanent Representative of the State of Kuwait to the European Office of the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland.
While there, he inaugurated the first office of the Kuwait Permanent Mission in Geneva in 1966, and also became the First Consul-General of Kuwait to the Swiss Confederation in Geneva in the same year.
He was made Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Iran in October 1968, and in 1971 was appointed, by an Amiri Decree, Non-Resident Ambassador to Afghanistan. Between 1975 and 1979, he served as the Dean of the Diplomatic Corps in Iran. He has the distinction of being the youngest ever to hold such a position in the world.
In May 1979, he was recalled to Kuwait to again serve in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, then as Under-Secretary of the Ministry of Information. Between 1985 and 1988, he served as the Minister for Information, and as Minister of Social Affairs and Labour between 1988-990.
On November 16, 2005, he was appointed by an Amiri Decree as the Minister for Al-Diwan Al- Amiri Affairs (Royal Court), which post he held prior to being appointed the Prime Minister.
Besides the many decorations he’s been accorded, he has the distinction of operating the first Kuwaiti broadcasting station while in exile, and it is said that his was the first Kuwaiti voice to be heard on radio during the Iraqi aggression. He was known for the familiar refrain: “This Is Kuwait. ”

Profile of Kuwait  and other information
Located in the Middle East, bordering the Persain Gulf, between Iraq and Saudia Arabia,  Kuwait is regarded as one of the smallest countries in the world in terms of land area.
The flat, sandy Arabian Desert covers most of Kuwait, which is the only country in the world with no natural lake or water reservoir.
Kuwait City is located on Kuwait Bay, a natural deep-water harbour.
The country is headed by an Emir or President, His Highness Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah with His Highness Sheikh Nasser Mohammed Al-Ahmed Al-Jaber Al-Sabah as the Deputy cum Prime Minister.
It has a GDP of US $167.9 billion, and GDP Growth Rate of 5.7%. It gained its Independence from the United Kingdom on  June 19, 1961, is currently rated as the 5th richest country in the world.
Arabic is the official language of Kuwait, which has a population of 2. 59M.
There is little difference in the country’s altitude with the highest point in the country being 306 m above sea-level.
Kuwait is a small, rich, relatively open economy with self-reported crude oil reserves of about 104 billion barrels, the equivalent of some 10% of the world’s reserves. Petroleum accounts for nearly half of GDP, 95% of export revenues, and 80% of government income.
Guyana and Kuwait established diplomatic ties on August 17, 1995.
Ambassador Waleed Ahmad Al-Kandari, who is Kuwait’s ambassador to Guyana, resides in Brazil.
Kuwait’s resources are petroleum, fish, shrimp, and natural gas, with oil and refined products, fertilizers as its exports. Its major imports are food, construction materials, vehicles and parts, and clothing, while its major trading  partners are Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Singapore, US, Germany, and Saudi Arabia.

Kuwait has a warm tropical climate. Summer, which lasts from April to September, is extremely hot and dry, with temperatures easily crossing 45°C (113 °F) during the daytime. Winter season, from November through February, is cool with some precipitation, and average temperatures around 13°C (56 °F) with extremes from -2°C to 27°C. Annual rainfall averages less than 127 mm, and occurs chiefly between October and April. The spring season in March is warm and pleasant, but with the occasional thunderstorm. The frequent winds from the northwest are cool in winter and spring, but hot in summer. Southeasterly winds, usually hot and damp, spring up between July and October; hot and dry south winds prevail in spring and early summer. The shamal, a northwesterly wind common during June and July, causes dramatic sandstorms.

Islam is the official religion of the State of Kuwait. However, Christians and many other religious minorities enjoy complete religious freedom in Kuwait.

According to the 2005 census, the population stands at approximately three (3) million. This represents an increase of 8.6% compared to the previous year, when the figure stood
at  2,750,000.  A report, produced by the Ministry of Planning in 2005, found that there were 992,000 Kuwaiti nationals, a 3.8% increase in comparison to 2004.

•    Independence Day: While the official severing of ties with Britain occurred on June 19,1961, Kuwaitis celebrate this day on  February 25, which is the day on which late Sheikh Abdullah Al-Salem Al-Sabah, the eleventh ruler of Kuwait, officially took over the reins of power.
•    Liberation Day: Observed on February 26, in remembrance of their liberation from Iraqi occupation.

The Dinar is the currency of Kuwait. It is sub-divided into 1000 fils. It is the highest valued currency unit in the world.

Some important events in Kuwait’s history
•    The first map that included the name Qurain (Kuwait) was set by Johannes Van Keulen in 1753. This name remained on maps associated with the name Kuwait. Other names were mentioned like Bobyan, Failaka (Felecia) & Oha Island (Hou).
•    The first wall around Kuwait city was built in Sheikh Abdullah bin Sabah’s reign to protect the city from Wahabi’s invasion in 1793.
•    The first mail ship anchored in Kuwait in 1868. It’s an American ship called “Bebaik” arriving from Burma to Basra.
•    In 1879, mailing services started in Kuwait under the supervision of the Indian Mail Department until 1904 when Sheikh Mubarak Al-Sabah asked the British government to establish a post office in Kuwait.
•    Tea entered Kuwait in 1892.
•    In 1899, the first treaty was signed with Britain during the reign of Sheikh Mubarak Al-Sabah, the seventh ruler of Kuwait, to maintain Kuwait independence and political entity.
•    Custom department, the first government directorate, was established in 1899.
•    The first import of kerosene (Kaz, in Kuwaiti dialect) to Kuwait from India in 1902 by Mr. McKenzi, the British ships agent in Jerri cans. It was distilled & filled in Russia. It came in 2 categories; the lion mark & the sun mark. Before that, Kuwaitis used normal oils like sesame oil, olive oil & tallow for lights.
•    The first clinic was in the former British Commissioner house in Sharq area, known to Kuwaitis as Dickson House.
•    The first car in Kuwait ‘Monaro’ was given as a present from Sheikh Qassim al Ibraheem to Sheikh Mubarak. It was seen as prodigy.
•    The first telegraph office in Kuwait was established in 1912.
•    The first modern school was established in 1913 by the pioneers of the American mission in the Gulf. The first building in Kuwait was of iron ferroconcrete that cost US $ 6000.
•    The first water desalination device was bought by Sheikh Mubarak Al-Sabah through “streak shipping” company and cost 250,000 Rupees.
•    The first land custom building was established in a small building in Safat square in 1914 to control the caravan arriving to the city and collect the tax from it. Then, it was transferred to Nayaf Gate and permanently removed in April 1957.
•    The first dam was built to collect rain water by an order from the departed Amir Sheikh Salem A-Sabah in 1917 and it was known as Alnoqra.
•    In 1921, the first consultative council was established. It was the first organized political event that contributed in determining the state’s authorities and it’s administration. It was the first direct participation of the nation in managing the state’s affairs. Sheikh Ahmed Al-Jaber had agreed to form a specific consultative council of 12 members chosen by recommendation.
•    The first public library, the National Library, was opened in 1923 and contained many useful books. Kuwaiti people contributed financially in this project , and provided many valuable & unique books that were added to the library books, which later became a source of science to the Kuwaiti educated people.
•    In 1927, the first airport was opened in Dasma area outside Kuwait city. The first flights to Dasma airport were operated by the Empire Airlines, which later became the British Airways. It used the land runway in Dasma as fuel platform for its flights Britain-India-Britain.
•    The first Amir to travel to Europe was Sheikh Ahmed Al-Jaber. He was his uncle’s, Sheikh Salem Al-Mubarak, envoy to extend the felicitation of the Amir of Kuwait to King George the fifth in the occasion of Britain’s victory in the First World War.
•    The first law in Kuwait was the Municipality Law issued by Sheikh Ahmed Al-Jaber Al-Sabah in 1931.
•    In 1931, the first municipality council was established. It was formed in 1932.
•    Electricity entered Kuwait for the first time in 1934 by Kuwait Electricity Company, which sold its electricity production, not exceeding 200 kilo watt, to Kuwaiti people in high costs.
•    The first radio was brought to Kuwait by Major Holmse in 1934 and gave it as a present to Sheikh Ahmed Al-Jaber Al-Sabah.
•    The first regular school for girls: the Education Council that supervises education in Kuwait realized the importance of educating woman in the society and hence decided to open the first regular school for girls in 1937. The council made a contract with two qualified teachers who were sisters from Palestinian nationality.
•    The first parliamentary council elected in the political history of Kuwait is the First Legislative National Assembly in the era of Sheikh Ahmed Al-Jaber Al-Sabah in 1938. The fourteen members of that council were selected via election.
•    Telephone wires were extended for the first time in Kuwait in 1942.
•    1940 was the year of establishing the Amiri Hospital, which was later officially opened in 1949.
•    The first street in Kuwait to be paved with tar is Dasman street in 1945.
•    The first marine cargo line was established in 1946.
•    The year 1946 witnessed the export of the first Kuwaiti oil shipment from Mina Alahmadi (Ahmadi Port) in a British tanker to Britain.
•    The first hotel in Kuwait was “Sherin” hotel, named after his owner Mr. Yousif Sherin, and was built in the city, Safat area, in 1947.
•    The first church was built in Kuwait in Ahmadi city in 1948, and was called “Our Lady of Arabia”.
•    The first newspaper to be issued and published in Kuwait was “Kazma” magazine, which is a monthly artistic social news paper. Its first issue was published in 1948.
•    The first center for literacy in Kuwait was opened in 1952.

The first Kuwaiti national bank was established in 1952, and was called “Kuwait National Limited Bank”.
•    In 1954, the Kuwaiti National Airlines company celebrated the arrival of the first airplane, which was called “Kazma”. The Dakota DC3 airplane landed in the old airport which was located in the area currently occupied by Al-dahiya and Al-nozha areas. The airplane took a number of the invitees in a shout round above Kuwait territories and then returned to the airport. The capacity of that airplane was 32 seats.
•    The first official gazette was “Kuwait Today”, first published in 1954 by “Publications Department”, and was printed in their print press.
•    The first news agency in Kuwait was (Kuwait News Agency) established in 1956.
•    The first official census of the population in Kuwait was performed in 1957.
•    By the end of 1958, the first Kuwaiti tanker for crude oil was built. The Kuwaiti Oil Tankers Company, established in Kuwait with Kuwaiti monies, ordered its manufacture in Japan. The tanker had the capacity of 46 million tons.
•    The real estate register started in Kuwait in 1959.
•    The year 196
0 witnessed the first session of the “Council of Kuwaiti Currency”.
•    The official beginning of the cooperative movement in Kuwait was in 1962 after the issuance of its organizing law. Kaifan Cooperative Society was the first official cooperative society in Kuwait.
•    The elections of the first establishing council was performed in Kuwait in 1962 for drafting a constitution that organizes ruling pursuant to democratic basis derived from the factual life and objectives of Kuwait.
•    The first ministry in the history of Kuwait was in 1962. His Highness Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmed Al-Jaber Al-Sabah occupied the position of the Minister of “Guidance and News”.
•    The first national assembly was inaugurated in 1963. Sheikh Abdullah Al-Salem Al-Sabah, the ruler of Kuwait by then inaugurated the first sessions in a speech where he said: “In the name of Allah Almighty, we open the first session of the National Assembly which starts the stage of the constitutional era in Kuwait.”
Source: The official website of the State of Kuwait