(U) KUWAIT'S NEW MINISTER OF PUBLIC WORKS, BADER

C O N F I D E N T I A L KUWAIT 003857

SIPDIS

STATE FOR NEA/ARP, INR/NESA, INR/B

E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/23/2013
TAGS: PINR PGOV PREL KU
SUBJECT: (U) KUWAIT'S NEW MINISTER OF PUBLIC WORKS, BADER
AL-HAMAIDI

REF: KUWAIT 03141

Classified By: CDA Frank C. Urbancic; reason 1.5 (b, d)


1. (C) Contrary to reftel, Kuwait's new Minister of Public
Works and Minister of State for Housing Affairs, Mr. Bader
Nasser Al-Hamaidi, is not/not the long-time director of the
Kuwait Fund for Arab and Economic Development (KFAED),who
shares a similar name (Bader al-Humaidhi),but rather an
ex-fighter pilot with experience working at the Kuwait Stock
Exchange (KSE).


2. (C) The Ambassador met with the new Minister on July 30.
Hamaidi told him he had been an A-4 Skyhawk pilot and had
flown with U.S. forces in Yuma, AZ and San Antonio, TX before
his 1985 resignation from the Kuwait Air Force. After his
resignation, Al-Hamaidi said he went to New York City, where
he took a 6-month course at the New York Stock Exchange.
Upon the completion of this course, that same year, he
returned to Kuwait and joined the staff of the Kuwait
Investment Authority. He later became the head of a local
real estate company and then a member of the Board of the
Kuwait Stock Exchange. Al-Hamaidi mentioned numerous times
that he had "come from the private sector" along with the
majority of the new GOK ministers.


3. (C) Comment: The new Minister is relatively young (we
estimate early 50's),very congenial and proficient in
English. Reform plans he shared with the Ambassador (septel)
indicate he will attempt to reform his Ministry and its
activities along market-oriented lines.
URBANCIC