Kuwait-Egypt ties hailed as model of Arab cooperation
KUWAIT: Egyptian Ambassador to Kuwait Osama Shaltout on Thursday described Egyptian-Kuwaiti relations as a model of Arab cooperation rooted in mutual respect and shared interests. Speaking during a reception hosted by the Egyptian Embassy to mark the 73rd anniversary of the July 23, 1952 Revolution, Shaltout highlighted the depth of bilateral ties and ongoing efforts to strengthen cooperation across various sectors. The event was attended by Kuwait's Minister of Municipality and Minister of State for Housing Affairs Abdullatif Al-Meshari, along with senior officials and members of the diplomatic corps in Kuwait.
Shaltout pointed to the significant development witnessed in multiple areas of cooperation between the two countries, crowned by the historic state visit of His Highness the Amir Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah to Egypt in April 2024. He described the visit as a pivotal moment in reinforcing the strong and strategic partnership between Kuwait and Egypt.
Reflecting on the significance of the July 23 Revolution, Shaltout said the movement marked a turning point in Egypt's modern history, laying the foundations for national independence, sovereignty, and comprehensive development. He added that the revolution also inspired liberation movements throughout the Arab world and Africa.
The ambassador expressed his appreciation to the government and people of Kuwait for their warm hospitality and support during his tenure, reaffirming Egypt's commitment to advancing bilateral collaboration in ways that benefit both nations and further strengthen the bonds between the Egyptian and Kuwaiti peoples. — KUNA
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By Noura Almutairi Since May 25, 2018, the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) has been applied across all EU member states, establishing a global benchmark. Several countries, including South Korea, Brazil, Japan, Kenya, Egypt, Indonesia and the US State of California, have enacted data privacy laws aligned with the GDPR. Unlike the EU Data Protection Directive (DPD), the GDPR aims to enhance control over personal information to safeguard fundamental rights, especially the individual's right to data protection. The right to protect personal information is distinct from the right to privacy under the European Convention on Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms (ECHR). The values underlying the regulation and protection of the former right are transparency, autonomy, fairness, dignity and non-discrimination. These are different from the values of reputation and honor, which underpin the individual's right to privacy in Kuwaiti society. Nonetheless, this article urges Kuwaiti lawmakers to be guided by the GDPR, as the individual's right to privacy is one of the values underpinning the protection of their personal information under the GDPR. Some of an individual's personal information, as defined under Article 4 of the GDPR, is linked to their right to privacy, for example, their photo. In addition, most of the individual's sensitive or private information, as outlined in Article 9 of the GDPR, is linked to the individual's right to privacy or a private life under the Kuwaiti legal system. Examples of such information include genetic data and health data. Even the process of collecting an individual's non-sensitive or private information can be used to reveal hidden private data about them. To illustrate how this point is relevant to the GDPR, it applies to private companies (as data controllers) that monitor individuals' online behavior and activities through their online identifiers or observed data, such as IP addresses, cookies and location data. A massive amount of 'dynamic personal information' is collected through such observed data and can then be analyzed predictively or using AI, which may infer private information about the Internet. As such, the GDPR protects the individual's right to privacy. However, this article suggests that Kuwaiti decision-makers should be guided by the GDPR, rather than merely copying it, when drafting a comprehensive Data Privacy Law. The GDPR has legal loopholes and vague provisions, and it does not entirely suit Kuwait for the following reasons, as explained. 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NOTE: Noura Almutairi is an Assistant Professor at Kuwait University School of Law, Private Law Department, with research interests in the right to privacy, AI, the tort liability of tech companies and IP law.
