PEIE team visits Kuwait Cooperative Societies Union

A delegation representing the Public Establishment for Industrial Estates (PEIE) yesterday visited the Kuwait Union of Consumer Cooperative Societies to get acquainted with their leading experience in consumer cooperative societies at the regional level, explore potential mutual cooperation, and discuss mechanisms of entering Omani products to Kuwait’s consumer cooperative societies. The officials were received by Ali bin Hashem al Kandari, Chairman of Kuwait Union of Consumer Cooperative Societies, who briefed the PEIE delegates on the union and its objectives. Al Kandari stated that the legal basis for consumer cooperatives was established in 1962. “The first official consumer cooperative society was established in 1962 in Kaifan, followed by the establishment of other consumer cooperative societies. Today, there are more than 40 cooperative societies in Kuwait,” Al Kandari said, adding: “The Union of Consumer Cooperative Societies was established in 1971, aimed at carrying out studies and research in related fields, providing advice and technical expertise to its member societies, exploring possible ways and means to solve problems that may exist in any member societies at the request of the concerned society, resolving any disputes that may arise between the member societies at the request of the dispute parties and therefore the decision of union is binding, in addition to organising training courses for the societies’ workforce, among other objectives.” Omar bin Mohamed Muqaibal, Director-General of Marketing and Media at PEIE, briefed the Union on the industrial march in the Sultanate, He explained the vision of PEIE, which is to enhance the Sultanate’s position as a leading regional centre of manufacturing, ICT, innovation and entrepreneurship excellence, and its mission in attracting industrial investments and providing continued support, through regionally and globally competitive strategies, good infrastructure, value adding services, and easy governmental processes. Hamood al Balushi, Director of Omani Products’ Department at PEIE, emphasised the importance of this visit to get acquainted with the efforts undertaken by the union as well as introduce the union’s officials with the Omani products and explore the mechanism of exporting these products to Kuwait’s consumer cooperative societies. Al Balushi briefed the union’s officials on Origin Oman Campaign, which is designed to encourage consumers and organisations to buy Oman made goods and services, promote national pride in the manufacturing industry and highlight the economic significance of choosing and buying locally manufactured products and services.