In this episode of Hadith Al-Tanmiya on Kuwait State Radio, Dr. Mohammed Munif Al-Ajmi hosted Abdullah Al-Salloum, economic affairs researcher and author of Kuwait of Sustainability, to discuss the ideas presented in his book and the broader question of whether Kuwait can build a sustainable economic model amid major fiscal, political, and development challenges.
The interview focused on Kuwait of Sustainability as an economic vision that seeks to move Kuwait beyond the rentier model and toward a more productive, diversified, and sustainable economy. The discussion came in the context of the challenges created by COVID-19, which exposed weaknesses in local, regional, and global economies, and made the question of Kuwait’s economic future more urgent than ever.
At the beginning of the episode, Dr. Mohammed Munif Al-Ajmi introduced the book as a vision published two years before the interview, noting that its author hoped it would not be viewed as unrealistic imagination, but as a proposal capable of helping Kuwait achieve major national objectives and build a sound economic and developmental foundation. He then asked Al-Salloum whether Kuwait of Sustainability was still only a “drop of rain” or whether it could become the beginning of a wider transformation.
Abdullah Al-Salloum explained that the idea for the book came after the announcement of New Kuwait Vision 2035, and shortly after the announcement of Saudi Vision 2030. As someone who closely follows Gulf economic developments, he observed that Saudi Vision 2030 appeared to move toward economic sustainability through clearer mechanisms, while Kuwait’s vision, in his view, lacked the core economic principles needed to achieve real sustainability. He argued that New Kuwait Vision 2035 mainly gathered existing and planned major projects under a timeline, but did not offer a complete economic model capable of addressing the roots of Kuwait’s problem or guaranteeing a transition toward a sustainable economy.
Al-Salloum emphasized that Kuwait of Sustainability was not written to cancel or replace Kuwait Vision 2035, but to complement it, critique its shortcomings, and offer practical ideas that could be incorporated into a more complete national vision. He explained that the goal was to help Kuwait achieve the aspiration of the late Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah: turning Kuwait into a true financial and commercial hub, diversifying income sources, and reducing dependence on oil.
A central theme of the interview was the gap between what is written in official development plans and what is actually implemented. Al-Salloum argued that phrases such as supporting the private sector, diversifying income, and reducing oil dependence are not enough if there are no clear mechanisms capable of turning them into reality. In his view, the issue with Kuwait Vision 2035 is not only the wording or the declared goals, but the absence of real economic mechanisms that achieve sustainability in its full meaning: using today’s resources without harming the rights and opportunities of future generations.
The discussion then moved to the issue of decentralized decision-making in Kuwait. Al-Salloum identified this as one of the biggest obstacles to implementing a comprehensive economic vision. He explained that Kuwait’s political and legislative system differs from other Gulf models, such as Saudi Arabia’s, because of the role of the National Assembly in legislation. This makes deep economic reform more complex, especially when members of parliament operate within electoral and political environments that often focus on the interests of specific constituencies rather than the state as one unified economic body.
Within this context, Al-Salloum proposed the idea of a legislated economic threat that could unite parliamentary and political actors around clear reform goals. He linked this idea to Jaber Fund, one of the mechanisms discussed in Kuwait of Sustainability, describing it as both an economic and political tool designed to create reform pressure within the political system and turn economic risk into a force for action rather than a subject of repeated slogans.
The interview also discussed the major structural solutions proposed in Kuwait of Sustainability. Al-Salloum explained that one of the main goals is to reduce the state budget’s dependence on oil revenues to around 25%, instead of the current levels that approach 90%. He clarified that the point is not to reduce oil revenues themselves, but to increase non-oil revenues by expanding the private sector, strengthening its ability to export, reducing imports, and allowing real economic activity to contribute more to the state budget. He noted that reaching 25% within 15 years is an ambitious goal, but even reducing oil dependence to 50% would be a major achievement compared with the current situation.
One of the most important ideas Al-Salloum explained was dividing Kuwait’s economic transition into three conceptual zones or models: Kuwait of the Present, Kuwait of Transition, and Kuwait of the Future. Kuwait of the Present represents the current economic reality and existing commercial environment. Kuwait of the Future, which could be located in northern Kuwait, Bubiyan, or Silk City, would be designed as a globally competitive zone capable of attracting foreign investment and major companies with the ability to export and raise Kuwait’s GDP. Kuwait of Transition would serve as an intermediate zone mainly for Kuwaiti citizens and local investors who are not yet able to compete globally but need incentives and time to grow.
Al-Salloum explained that the purpose of these zones is not to exclude existing merchants or disrupt the private sector abruptly, but to manage economic transformation gradually and fairly. Those who do not wish to change can remain in Kuwait of the Present, while understanding that this model will eventually change over a 15-year period. Those who want to develop and compete can move into Kuwait of Transition, and those capable of global competition can operate in Kuwait of the Future. In this way, reform becomes gradual rather than sudden or socially disruptive.
When asked whether these solutions are realistic, Al-Salloum acknowledged that they are not easy to implement. However, he stressed that major national goals cannot be achieved through easy or traditional tools. Transforming a rentier state that depends on oil into a sustainable economy based on production and exports requires political cooperation, administrative creativity, and simultaneous reforms in education, healthcare, the business environment, legislation, and public administration. He argued that the state already spends large amounts on less strategic priorities, and therefore the cost of economic transformation should be treated as an investment in the nation’s future.
The interview also explored the relationship between centralization, democracy, and economic structure. Al-Salloum presented a debatable but important view: centralization may be more suitable for a rentier economy during the reform stage, while democracy becomes more effective in a sustainable economy. He explained that in a rentier economy, political forces tend to compete over the distribution of an existing “cake” rather than working to expand it. In a sustainable economy, however, broader incentives emerge for partnership, productivity, and revenue growth. He clarified that this view is an economic reading of Kuwait’s current situation, not a call to abolish political participation.
Dr. Mohammed Munif Al-Ajmi also asked Al-Salloum about the sources behind Kuwait of Sustainability. Al-Salloum explained that the book was not written as a traditional academic thesis or research paper. Rather, it was designed as an economic vision addressed to the public, policymakers, and anyone interested in Kuwait’s future. He noted that the book drew on accessible sources such as newspaper articles, Ministry of Finance documents, published research, and ideas related to the knowledge economy, but its purpose was not to increase academic output. Its aim was to open a wider space for thinking about Kuwait’s economic future.
Toward the end of the episode, the discussion turned to whether crises can become opportunities. Al-Salloum said that he had previously been more pessimistic about Kuwait’s ability to transform, but the COVID-19 crisis, combined with heightened political tensions and the exposure of hidden weaknesses, could create positive pressure for reform. He suggested that these pressures might contribute to improving the financial system, the banking system, and the state budget, and could push Kuwait away from its usual path toward a more serious reform direction.
Dr. Mohammed Munif Al-Ajmi concluded by noting that the challenges that emerged with COVID-19 in early 2020 could become a motivation for greater economic engagement and development action. He also explained that the program’s interest in discussing Kuwait of Sustainability came after several academics and development specialists recommended that the book and its different economic perspective deserved attention and public discussion.
This interview offers a deep discussion of Kuwait of Sustainability, New Kuwait Vision 2035, Kuwait’s rentier economy, economic sustainability, income diversification, Kuwait after oil, the financial and commercial hub project, Jaber Fund, Kuwait of the Present, Kuwait of Transition, Kuwait of the Future, Silk City, Bubiyan, the private sector, exports, non-oil revenues, decentralized decision-making, the relationship between rentier economics and democracy, political and economic reform, and the impact of COVID-19 on Kuwait’s public finances. It highlights the importance of developing new economic models that do not merely improve the appearance of the current system, but seek to rebuild the foundations of Kuwait’s financial and developmental future.