Kuwait owes community entities 2.35 billion dinars, finance ministry suggests

A common check out of Kuwait Metropolis November 10, 2012. Photo taken November 10. REUTERS/Stephanie Mcgehee

KUWAIT, Feb 22 (Reuters) – Kuwait’s govt owes 2.35 billion dinars ($7.78 billion) in late payments to general public entities, according to the finance ministry, in a indicator of a deepening hard cash crunch the oil-exporting country has confronted due to the fact the start of the coronavirus pandemic.

The ministry, which was responding to a parliamentary query, mentioned in a letter dated Feb. 16 and noticed by Reuters, that late payments have been thanks to the absence of liquidity in the Treasury’s accounts.

“These payments will be successively paid when liquidity is out there,” it claimed. The arrears are equivalent to almost 11% of Kuwait’s funds for the fiscal year that commences on April 1.

Regional newspaper Al Qabas first noted on the letter.

Even though a recovery in oil rates have provided some aid, the Gulf region has been not able to situation worldwide debt since 2017 when a general public financial debt law expired and successive parliaments and cupboards have unsuccessful to change it with a new a single.

The govt has relied because on different resources of funding such as asset swaps in between its substantial sovereign wealth fund and the treasury. It faces a payment of $3.5 billion on March 20 when global bonds issued in 2017 arrive due. In a Feb. 10 document, the finance ministry explained extending the bonds’ maturity was “entirely not likely” as it would lead to a downgrade of Kuwait’s sovereign and bank ratings, boosting the state’s funding expenses.

Kuwait’s sovereign wealth fund claimed the exact same document that even with significant price ranges of oil – hydrocarbons normally account for just about 90% of point out revenues – Kuwait continue to requirements the financial debt law.

“The uncomplicated and accessible alternatives to enrich liquidity have been fatigued,” the Kuwait Investment decision Authority stated, calling for economic reforms and a legislation regulating withdrawals from the Foreseeable future Generations Reserve Fund, which is meant to conserve oil prosperity for the extensive expression.

The late government payments contain 1.29 billion dinars for the finance ministry and community accounts, building up 55% of the whole. Out of that volume, 862 million dinars are owed to general public and independent entities, such as all those accountable for housing and social safety payments.

Fitch Rankings downgraded Kuwait previous month to ‘AA-‘ from ‘AA’, citing “ongoing political constraints” that hinder the oil producer’s skill to tackle structural issues. examine much more

($1 = .3021 Kuwaiti dinars)

Reporting by Ahmed Hagagy Crafting by Yousef Saba Enhancing by Alex Richardson, William Maclean and Tomasz Janowski

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