Oil has provided Kuwait with wealth and well-being for the past 80 years. Slowing demand for oil is threatening the sustainability of the current economic and social model, emphasising the need to transition towards a knowledge-based society – where value creation, the resolution of societal challenges and the well-being of society at large will be based on the production, diffusion and implementation of knowledge.

“New Kuwait”, an overarching national development plan, proposes a vision of transforming Kuwait into a trading and finance hub, and a transition toward a knowledge-based society (“Smart Kuwait”) by 2035.

The OECD Review of Innovation Policy: Kuwait offers an overview of the main characteristics of the country’s innovation system and policy, the challenges it faces, and the way forward towards a knowledge- based society.

It is based on extensive evidence, including a background report coordinated the Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Science (KFAS), desk research of over 600 documents, and 4 in-country missions where 111 meetings were held with stakeholders from government, academia, businesses and civil society. In addition, results of a dedicated innovation and R&D survey on 2 326 companies were used, providing initial insights on the innovation and R&D behaviour of Kuwaiti businesses.

Erik Arnold
Co-Founder, Senior Partner