Catalyzing Kuwait National Vision 2030
Catalyzing Kuwait National Vision 2030
A National Collaboration Framework for the Ministry of Commerce and Industry In Kuwait
While the public sector around the world is struggling to keep up with the rapid changes in technological advancements, the Ministry of Commerce and Industry in Kuwait (MoCI) was presented with the opportunity to build on its critical role as instigator of reforms and align with Kuwait National Vision 2030.
Being one of the main catalysts of the country’s 2030 vision, MoCI looked to support and leverage its growing SME sector which specializes in innovation and technology. In a region that lags behind in its readiness to adopt the latest technological advancements, MoCI could rely on its assets and competitive advantage to become a hub for tech businesses and strategic industrial sectors.
Knowing these aspirations require an equipped, responsive and innovative public sector, MoCI worked in partnership with Beyond Group to develop and implement a holistic intervention across the Ministry following three guiding principles: innovation, inclusion and resilience. With the aim of becoming a major financial and economic hub, the Ministry of Commerce and Industry embarked on a journey to enhance its position and role through:
Establishing MoCI’s Collaboration Framework that organizes partnerships and collaborations between Ministerial authorities and identifies their reform opportunities, providing an overarching road map to achieving its part of the vision 2030
Strengthening its institutions through upgrading the internal structure and process, and planning and implementing internal reforms
Building the capacity of its staff, equipping them to lead on the process of reform
Inter-institutional Reform and Collaboration Mechanism:
With the vision 2030 as its main guide, a participatory Collaboration Framework development process was facilitated to engage MoCI and its different authorities; Kuwait Direct Investment Authority, Kuwait Authority for Industry, and Kuwait National Fund for SMEs. The consequent action plan for the ministerial authorities was built on five main pillars:
Promote, incentivize and support entrepreneurial startups and SMES ecosystem
Reform, automate and build the institutional capacity of MoCI and related authorities
Promote, incentivize and support international trade and investment
Reform, incentivize and support the overall business environment, new commerce and industrial sectors
Internal MoCI Reform Plan
Building on the need of a capacitated public institution to drive reform, Beyond Group worked closely with MoCI over a one year period supporting undersecretaries with the development of their reform plan which in turn feeds into the larger strategy. This reform plan was developed through a series of workshops and consultation meetings, not only with the leadership, but with the middle management and staff to ensure higher ownership, thus more tangible reforms and higher chances for implementation. The departmental plans were consolidated and presented to the minister and the undersecretary of MoCI along with a quality management system to monitor and improve the ministry’s services. This process was paralleled with extensive coaching and hands-on training for MoCI’s staff to ensure higher performance as well as enhanced monitoring and follow-up practices.
Institutional Capacity Building
In parallel to the strategy development and the internal reform plan, the interventions within the MoCI included supporting the minister’s office to develop tools and build the capacities necessary to lead and facilitate the process of reform. Beyond Group worked closely with representatives of various functions within the ministry’s office to develop their plan of action regarding the areas of: communication and outreach, stakeholder engagement, internal management structure and processes, international affairs, and research. The process was facilitated over a three-month period following a one-year coaching program and included:
Facilitating the development of a political and communication strategy to ensure alignment of different stakeholders
Coaching the minister’s team to implement the management structure and communication mechanisms
Engaging all authorities in the development of a master strategy that integrates their individual strategies and enhances collaboration
The Ministry of Commerce and Industry’s strategic plan encompassed a variety of new initiatives that helped establish a reform track for both the ministry and sector itself. Meanwhile, building the team’s capacities has better equipped the MoCI to achieve targets, design new interventions, and fuel the motivation of young public servants while ensuring sustainable impact on the ministerial level as well as the overall business environment. Although there is still more work to be done on the structural level to allow the public sector to play a more effective role, the MoCI reform strategy presents a model reference that other Ministries can adapt to their individual mandates while optimising on their team’s talent and drive as they move closer to achieving Kuwait National Vision 2030.