US embassy cable - 05KUWAIT4111

UNCLAS KUWAIT 004111 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR EB/ESC/TFS LLAMBERT, S/CT TKUSHNER, NEA/ARPI 
TWILLIAMS, NEA/RA LLEE, IO/PSC BFITZGERALD, TREASURY FOR 
TFFC DGLASER AND OFAC FOR RWERNER, NSC FOR JZARATE AND 
THINNEN, LONDON FOR LTSOU 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EFIN, ETTC, KTFN, PTER, CVIS, KVPR, KU 
SUBJECT: TERRORIST FINANCE: KUWAITI CHARITIES TO COLLECT 
RAMADAN DONATIONS THROUGH SALE OF GOVERNMENT COUPONS 
 
REF: KUWAIT 4056 
 
1.  (U) Begin Summary.  The director of the Charities 
Oversight Office, Ministry of Social Affairs and Labor, 
reports his ministry will implement a plan requiring Kuwaiti 
charities to collect zakat (alms) only through the sale of 
government-issued coupons.  End Summary 
 
2.  (U) In a conversation with Econoff, Nasser Al-Ammer, the 
director of the Ministry of Social Affairs and Labor's 
Charitable Oversight Office confirmed recent Kuwaiti press 
reports that the ministry would implement a donation 
accountability system with local charities in anticipation of 
Ramadan. 
 
3.  (U) Regarding the modalities of the new program, Al-Ammer 
explained that local charities have received letters of 
instruction from the Ministry to collect zakat contributions 
only through the sale of government-issued coupons ranging 
from 500 Kuwaiti fils (1.70 USD) to 1000 Kuwaiti dinars (3400 
USD). 
 
4.  (U) He noted that the coupons will be issued to charities 
based on specific serial numbers and authenticated by a 
government stamp.  The ministry will retain a duplicate copy 
of each coupon for verification purposes and charities will 
be required to return unused coupons and report total sales 
and cash deposits resulting from charitable donations. 
 
COMMENT 
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5. (SBU) This initiative is in addition to similar 
accountability measures enacted by the Ministry of Social 
Affairs as part of its charity oversight responsibilities. 
Other recent actions include the issuance of a tender for an 
external auditing firm to monitor charities' financial 
activities (see reftel).  Post will continue to monitor and 
report on these and other developments within the context of 
CTF/AML. 
LEBARON