Kuwait: signs of renewal

Abstract

Many in Kuwait and beyond regard the emirate as having stagnated since the Iraqi invasion of 1990 and the expulsion of Saddam Hussein's forces in 1991. Though the oil has continued to flow, an enduring political impasse has held back development of the economy and infrastructure. Frustrated Kuwaitis have watched as other more autocratic Gulf states that lagged behind the emirate before the invasion have caught up or surpassed it. However, there have recently been signs of a growing recognition among leading Kuwaitis of the need for political and economic renewal.