(MENAFN- Emirates News Agency (WAM)) Kuwait will mark the 54th anniversary of ending British protection and declaring its independence on June 19th, 1961, this coming Friday.
The independence document was signed by the then Emir, Sheikh Abdullah Al-Salem Al-Sabah, the 11th ruler of Kuwait, who is also named the "Father of Independence", and the British commissioner for the Arabian Gulf, Sir George Middleton, on behalf of his government.
According to Kuwait News Agency, KUNA, the document abolished the agreement signed by the late Emir Sheikh Mubarak Al-Sabah, the 7th ruler of Kuwait, with Britain on January 23rd, 1899, to protect Kuwait against external ambitions.
Upon declaring independence, the late Emir Sheikh Abdullah Al-Salem, whose rule extended from 1950 to 1965, delivered a speech in which he said, "On this memorable day of our beloved nation, on which we transfer from one phase to another phase of history and fold another page of the past with all its components and contents, open a new page represented by this treaty which you read now, whereby Kuwait has gained its full independence and sovereignty."
After independence, an Emiri Decree was issued identifying the form of Kuwait's post-independence flag.
On the constitutional level, the first step was crystallised on August 26th, 1961, with the enactment of the Emiri Decree calling for general elections to choose members of the constituent council to draft the country's constitution.
Within nine months, the council finalised the draft constitution, consisting of 183 articles, which was submitted to Sheikh Abdullah Al-Salem Al-Sabah, who ratified and passed it on the same day, 11th November, 1962.
On the political level, an Emiri Decree was issued on August 19th, 1961, to establish a foreign department in charge of the state's foreign affairs and merge Kuwait government secretariat in the foreign department which turned with the 1st ministerial formation into the ministry of foreign affairs.
In 1962, Sheikh Sabah Al-Salem was appointed as Foreign Minister in the first cabinet lineup, to be followed up by His Highness the current Emir of Kuwait, Sheikh Sabah al Ahmad Al Sabah, who was appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs in the second cabinet, issued on January 28th, 1963.
On foreign relations, Kuwait submitted an application for membership in the Arab League, whereby the League board held a meeting on July 16th, 1961 and passed a Decree accepting it as a member alongside its sister Arab countries.
On November 30th, 1961, the United Nation's Security Council began discussions over Kuwait's demand to join the United Nation's. On May 14th, 1963, Kuwait received approval and became the 111th member of the UN.
His Highness the Emir, Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmed Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, the then-Foreign Minister, delivered Kuwait's speech at the UN in an historic moment of Kuwait's march.
Later on, Kuwait joined various UN and international organisations, such as the World Health Organisation, the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation, the World Bank, the International Labour Organisation and the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries.
The road to independence started with Sheikh Abdullah Al-Salem's assumption of power in 1950 as he embarked on a series of measures to prepare the country for independence.
In 1959, Kuwait took steps to enact laws and establish systems such as the Naturalisation Law in 1959, the Kuwaiti Currency Law in 1960, the Passports Law and the Organisation of Government Departments.
He worked on issuing laws that are required to pave the way for the establishment of an independent state, like the Judiciary Organisation Law in 1959, and the Monetary Law in 1960 etc.. The Fatwa and Legislation Department was established in the same year and government departments were organised.
As an appreciation of the great role played by the late Emir Sheikh Abdullah Al-Salem in Kuwaiti independence, and laying down the foundations of a modern state, a Decree was issued in 1963 to merge National Day with Accession the Throne Day, corresponding to February 25th, which is the date when he ascended the throne in Kuwait in 1950.
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