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Kuwaiti Government Plans to Rebuild Depleted Stabilization Fund Through Fiscal Restraint

23rd July, 2024

Kuwait’s finance minister has revealed that the country’s fiscal stabilization, the Government Reserve Fund (GRF) overseen by the Kuwait Investment Authority, is heavily depleted, with liquidity falling by around 95% in the decade to end-March to less than KWD2 billion (US$6.5 billion).

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KIA's Uncertainty is Lifted as Emir Dissolves Kuwaiti Parliament

14th May, 2024

The US$846 billion Kuwait Investment Authority (KIA) is unlikely to escape the impact of the political upheaval in Kuwait over the weekend, but the developments could finally end the uncertainty that has clouded the fund in recent years.

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Korea’s Generation Z Receives Little Comfort over Pensions in Election Race

9th April, 2024

Themes in the South Korean general election, taking place on Wednesday, have highlighted the cost of living, represented by the price of green onions which has soared in recent months – but the elephant in the room that the two main political parties have failed to address is the fact that Koreans born after 1990 are unlikely to receive a pension from the National Pension Service (NPS) when they turn 65.

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Special Coverage: Singaporeans Elect Their New President

31st August, 2023

Tomorrow, September 1, Singapore will elect a new president with custodial powers to safeguard the nation’s trillion-dollar financial reserves and oversee key appointments to institutions like MAS, GIC and Temasek.

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Fund of the Month (Feb'23): Sovereign Fund of the Republic of Kosovo (SFRK)

1st February, 2023

In the context of a highly divided and disrupted Europe, Kosovo continues to fight for its recognition as an independent country. With a GDP of c. US$ 10 billion and an active public sector, the Government has set up a working group for the establishment of a sovereign fund before 2025. We talked with Emanuel Bajra about the working group and rationale for a SWF.

A new SWF Forum is born – will this make any change?

20th June, 2022

Today, nine SWFs from Africa came together in Rabat, Morocco, to sign a new partnership agreement, creating the “African Sovereign Investors Forum (ASIF)”. All of them except for Ghana Infrastructure Investment Fund (GIIF) were already members of IFSWF, and four of them are also part of One Planet SWF Group.

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Cloud of Political Controversy Looms Large Over Alaska's Sovereign Fund

14th January, 2022

The former chief executive of the US$83 billion Alaska Permanent Fund, Angela Rodell, has delivered a strident criticism of board members who shocked the sovereign investor world by sacking her last month.

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As Political Disputes Swirl, KIA Could be the Focus of Kuwaiti Government Shake-Up

7th September, 2021

Political disputes continue to surround the Kuwait Investment Authority’s (KIA) US$693 billion store of sovereign wealth as the government continues to face fiscal woes arising from lower oil prices and the impact of the pandemic and political pressure to tap funds to bridge deficits.

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Israel’s SWF: Not Quite There Yet

6th July, 2021

Israel’s plan to launch a sovereign wealth fund – the Israel Citizens’ Fund – this year has been scuppered due to lower-than-expected revenue from tax on excess profits on gas and other natural resources. The Middle Eastern state’s experience underscores the challenges faced by governments seeking to leverage excesses of commodity revenues or foreign exchange reserves to establish an SWF.

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KIA: Growing Despite Politics

3rd July, 2021

The world’s oldest sovereign wealth fund Kuwait Investment Authority’s total assets have ballooned to US$670 billion marking a gain of 33%, according to Bloomberg’s sources.

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Russian SWF's Geopolitical Pivot Towards Chinese Yuan Increases Risks

4th June, 2021

Russia’s decision to ditch the US$ from the holdings of the National Welfare Fund (NWF) and switch to other currencies reflects geopolitical dynamics as the Putin administration responds to US-led threats of sanctions – but threatens to expose the portfolio to higher levels of risk.

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Israel: NBIM's Exclusions Dwarfed by Influx of UAE and Singaporean Capital

20th May, 2021

Foreign policy concerns are influencing state-owned investors’ approach to investing in Israel, with Arab rapprochement with this advanced economy contrasting with growing European caution about human rights.

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