KUWAIT CITY, 19 January 2004 — The Central Bank of Kuwait (CBK) has issued a provisional license for establishing a new Islamic bank in the emirate, CBK Governor Sheikh Salem Abdul Aziz Al-Sabah said yesterday. “We have issued a provisional license to the Kuwait Investment Authority (KIA) to establish an Islamic bank. KIA will own a 24 percent stake and the rest will be sold in a public offering,” he said.