The decision was made by postal vote.

It comes less than a week after Sheikh Fahad Nasser Sabah Ahmad Al Sabah was appointed President of the KOC at the national governing body's Elective General Assembly.

The IOC revealedin a statement that the holding of the Elective General Assembly marked the third and last step of the roadmap – revision and adoption of the KOC statutes, followed by KOC elections.

It adds that the first step of the roadmap - revision and adoption of new statutes for the sports clubs, followed by elections - was completed within the prescribed deadline, the end of January 2019.

The second step - revision and adoption of new statutes for the National Sports Federations, followed by elections - was implemented in close coordination with the International Federations concerned, and was completed early last month.

The KOC was suspended by decision of the IOC Executive Board on October 27 in 2015.

This was to protect the Olympic Movement in Kuwait from "undue Government interference" after a sports law that was not compatible with the basic principles that govern the Olympic Movement was passed in the country.

On August 16 last year, the IOC Executive Board decided to provisionally lift the suspension of the KOC, acknowledging the progress made, which included the revision of the sports law and an agreement to establish a process for elections of all sports organisations in Kuwait.

Following this decision, which enabled the athletes to compete in the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta and Palembang and the 2018 Summer Youth Olympic Games in Buenos Aires under their country’s flag, a roadmap was established under the supervision of a Supervisory Committee, appointed by the IOC President, Thomas Bach.

"Today’s decision follows the recommendation of the Supervisory Committee to fully lift the suspension of the KOC with immediate effect,"  the IOC statement reads. 

Due to the ban, athletes from the country were forced to participate neutrally and under the IOC flag at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, where shooter Fehaid Al-Deehani won a gold medal as an Independent Olympic Athlete in the men's double trap.

The Kuwait Government has been attempting to amend its controversial sports law so it is line with the Olympic Charter.

The decision to provisionally lift the suspension came with Kuwait being expected to follow a roadmap for fresh elections of all sports organisations in the country.

The Government also had to promise not to obstruct the work of the KOC while fulfilling its basic responsibilities and duties under the Olympic Charter.

It was also expected to actively support amendments to the sports law and to cooperate with the IOC to ensure it continues to be drafted so it is in line with the Olympic Charter.

A "youthful and dynamic" KOC Board was elected last week, it is claimed, with an average age of 32.

Mohammed Jaffar, the founder of online food ordering platform Talabat.com, has been elected vice-president.

The establishment of a new Board has also seen the appointment of Husain Al-Musallam as KOC secretary general.

Al-Musallam has been the director general of the Olympic Council of Asia since 2005 and is the first vice-president of the International Swimming Federation.

Announcing the election of Sheikh Fahad, the KOC said he currently serves as the head of the Kuwait Motocross Committee and has served in the Kuwait military as an Apache pilot.

The organisation added that he is fluent in Arabic, English and French, and also has a degree in business administration and marketing management from the American University of Kuwait in Salmiya.

In August 2018, during that year's Asian Games, Al-Musallam expressed his hope that his native Kuwait would return to the Olympic fold prior to Tokyo 2020.

Football's world governing body FIFA had lifted its own ban on Kuwait in December 2017. 

It allowed the country to take part in the Gulf Cup of Nations, held in Kuwait.