sovgeo.com
Kuwait mourns the loss of its monarch, Emir Sheikh Nawaf al-Ahmad al-Jaber al-Sabah, who passed away at the age of 86. His death was announced on Saturday by the state news agency KUNA.
In the Life of Emir Sheikh Nawaf:
A Life of Service
Born on June 25, 1937, in Kuwait City, Sheikh Nawaf was a son of Ahmad al-Jaber al-Sabah, the 10th ruler of Kuwait. He was the third of his brothers to rule Kuwait as part of the Sabah dynasty that has ruled the country since 1756.
Sheikh Nawaf’s career in public service spanned over 58 years, during which he held many significant positions within the Kuwaiti government. At the age of 25, he was appointed governor of Hawalli and held the post until 1978. He served as the Minister of Interior from 1978 to 1988, and following the liberation of Kuwait in the Gulf War, he was appointed the acting minister of labor and social affairs in 1991.
In 2003, Sheikh Nawaf was named the first Deputy Prime Minister of Kuwait and Minister of Interior. He was officially designated as the Crown Prince in February 2006.
Ascension to the Throne
On September 29, 2020, Sheikh Nawaf ascended to the throne following the death of his half-brother, Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Jaber al-Sabah. During the late Emir’s medical treatment in the United States, Sheikh Nawaf handled many of his responsibilities.
As the 16th ruler of the House of Sabah and the sixth Emir of Kuwait, Sheikh Nawaf played a crucial role in supporting programs that promote national unity among the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf and Arab countries.
Legacy and Succession
Sheikh Nawaf’s policies are not yet known, though he is popular within the ruling family. Foreign relations analysts predict that Kuwait will continue to be an intermediary between the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia on one side and Iran and Qatar on the other.
Following Sheikh Nawaf’s death, Sheikh Mishal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah became the Emir of Kuwait.
Sheikh Nawaf is survived by his wife, Sharifa Sulaiman al-Jasem al-Ghanim, and their four sons and one daughter5. The country is now in a period of mourning.
