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Kuwait emir Sheikh Nawaf dies aged 86: royal court

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Kuwait’s 91-year-old Emir Sabah al-Ahmad al-Jaber al-Sabah died on Tuesday in a hospital in the United States.

“With great sadness and sorrow, we mourn … the death of Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Jaber al-Sabah, emir of the State of Kuwait,” said Sheikh Ali Jarrah al-Sabah, the minister in charge of royal affairs, in a television broadcast.

Born in 1929, Sheikh Sabah is widely regarded as the architect of modern Kuwait’s foreign policy – having served as foreign minister for nearly 40 years between 1963 and 2003 – when he became prime minister.

A longtime widower, Sheikh Sabah lived for years in a palace known as Dar Salwa, which was named after his daughter Salwa, who died of cancer in 2002. He is survived by two sons.

He became Kuwait’s emir in January 2006 after the death of Sheikh Jaber al-Sabah.

In August 2019, Kuwait acknowledged Sheikh Sabah suffered an unspecified medical “setback” that required he be admitted to hospital.

In July 2020, he flew to the United States seeking medical attention after undergoing surgery. A US Air Force C-17 flying hospital transported Sheikh Sabah from Kuwait to Rochester, Minnesota, home of the flagship campus of the Mayo Clinic. The high regard for Sheikh Sabah could be seen in the outpouring of support for him across the Middle East as he suddenly fell ill.

‘Valued discretion and moderation’

Sheikh Sabah drew on his decades as the oil-rich nation’s top diplomat to push for closer ties with Iraq after the 1990 Gulf War and solutions to other regional crises.

His 2006 ascension in Kuwait, a staunch US ally since the American-led war that expelled occupying Iraqi troops, came after Parliament voted unanimously to overthrow his predecessor, the ailing Sheikh Saad al-Abdullah al-Sabah, just nine days into his rule.

Yet, as Kuwait’s ruling emir, he struggled with internal political disputes, the fallout of the 2011 Arab Spring protests, and seesawing crude oil prices that chewed into a national budget providing cradle-to-grave subsidies.

“He represents the older generation of Gulf leaders who valued discretion and moderation and the importance of personal ties amongst fellow monarchs,” said Kristin Diwan, a senior resident scholar at the Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington, DC, who studies Kuwait. “No question he has suffered from the lack of deference and respect shown by the younger and more brash young princes holding power today.”

The emir had his appendix removed in 2002, two years after having a pacemaker fitted. In 2007, he underwent urinary tract surgery in the US.


When the emir was absent in the past, 83-year-old Crown Prince Nawaf al-Ahmad al-Sabah, the emir’s half-brother, was appointed acting ruler as per the country’s constitutional law. Sheikh Nawaf is an elder statesman who has held high office for decades, including the defence and interior portfolios.

Sheikh Sabah was born on June 16, 1929 [Andy Wong/Getty Images]
Sheikh Sabah had pushed for diplomacy to solve regional issues, such as the continuing boycott of Qatar by four Arab nations.
The emir hosted a summit in 2018 that saw $30bn pledged to help rebuild Iraq after the war against the ISIL (ISIS) armed group. Sheikh Sabah also played a role in raising aid funds for Syrians suffering as a result of that country’s civil war, hosting international donor conferences in 2013 and 2014, and pledging hundreds of millions of dollars of Kuwaiti wealth.

One of his greatest challenges as a diplomat, however, came with the boycott of Qatar that began in 2017. Sheikh Sabah positioned himself as a mediator for the political dispute, which he warned in a White House appearance in 2017 could have led to an armed conflict.

“Thank God, now, what is important is that we have stopped any military action,” Sheikh Sabah said.

Those mediation efforts have yet to resolve the crisis, but he did manage to get Qatar’s prime minister to shake hands, on live television, with Saudi King Salman at a 2019 meeting in Mecca.

“We believe that wisdom will prevail,” Sheikh Sabah once said.

Sheikh Sabah’s death comes as the nation continues to fight the coronavirus pandemic, which has infected more than 103,981 people and caused 605 related deaths in the country of 4.1 million. Its health ministry said more than 95,500 people have recovered from COVID-19.

Sheikh Sabah’s life spanned two very different Kuwaits. He was born on June 16, 1929, just as the country’s pearl-diving industry would collapse. Within the decade, Kuwait would strike oil. Engineers would eventually confirm the tiny country had the world’s sixth-largest known oil reserves.

He became Kuwait’s foreign minister in 1963 after holding a number of other governmental posts. He would remain in that position for four decades, making him one of the world’s longest-serving foreign ministers.

His country’s greatest crisis came in 1990 when Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein invaded Kuwait and occupied the nation for seven months. Fleeing with other Kuwaiti officials to neighbouring Saudi Arabia, Sheikh Sabah collapsed and lost consciousness at one particularly stormy meeting of Arab leaders.

On February 24, 1991, US troops and their allies stormed into Kuwait. It ended 100 hours later.

“One learns from the past and learns about it for the future,” Sheikh Sabah reportedly said. “One has to consider arrangements that would make not only my country stable but make the whole area stable.”

Today, Kuwait hosts some 13,500 American troops, many at Camp Arifjan south of Kuwait City, which is also home to the forward command of US Army Central.

Falling oil prices
Domestically, Sheikh Sabah faced the challenge of falling oil prices in recent years. He dissolved Parliament several times as legislators kept questioning appointed government ministers, some of them members of his extended family.

As the 2011 Arab Spring swept the region, Sheikh Sabah ordered 1,000 dinar ($3,559) grants and free food coupons for every Kuwaiti. But allegations swirled at the time that some legislators had been bribed $350m by the government to sway their votes, along with rumours they were involved in embezzling state funds.

Amid strikes and confrontations with police, protesters briefly entered Parliament, waving flags and singing the country’s national anthem. Sheikh Sabah nevertheless maintained power while still allowing protests, a rarity among Gulf leaders.

“Sheikh Sabah proved a savvy player of the internal politics of the ruling family,” Diwan said.

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/9/29/hold-kuwaits-sheikh-sabah-dies-at-the-age-of-91
 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-partner="tweetdeck"><p lang="ca" dir="ltr">Deeply grieved over demise of HH Sheikh Sabah Al Ahmad Al Jaber Al Sabah, Amir of Kuwait. انا لله وانا اليه راجعون .We extend our heartfelt condolences to Crown Prince, Al Sabah family & to the Kuwaiti people. Amir’s contributions to Pak-Kuwait relations will always be remembered</p>— Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ImranKhanPTI/status/1310975241808678918?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 29, 2020</a></blockquote>
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Kuwait has sworn in its new emir, Sheikh Nawaf al-Ahmad al-Sabah, to receive the body of his half-brother, the late ruler Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Jaber al-Sabah who died in the United States at the age of 91.

The body of Sheikh Sabah, an acclaimed diplomat and mediator who ruled for 14 years, is expected to arrive in Kuwait City later on Wednesday. He died on Tuesday in Minnesota where he had been undergoing treatment in hospital since July.

According to the royal court, the funeral will be “restricted to the emir’s relatives” – a move likely designed to avoid large crowds amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Kuwait’s new leader, 83-year-old Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf, was sworn in at about 08:00 GMT during a session of the National Assembly. The Gulf state has already begun a 40-day period of national mourning.

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Sheikh Sabah earned a reputation as a remarkable leader who helped steer his country through the 1990 Iraqi invasion, crashes in global oil markets and upheavals in parliament and on the streets.

World leaders and Kuwaitis alike have hailed the legacy of the late emir, architect of the nation’s modern foreign policy and mediator in some of the worst crises to grip the Gulf.

“This man was the safety valve of the Arab world, not just for Kuwait,” Bandar al-Dahani, a Kuwaiti citizen, told AFP news agency. “God willing, that goodness will be in Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf and he will follow the emir’s path.”

Sheikh Nawaf, who has held high office for decades, takes over with Kuwait facing the repercussions of the coronavirus crisis, which triggered a sharp decline in oil prices and severe economic consequences for Gulf states.

The elder statesman, who was named heir apparent in 2006, served as defence minister when Iraqi troops rolled into the oil-rich emirate in 1990, and also as interior minister in the face of challenges from armed groups.

The new leader is popular within the ruling al-Sabah family and is reported to have been a consensus choice for ruler. He also enjoys a reputation for modesty and has largely maintained a low profile.

Significant policy changes are not expected during his reign, even after the Gulf underwent a seismic shift with Kuwait’s neighbours, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain, opting to establish relations with Israel.

Normalisation with the Jewish state is highly unpopular among the Kuwaiti public, which largely supports the Arab world’s historic position of demanding a resolution of the Palestinian cause before giving diplomatic concessions to Israel.

Kuwait’s constitution stipulates that the ruler should be a descendant of the nation’s founder, Mubarak al-Sabah, but the throne has alternated between the descendants of his sons, Salem and Jaber, for four decades.

Candidates for the newly vacated role of crown prince include Sheikh Sabah’s son and former deputy prime minister, Nasser Sabah al-Ahmed al-Sabah, a Kuwaiti political heavyweight.

“Sheikh Nawaf al-Ahmed should be viewed more as a caretaker than as a watershed new leader,” said Cinzia Bianco, a research fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations. “Behind the scenes, however, younger princes would likely continue to compete to succeed him.”

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020...hmad-al-sabah-becomes-kuwaits-new-ruling-emir
 
Kuwaitis await new crown prince as Arab leaders mourn late emir

KUWAIT (Reuters) - Arab leaders headed to Kuwait on Thursday to offer condolences for the death of its ruler Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad, who worked to unify a polarised region, as Kuwaitis waited for the new emir to name a crown prince to help guide state affairs.

Jordan’s king, the presidents of Egypt and former occupier Iraq, and Oman’s sultan were among those paying respects to Emir Sheikh Nawaf al-Ahmad al-Sabah, the brother and successor of Sheikh Sabah, who died on Tuesday aged 91.

Gulf power Saudi Arabia, with which Kuwait has its closest but most complex relationship, was represented by Mansour bin Mutib, an adviser to King Salman, who had surgery in July and whose son Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is de facto ruler.

Bahrain, who joined Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates in boycotting neighbouring Qatar in a row that Sheikh Sabah tried in vain to end, sent its crown prince.

Qatar’s emir was the only Gulf ruler to attend Wednesday’s funeral rites for Sheikh Sabah, who was admired around the world for his humanitarian efforts and pursuit of moderation and balance in a region mired in conflict.

Sheikh Nawaf, who lacks his brother’s diplomatic heft, is likely to uphold U.S.-allied Kuwait’s foreign policy but may struggle to navigate between a new generation of Sunni Muslim Gulf leaders who have taken a more hawkish approach, especially against Shi’ite rival Iran, with which Kuwait maintained ties.

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NEW CROWN PRINCE

The focus now for the low-profile Sheikh Nawaf will be naming a crown prince at a time when low oil prices and COVID-19 have hit the finances of the OPEC member state, which has a cradle-to-grave welfare system.

“He is the world’s oldest crown prince at 83 so it is uncertain how long his reign will last and makes it crucial whom he will appoint as (the next) crown prince,” said Courtney Freer, fellow researcher at LSE Middle East.

Under the constitution, the emir has up to a year to name an heir but analysts expect a decision in the coming weeks as dozens of senior al-Sabah dynasty members jostle for position. Parliament must approve the choice.

“The choice of crown prince will indicate the emir’s ability to control differences within the family...and clarify to the people whether there will be a continued smooth transition of power,” said Haitham Abu Hossein, a small business owner.

Among the mooted candidates are the late emir’s eldest son Sheikh Nasser Sabah al-Ahmad, 72; his nephew Sheikh Nasser al-Mohammad, 79; and his brother Sheikh Meshal al-Ahmad al-Jaber.

Kuwaiti sources and a diplomat told Reuters this week that Meshal, deputy chief of the National Guard, appears most likely to get the role that traditionally manages the government’s often difficult relationship with the parliament.

Last year, business-minded Sheikh Nasser Sabah, who lost his job as defence minister in late 2019 amid ruling family infighting over alleged government corruption, was seen as front runner and the sources said he remains a strong contender.
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-...as-arab-leaders-mourn-late-emir-idUSKBN26M61R
 
Kuwait's new emir meets senior U.S. and Iranian officials

KUWAIT (Reuters) - Kuwait’s new Emir Sheikh Nawaf al-Ahmad al-Sabah on Sunday met senior U.S., Iranian and Gulf officials who separately paid respects over the death of the Gulf Arab state’s former ruler.

Sheikh Nawaf assumed power after the death last Tuesday of his brother, Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad. The late emir balanced ties between larger neighbours Saudi Arabia and Iran and kept a strong relationship with the United States, which led a coalition that ended Iraq’s 1990-91 occupation of Kuwait.

“He will be remembered as a great man and a special friend to the United States,” U.S. Defence Secretary Mark Esper said in comments tweeted by the U.S. Embassy during his visit.

Sheikh Nawaf also received Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, who had lauded the late emir for fostering “moderation and balance”, state media said

Sheikh Nawaf, 83, is expected to uphold the OPEC member state’s oil and foreign policy, which promoted regional detente.

He has yet to name a crown prince to help to guide state affairs at a time when low oil prices and COVID-19 have hit state finances against the backdrop of continued tensions between Saudi Arabia and Iran.

The emir has up to a year to name an heir, but analysts expect a decision in the coming weeks as senior al-Sabah dynasty members jostle for position. Parliament must approve the choice.

“An appointment would end this competition and send a signal of stability,” Dr. Mohamed Alfili, a professor of constitutional law at Kuwait University, told Reuters.

Among mooted candidates are Sheikh Nasser Sabah al-Ahmad, a former defence minister; Sheikh Nasser al-Mohammad, a former premier; and Sheikh Meshal al-Ahmad al-Jaber, deputy chief of the National Guard.

Another potential contender is Sheikh Mohammed Sabah al-Salem, a former foreign minister and the only candidate under discussion from the less powerful al-Salem family branch.

Kuwaiti sources say Meshal, the eldest among them, appears most likely to be named crown prince.[nL8N2GS3AY]
Saudi Arabia’s de facto ruler Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman called Sheikh Meshal on Saturday to offer his condolences, state media reported.

Kuwait has its closest but most complex relationship with Saudi Arabia, which on Thursday sent an adviser to King Salman, who had surgery in July, to offer condolences. Several Saudi regional governors travelled on Sunday to do the same.

United Arab Emirates’ Vice President Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum, who is also Dubai’s ruler, was also in Kuwait.

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-...enior-u-s-and-iranian-officials-idUSKBN26P0AV
 
Kuwait’s new ruler Emir Sheikh Nawaf al-Ahmad al-Sabah on Wednesday named Sheikh Meshaal al-Ahmad al-Jaber al-Sabah, currently the deputy head of the National Guard, as crown prince of the Gulf state.

The selection of Sheikh Meshaal, which must be approved by the Gulf Arab state’s parliament, “was blessed by the Al-Sabah family,” state news agency KUNA cited a statement from the emir’s office as saying.

Earlier, two members of Kuwait’s ruling family posted messages on Twitter pledging allegiance to Sheikh Meshaal as crown prince.

Sheikh Nawaf assumed power following the death of his brother Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad last week, at a time of tension between Kuwait’s larger neighbours Saudi Arabia and Iran and as the government tries to shore up finances strained by low oil prices and the coronavirus pandemic.

Diplomats and analysts say that due to his low-key style and age, Sheikh Nawaf, 83, may delegate a larger portion of responsibilities to his heir apparent, who would have to act swiftly to tackle domestic issues.

Born in 1940, Sheikh Meshaal is a younger brother of the late emir who died last Tuesday. He has been deputy chief of the National Guard since 2004. He had previously served as head of security services and in the interior ministry.

Speaking to Al Jazeera ahead of the announcement, Dania Thafer, director of the Gulf International Forum, said that unlike other presumed candidates for the role, Sheikh Meshaal “does not have any alleged scandals and controversy associated with him”.

“He has a very close relationship with the Emir Sheikh Nawaf al-Ahmad al-Sabah, and is viewed to have good relations with neighbours such as Saudi Arabia and the UAE,” said Thafer.

“He was also the one that accompanied the late emir to the US for medical treatment,” she added.

The country’s parliament speaker has said if the emir announces a crown prince on Wednesday, then lawmakers would vote on his choice on Thursday, the last day of parliament’s term.

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020...s-security-czar-sheikh-meshal-as-crown-prince
 
KUWAIT (Reuters) - Opposition candidates made gains in a parliamentary vote in Kuwait in which two thirds of MPs lost their seats and no women were elected, a result which analysts said could hamper government reform efforts to address a severe liquidity crunch.

Emir Sheikh Nawaf al-Ahmad al-Sabah, who took the reins in September following the death of his brother, had raised hopes of a detente between the ruling family and their critics in the perpetually deadlocked and fractious parliament.

The final count carried on state media on Sunday showed that 31 new lawmakers had been elected to the 50-seat assembly, which is unusually outspoken for the highly authoritarian Gulf region. None of the 29 female candidates who stood in the election were successful.

There was no official figure for turnout but local media said it was higher than expected given concerns about COVID-19, which along with low oil prices have battered state finances in the wealthy OPEC member state.

The results have strengthened the hand of tribal and Islamist candidates. Kuwaiti opposition figures have proposed electoral reforms and a pardon for dissidents, many in self-exile, to the new emir.

“The results achieved by opposition were bigger than expected. There was a will to turn the table on those allied with the government,” said political analyst Mohamad al-Dosayri.

Another Kuwaiti analyst, Nasser al-Abdali, said the new make-up of parliament would likely lead to squabbling over issues such as a debt law that has long-faced legislative gridlock and election laws.

Many may oppose any austerity measures in the cradle-to-grave welfare state, needed to slash heavy deficits, or raising the government’s debt ceilings, the two analysts said.

Frequent rows and deadlocks between cabinet and parliament have led to successive government reshuffles and dissolutions of parliament, hampering investment and economic and fiscal reform.

Kuwait’s economy, which is worth nearly $140 billion, is facing a deficit of $46 billion this year. A government priority is to pass a bill that would allow Kuwait to tap international debt markets.

The new assembly is due to meet on Dec. 15, state news agency KUNA reported.

Emir Sheikh Nawaf on Sunday accepted the resignation of the cabinet of Prime Minister Sabah Al Khalid Al Sabah in a routine procedure following the elections. The emir will appoint a premier to select a new cabinet.

Late ruler Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad broke the hold of opposition groups on parliament in 2012 by using executive powers to amend the voting system, sparking large protests.

Under the old electoral system, voters were allowed to cast ballots for up to four candidates, which the opposition says allowed alliances that partly made up for the absence of political parties, which are officially barred.

The system introduced in 2012 allows votes for only a single candidate, which the opposition says makes alliances difficult.
 
Kuwait elections: Only female MP Safa al-Hashem loses seat

Kuwait's only female MP, Safa al-Hashem, has lost her seat in polls which saw the opposition make gains in the oil-rich Gulf state.

There were 29 female candidates, but none secured a seat. This was a blow to female candidates after women won the right to vote 15 years ago.

The first female MPs were elected in 2009.

The final count showed 31 new lawmakers had been elected to the 50-seat assembly.

Safa al-Hashem was elected in two consecutive parliaments, in 2012 and 2016.

She is the first and only woman to have dissolved parliament when she won a court case in 2012 that annulled the National Assembly elected in February 2012 and reinstated the previous parliament elected in 2009.

Prior to entering politics, she was a successful businesswoman and founded a consulting company.

Twenty-four of the National Assembly's 50 seats were won by candidates belonging to or leaning towards the opposition, up from 16 in the last parliament, according to results announced on Sunday.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-55212642
 
The emir of oil-rich Kuwait, Sheikh Nawaf al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, died on Saturday, the royal court said, after three years in power. He was 86.

"With great sadness and sorrow, we mourn... the death of Sheikh Nawaf al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, Emir of the State of Kuwait," said a statement aired on Kuwaiti state television.

State television had cut its regular programming and switched to a broadcast of Koranic recital before the announcement.

In November, Sheikh Nawaf was admitted to the hospital "due to an emergency health problem", according to the official KUNA news agency, which did not elaborate on his illness. He was later declared in stable condition.

Given his age, his health has commonly been a concern during his term.

Sheikh Nawaf was named crown prince in 2006 by his half-brother Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad Al-Sabah and took over as emir when Sheikh Sabah died in September 2020 at the age of 91.

He had to steer the economy through a crisis caused by a fall in oil prices in 2020.

The current crown prince, Sheikh Mishal al-Ahmad al-Sabah, another half-brother, is 83 and much attention will now be focused on whether a younger generation ruler is brought in by the family.

Kuwait -- a conservative country where sovereign powers remain concentrated in the hands of the ruling Al Sabah family -- is home to the most active and powerful parliament in the Gulf.

But repeated standoffs between elected lawmakers and cabinet ministers installed by the ruling family have stymied development efforts and scared off investors.

Following a succession of resigning governments and dissolved parliaments, Kuwait's current cabinet is its fifth in a year.

The political deadlock has delayed necessary reforms and blocked development projects, leaving infrastructure and education in disrepair and much of the population disgruntled.

Born in 1937, Sheikh Nawaf was the fifth son of Kuwait's late ruler from 1921 to 1950 Sheikh Ahmad al-Jaber Al-Sabah.

He started his political career at the age of 25 as governor of Hawalli province, where he remained until 1978 when he started a decade as interior minister.

AFP
 
Pakistan will observe a day of mourning on Monday (tomorrow) over the demise of Emir of Kuwait, Sheikh Nawaf al-Ahmad Al Jaber Al Sabah, ARY News reported on Sunday.

Interim Prime Minister (PM) Anwaarul Haq Kakar accorded his approval for observing a day of mourning in the country on Monday (Dec 8), on the demise of Emir of Kuwait, Sheikh Nawaf al-Ahmad.

According to a statement, the day of mourning will be observed as an expression of fraternal solidarity on behalf of the people and government of Pakistan, with the royal family, the government, and people of Kuwait.

The national flag shall fly at half-mast throughout the country on the day.

On the other hand, PM Anwaarul Haq Kakar will head to Kuwait tomorrow (Monday) on a one-day trip to offer condolences on the death of Emir.

Sheikh Nawaf had died on Saturday, aged 86, according to the royal court, just over three years after assuming power. The cause of his death was not immediately disclosed.

He was admitted to a hospital late last month due to what the state news agency described at the time as an emergency health problem but said he was in a stable condition.

Crown Prince Sheikh Meshal al-Ahmad al-Sabah, 83, who has been Kuwait’s de facto ruler since 2021, when the frail emir handed over most of his duties, was named as Sheikh Nawaf’s successor.

Kuwait has announced 40 days of mourning and a three-day closure of official departments.

In a message on social media platform X on Saturday, Kakar had said that Pakistan stood in solidarity with the royal family and people of Kuwait at this moment of grief. He said the late emir would always be remembered for his contribution to strengthening Pakistan-Kuwait relations.

Sheikh Nawaf laid to rest

Sheikh Nawaf was laid to rest on Sunday at a private funeral attended by select relatives. Draped in a Kuwaiti flag, the coffin was carried into a Kuwait mosque for prayers ahead of a burial ceremony that was broadcast on state television.

Attendance was limited to members of the ruling family, making for an intimate and low-key farewell for the ruler who reigned for three years. The speaker of Kuwait’s parliament was also present.

The new emir Sheikh Meshal, who is expected to deliver his oath before parliament on Wednesday, attended the service. He will receive condolences on Monday and Tuesday from the wider public.

During Sunday’s burial ceremony, rows of relatives stood at Shiekh Nawaf’s final resting place and performed prayers.

Some crouched before his grave, cupping their hands, and reciting verses from the Holy Quran.

Across Kuwait City, large digital billboards displayed pictures of the late ruler, dubbing him the “emir of wisdom, forgiveness and peace”. Flags where lowered to half-mast amid a 40-day mourning period that will also see government offices shut until Tuesday.

As he formally takes the helm of the Opec member with the world’s seventh-largest oil reserves from his half-brother, Sheikh Meshal is expected to preserve key Kuwaiti foreign policies, including support for Gulf Arab unity, Western alliances and good ties to Riyadh — a priority relationship.

Sheikh Nawaf’s three-year reign as emir, relatively short by Kuwait standards, was marred by ill-health. His predecessor and brother, Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Sabah, reigned for 14 years and shaped the Gulf state’s foreign policy for two generations.

Sheikh Nawaf’s six decades in public service included stints as minister of defence, interior and labour. He was also deputy chief of the national guard and a governor.

Source: ARY

 
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