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Kuwait Has New Emir After Ruler Dies At 86

By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent Worthy News

KUWAIT CITY (Worthy News) – Kuwait got a new ruler on Saturday ahead of a lengthy mourning period after the death at 86 of Sheikh Nawaf al-Ahmad Al-Sabah.

The late emir, who had been three years in power, was succeeded by his half-brother, Sheikh Meshal, taking over the oil-rich Gulf kingdom at the age of 83, state television said.

Sheikh Meshal, who already assumed some essential constitutional duties of the emir in 2021, spent most of his career in Kuwait’s security and intelligence apparatus.

However, he kept a distance from the often bitter disputes within the royal family, analysts said. His predecessor came to power three years ago following a time of paralysis and political infighting.

State television cut its regular programming and switched to a broadcast of a Koranic recital before announcing Sheikh Nawaf’s death at 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 on state TV.

Public offices will shut for three days, and 40 days of mourning will be declared.

SHORT REIGN

Yet his relatively short reign was marked by deep political turmoil and economic challenges triggered by a fall in oil prices.

Kuwait was left lagging behind its wealthy Gulf neighbors, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Saudi Arabia.

However, he had learned to deal with crises: Sheikh Nawaf was defense minister when Iraq invaded his tiny but oil-rich country before eventually becoming ruler in his 80s. Iraq was ultimately forced to leave Kuwait after a 100-hour U.S.-led military operation in February 1991.

Sheikh Nawaf, who will be laid to rest on Sunday, had been hospitalized in November for an undisclosed “emergency” but had been said to be in a stable condition, according to sources familiar with the situation.

Born in 1937, Sheikh Nawaf became emir in September 2020 upon the death of another half-brother, Sheikh Sabah, at 91.

Kuwait, a conservative Islamic country where sovereign powers are concentrated in the hands of the ruling Al Sabah family, is home to what observers view as one of the most active and influential parliaments in the Gulf region.

But critics say the standoffs between elected lawmakers and cabinet ministers installed by the ruling family have hindered development efforts and discouraged investors.

THREE ELECTIONS

Sheikh Nawaf’s rule saw three parliamentary elections in as many years and five different government cabinets in 2023.

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

Sheikh Nawaf issued numerous amnesties for political prisoners, earning him the title “emir of pardons.”

He will “be remembered for his unique personal attributes: soft-spoken, devout, modest, low profile,” said Bader al-Saif, a history professor at Kuwait University, in published remarks.

The transition comes while the Middle East is coping with the impact of the Israel-Hamas war and tensions within the Middle East over lower oil prices.

The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), which includes Kuwait, and its allies lost market share in 2023 mainly because of a U.S. production boom, new data showed.

Brazil and Guyana also see banner years for crude output, keeping oil prices lower.

The new emir of Kuwait takes over while OPEC+’s global market share has fallen to 51 percent this year, new data showed. It is the energy cartel’s lowest market share in nearly a decade, according to the International Energy Agency.