Kuwait’s Emir Sheikh Nawaf al-Ahmad al-Sabah passed away on Saturday at the age of 86. His death was announced by the royal court, marking the end of his brief reign, which began in September 2020.
The cause of his death was not immediately disclosed, though he had been admitted to the hospital last month due to an unspecified emergency health issue but was reported to be stable at the time.
Crown Prince Sheikh Meshal al-Ahmad al-Sabah, 83, who has been acting as Kuwait’s de facto ruler since 2021, is set to succeed Sheikh Nawaf. The late emir had taken over the leadership following the death of his brother, Sheikh Sabah. During his reign, Sheikh Nawaf was recognized as a consensus builder, despite facing challenges in government-parliament relations that impacted structural reforms in Kuwait. His tenure saw the return of consensus between the government and parliament in recent months.
Kuwait, which possesses the world’s seventh-largest oil reserves, is strategically located near Saudi Arabia, Iraq, and across the Gulf from Iran. Under Sheikh Nawaf’s leadership, the country maintained a balanced foreign policy with its neighbours and witnessed the formation of eight governments. According to Kuwait’s constitution, the Crown Prince will automatically become the emir but will only assume full power after taking an oath in parliament. The new emir has up to a year to appoint a successor.
