Kuwait’s Emir, Sheikh Nawaf Al Ahmad Al Sabah, has passed away at the age of 86 after three years in power. The royal court announced his death on Saturday, and the focus now is on whether a younger generation is brought in by the family. Sheikh Nawaf’s health has been a concern during his term, as he traveled to the United States for medical checkups in 2021. He was admitted to the hospital in late November due to an emergency health problem, but was later reported to be in a stable condition.
Born in 1937, Sheikh Nawaf was the fifth son of Sheikh Ahmad Al Jaber Al Sabah, Kuwait’s late ruler from 1921 to 1950. He started his political career at the age of 25 as governor of Hawalli province and remained in the position until 1978. Sheikh Nawaf served as the interior and defense minister of the oil-rich Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) country and was named crown prince in 2006. He took over as Emir when his half-brother Sheikh Sabah Al Ahmad Al Sabah died in 2020 at the age of 91.
The ruler had to steer the economy through a crisis triggered by a drop in oil prices in 2020. His term has been marked by political disputes between the appointed government and elected parliament over the past three years, and Kuwaitis went to the polls three times under his rule.
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