Sheikh Nawaf al-Ahmad al-Jaber al-Sabah, the Crown Prince, became the new Emir of Kuwait, a statement of the Council of Ministers of the country, released after an emergency meeting of the Cabinet, reads.
Earlier it became known about the death of 91-year-old Emir of Kuwait Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah. In a statement, the Council of Ministers said that he died in the United States at 16:00 Kuwaiti time (coinciding with Moscow time). In connection with the death of the ruler, a 40-day mourning was declared throughout the Emirate, national flags were lowered for three days.
Sheikh Sabah was sent to the US for treatment in late July after he underwent surgery in his home country. Already at that time, his half-brother Crown Prince Nawaf was given a number of powers in connection with the head of the state's hospitalization. Under the Kuwaiti constitution, the heir to the throne automatically becomes emir after the death of the ruler, but takes full power after taking an oath before the National Assembly (unicameral parliament).
Sheikh Nawaf was born on June 25, 1937, in Kuwait, just eight years younger than his predecessor, who was one of the world's oldest statesmen. The title of heir to the throne was given to the new emir in 2006 with the approval of the ruling family. In the past he held a number of important leadership positions in the government, including the Minister of Defense of Kuwait in 1990 during the invasion and occupation of Kuwait by Saddam Hussein's regime. He led the National Guard, served as the head of the Interior Ministry, and was the vice-premier on counter-terrorism issues. He has four sons and a daughter.
Sheikh Nawaf will be sworn in before parliament on Wednesday, the Al Arabiya TV channel reports.
GSV "Russia - Islamic World"
Photo: Abdullah Alqattan/Creative Commons 2.0
Based on materials TASS