Sheikh Sheikh ( , , , , ''shuyūkh'' ) is an honorific title in the Arabic language, literally meaning "elder (administrative title), elder". It commonly designates a tribal chief or a Muslim ulama, scholar. Though this title generally refers to me ...

Fahad Yusuf Saud Al-Sabah (born 1959) is a former Kuwaiti

military officer An officer is a person who holds a position of authority as a member of an armed force or uniformed service. Broadly speaking, "officer" means a commissioned officer, a non-commissioned officer (NCO), or a warrant officer. However, absent c ...

. He served as

Deputy Prime Minister A deputy prime minister or vice prime minister is, in some countries, a Minister (government), government minister who can take the position of acting prime minister when the prime minister is temporarily absent. The position is often likened to th ...

and

Minister of Interior An interior minister (sometimes called a minister of internal affairs or minister of home affairs) is a cabinet official position that is responsible for internal affairs, such as public security, civil registration and identification, emergency ...

from January 17, 2024, and as

Minister of Defense A ministry of defence or defense (see spelling differences), also known as a department of defence or defense, is the part of a government responsible for matters of defence and military forces, found in states where the government is divid ...

from January 17, 2024, until February 4, 2025.

Biography

Sheikh Fahd Yousuf Saud Al-Mohammed Al-Sabah was born on May 1, 1959. After graduating from the Military College in Kuwait, he worked as an officer in the Kuwaiti Army's Amiri Guard, eventually retiring with the rank of Colonel. Notably, he was involved in the evacuation and protection of the then Amir of Kuwait, Sheikh

Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah Sheikh Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah (29 June 1926 – 15 January 2006) (), also known as Jaber III, was Emir of Kuwait from 31 December 1977 until his death in 2006. The third monarch to rule Kuwait since its independence from Britain, Ja ...

, and the Crown Prince, Sheikh Saad Al-Abdullah Al-Sabah, to Saudi Arabia in 1990 following the

Iraqi invasion of Kuwait The Iraqi invasion of Kuwait, codenamed Project 17, began on 2 August 1990 and marked the beginning of the Gulf War. After defeating the State of Kuwait on 4 August 1990, Iraq went on to militarily occupy the country for the next seven months ...

. On January 17, 2024, an Amiri decree was issued for the formation of the government, appointing him as the Deputy Prime Minister, the Minister of Defense, and the Minister of Interior.

Controversy

Citizenship Revocation Campaign (2024–present)

In late 2024, Fahad Yusuf Al-Sabah initiated a sudden controversial policy to revoke the citizenship of approximately 42,000 Kuwaiti nationals, resulting in widespread statelessness within a six-month period. Al-Sabah publicly described the revocations as targeting fraudulent citizenship cases; however, critics highlighted that more than two-thirds of those affected were women who had legally acquired nationality under Article 8 of Kuwait’s nationality law, through marriage to Kuwaiti citizens. Many of these women had held citizenship for decades before abruptly losing their status without prior notice, causing significant public anxiety and social disruption. Kuwait faced extensive domestic and international criticism, with human rights advocates and opposition figures asserting that his actions were discriminatory and politically motivated. Following widespread backlash, Al-Sabah partially reversed some of the policy’s most severe effects, reinstating affected individuals’ access to banking services, pensions, and essential government services. Despite these measures, criticism persisted over the long-term implications for Kuwait’s democratic reputation and social cohesion.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Sabah, Fahad Yusuf Kuwaiti military personnel Defence ministers of Kuwait Interior ministers of Kuwait 1959 births Living people Fahad Yusuf Deputy prime ministers of Kuwait