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 ...

Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah (; 25 June 1937 – 16 December 2023) was Emir of Kuwait from 2020 until his death in 2023. He was minister of interior (1978–1988, 2003–2006), minister of defense (1988–1991) and

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 ...

(2020–2023). Nawaf was nominated as

crown prince A crown prince or hereditary prince is the heir apparent to the throne in a royal or imperial monarchy. The female form of the title, crown princess, is held by a woman who is heir apparent or is married to the heir apparent. ''Crown prince ...

on 7 February 2006, during the reign of his half-brother Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah. During his three-year rule as emir, he grappled with internal political disputes.

Early life and education

Nawaf Al-Ahmed Al-Jaber Al-Sabah was born on 25 June 1937. He was a son of the tenth ruler of

Kuwait Kuwait, officially the State of Kuwait, is a country in West Asia and the geopolitical region known as the Middle East. It is situated in the northern edge of the Arabian Peninsula at the head of the Persian Gulf, bordering Iraq to Iraq–Kuwait ...

, Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah. He studied at various schools in Kuwait, among them Hamada, Sharq, Al-Naqra, Eastern and Mubarakiya.

Career

Nawaf became one of the most senior members of the House of Sabah over the course of his life. At 25, he was appointed

governor A governor is an politician, administrative leader and head of a polity or Region#Political regions, political region, in some cases, such as governor-general, governors-general, as the head of a state's official representative. Depending on the ...

of Hawalli on 21 February 1962 and held the post until 19 March 1978. He was Minister of Interiorالسيرة الذاتية لسمو الشيخ نواف الاحمد الجابر الصباح
، وكالة الأنباء الكويتية كونا – نشر في 7 فبراير 2006، دخل في 11 أبريل 2010 from 1978 to 26 January 1988, when he was appointed Minister of Defense. Following the liberation of Kuwait in the

Gulf War , combatant2 = , commander1 = , commander2 = , strength1 = Over 950,000 soldiers3,113 tanks1,800 aircraft2,200 artillery systems , page = https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GAOREPORTS-PEMD-96- ...

, Nawaf was appointed the acting minister of labor and social affairs on 20 April 1991 and held the post until 17 October 1992. Following his appointment to the cabinet in 1991, a group of senior military officers sent a letter to Jaber al-Ahmad, the Emir at the time, demanding that Nawaf, the minister of defense during 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 Kuwait, State of Kuwait on 4 August 1990, Ba'athist Iraq, Iraq went on to militarily occupy the country fo ...

, and Salem al-Sabah, the minister of interior during the invasion, be dismissed from the government and investigated for Kuwait's lack of military preparedness on the day of the invasion. As a result, Nawaf was not appointed to a cabinet-level position until 2003. On 16 October 1994, Nawaf was appointed deputy chief of the Kuwait National Guard and held that post until 2003.
Kuwait National Guard Archives, His Highness Sheikh Nawaf Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, Retrieved 7 March 2015 The same year, he reassumed the post of minister of the interior until an Amiri Decree was issued on 16 October 2003 making him first Deputy Prime Minister of Kuwait and Minister of Interior. Nawaf played a role in supporting programs that support national unity among the

Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf The Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf (), also known as the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC; ), is a regional, intergovernmental, political, and economic union comprising Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the Uni ...

and

Arab Arabs (, , ; , , ) are an ethnic group mainly inhabiting the Arab world in West Asia and North Africa. A significant Arab diaspora is present in various parts of the world. Arabs have been in the Fertile Crescent for thousands of years ...

countries. With the ascendance of Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah to the leadership of Kuwait on 29 January 2006, an Amiri Decree was issued on 7 February 2006 officially designating Nawaf the crown prince. This was contrary to the tradition of the Al-Sabah family, according to which the offices of emir and crown prince are supposed to alternate between the Al-Jaber and Al-Salem branches. Sabah died on 29 September 2020 and Nawaf was announced as the emir of Kuwait during a meeting of the

National Assembly In politics, a national assembly is either a unicameral legislature, the lower house of a bicameral legislature, or both houses of a bicameral legislature together. In the English language it generally means "an assembly composed of the repr ...

. Upon assuming power in 2020, Sheikh Nawaf guided Kuwait through substantial domestic political and economic challenges. His tenure was marked by the coronavirus pandemic, a significant decline in oil prices, and ongoing political crises, primarily due to conflicts between the parliament and the government. As a key member of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), Kuwait's economy heavily relies on oil exports. According to official statistics, the country's gross domestic product was $184 billion in 2022. Kuwait exports 2.8 million barrels of oil daily and has a population of approximately 4.3 million.

Personal life

Nawaf married Sharifa Sulaiman Al-Jasem Al-Ghanim, daughter of Sulaiman Al-Jasem Al-Ghanim by his wife, Ruqayyah bint Abdullah Al-Abd Al-Razzaq. They have four sons and a daughter.

Health and death

In 2021, it was reported that Nawaf had received treatment in the United States for an unspecified medical condition. On 29 November 2023, Nawaf was admitted to hospital following an emergency health issue. He died on 16 December 2023, at the age of 86, and was succeeded as Emir by his half-brother Mishal. The funeral was limited to his family and held at the Bilal bin Rabah mosque in the al-Siddiq region, after which he was buried in Sulaibikhat Cemetery.

Honors and awards

* : Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Civil Merit (23 May 2008) * : Grand Cross of the Order of the Liberator General San Martín (1 August 2011) * : Collar of the Order of Zayed (29 January 2007) * : Grand Collar of the State of Palestine (13 November 2018)

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah 1937 births 2023 deaths Defence ministers of Kuwait Grand Cross of the Order of Civil Merit Grand Crosses of the Order of the Liberator General San Martin House of Al-Sabah Interior ministers of Kuwait Labour ministers of Kuwait Rulers of Kuwait Muslim monarchs Social affairs ministers of Kuwait Deputy prime ministers of Kuwait