His Highness Sheikh Dr. Mohammad Sabah Al-Salem Al-Sabah (; born 10 October 1955) is a senior member of the

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 ...

i royal family and has held various key positions as a politician, economist, and diplomat. He served as the

Prime Minister of Kuwait The prime minister of Kuwait is the head of government of Kuwait. As the third most powerful official in the country, following the Emir of Kuwait and List of Speakers of Kuwait National Assembly, Speaker of the National Assembly, the prime min ...

from 17 January 2024 to 15 May 2024. Prior to his premiership, he was the Deputy Prime Minister of Kuwait, contributing significantly to the nation’s governance and international relations.

Early life and education

Born on 10 October 1955, Al-Sabah is a son of Sheikh

Sabah III Al-Salim Al-Sabah Sheikh Sabah III Al-Salim Al-Sabah (12 January 1903 – 31 December 1977) () was the Emir of Kuwait from 24 November 1965 until his death in 1977. Biography The youngest son of Salim Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah, Sabah served as the president of the ...

, the former

Amir of Kuwait The Emir of the State of Kuwait () is the monarch and head of state of Kuwait, and is the country's most powerful office. The emirs of Kuwait are members of the Al Sabah dynasty. Sheikh Mishal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah became the emir of Kuwai ...

, and Nouriya Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, the sister of the present Amir. His older brother is

Salem Sabah Al-Salem Al-Sabah Sheikh Salem Sabah Al-Salem Al-Sabah (; 18 June 1938 – 8 October 2007) was a senior member of the House of Al-Sabah of Kuwait. Biography Salem Al Sabah was the eldest son of the 12th Ruler and 2nd Emir of Kuwait, Sheikh Sabah Al-Salem Al- ...

, who served as both Minister of

Defense Defense or defence may refer to: Tactical, martial, and political acts or groups * Defense (military), forces primarily intended for warfare * Civil defense, the organizing of civilians to deal with emergencies or enemy attacks * Defense industr ...

and

Interior Interior may refer to: Arts and media * ''Interior'' (Degas) (also known as ''The Rape''), painting by Edgar Degas * ''Interior'' (play), 1895 play by Belgian playwright Maurice Maeterlinck * ''The Interior'' (novel), by Lisa See * Interior de ...

. Mohammed Sabah Al Sabah obtained his bachelor's degree in economics from

Claremont McKenna College Claremont McKenna College (CMC) is a Private college, private Liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts college in Claremont, California. It has a curricular emphasis on government, economics, public affairs, finance, and internat ...

and went on to earn both a master's degree and a PhD in economics and Middle Eastern studies from

Harvard University Harvard University is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States. Founded in 1636 and named for its first benefactor, the History of the Puritans in North America, Puritan clergyma ...

Career

Government service

Appointed in 1993 as the ambassador of Kuwait to the United States, he served until 14 February 2001, at which point he became the Minister of Foreign Affairs. He held the position of Minister of Finance from January 2003 until July 2003. On 11 February 2006, he was appointed Deputy Prime Minister, continuing also as the Minister of Foreign Affairs. He resigned from office on 18 October 2011 in protest of alleged corruption in Kuwait's government. He subsequently pursued academic interests as a visiting fellow at

Oxford University The University of Oxford is a collegiate research university in Oxford, England. There is evidence of teaching as early as 1096, making it the oldest university in the English-speaking world and the second-oldest continuously operating u ...

Prime minister

On January 4, 2024, Sheikh

Mishal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah Mishal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah (born 27 September 1940) is Emir of Kuwait, reigning since 2023. Mishal spent most of his career in Kuwait's security and intelligence apparatus. Prior to becoming Emir at age 83, he was the oldest crown princ ...

, the Emir of Kuwait, appointed Sheikh Mohammad Sabah Al-Salem Al-Sabah as the Prime Minister designate of Kuwait. He was sworn into office on the 17 of January 2024, marking the first time in 20 years that a descendant of the

Banu Salim Banu Salim or Banu Saleem or Bani Salim was a tribe during the era of Muhammad. They participated in the Al Kudr Invasion. On his return from the Nakhla expedition to destroy al-Uzza, Khalid ibn Walid, with an army including the Banu Saleem, wa ...

branch of the Kuwaiti ruling family assumed this position. Sheikh

Ahmad Al-Abdullah Al-Sabah Ahmad Al-Abdullah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah (; born 5 September 1952) is a Kuwaiti economist, politician and a senior member of the ruling family, Al Sabah. He served as the Ministry of Oil (Kuwait), minister of oil between 2009 and 2011. On 15 April 202 ...

was appointed as the prime minister-designate on 15 April 2024. His assumption of office is contingent upon the formation of his cabinet and his oath-taking before the National Assembly. Following this appointment, Sheikh Mohammed has been serving as the acting prime minister in a caretaker capacity.

Personal life

Al-Sabah is married to Feryal Duaij Al Salman Al Sabah and has four children.

Councils, committees and memberships

Kuwait

* Chairman of the board of directors of the

Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development The Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development (KFAED) (), commonly known as the Kuwait Fund, is the State of Kuwait’s agency for the provision and administration of financial and technical assistance to developing countries. History and profil ...

(2003–2011) * Member of the Supreme Council of the Environment Public Authority (2003–2011) * Member of the National Security Council (2003–2011) * Member of the Supreme Council for Planning and Development (2006–2011) * Member of the Kuwait National Nuclear Energy Committee (2009–2011) * Acting Chairman of the Civil Service Commission (2003–2011) * Board Advisor Center for International Relations and Sustainable Development

Honours and awards

* 2014 Robert and JoAnn Bendetson Global Leadership Award in Public Diplomacy from

Fletcher School The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy is the graduate school of international affairs of Tufts University, in Medford, Massachusetts. Fletcher is one of America's oldest graduate schools of international relations. As of 2017, the student b ...

Tufts University Tufts University is a private research university in Medford and Somerville, Massachusetts, United States, with additional facilities in Boston and Grafton, as well as Talloires, France. Tufts also has several Doctor of Physical Therapy p ...

* 1978 Recipient of The Salvatori Scholar Prize

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Sabah, Mohammad Sabah Salem 1955 births Living people Mohammad Sabah Al Salem Claremont McKenna College alumni Harvard University alumni Academic staff of Kuwait University Kuwaiti diplomats Ambassadors of Kuwait to the United States Finance ministers of Kuwait Foreign ministers of Kuwait Academics of the University of Oxford Prime ministers of Kuwait Sons of monarchs Deputy prime ministers of Kuwait Children of prime ministers