Kuwait mourns as Emir Sheikh Nawaf al‑Sabah passes: Brother inherits oil‑rich throne

"With profound sadness and sorrow, we - the people of Kuwait, the Arab and Islamic nations, and friendly nations across the world - mourn the passing of His Highness the Emir, Sheikh Nawaf al-Ahmad al-Jaber al-Sabah, who has returned to his Lord," stated Sheikh Mohammed Abdullah al-Sabah, the Emir Court Minister in Kuwait, as quoted by Al Jazeera on Saturday, December 16.

Sheikh Nawaf, born in 1937, was the fifth son of former Kuwait leader Sheikh Ahmad al-Jaber al-Sabah. He was serving as the Minister of Defense when Iraq invaded and annexed Kuwait in 1990, sparking the first Gulf War. He later headed the Ministry of the Interior.

Sheikh Nawaf ascended to the throne in 2020, taking control of one of the world's largest oil reserves. He was also an OPEC member, a group that includes Saudi Arabia.

Kuwait's population is approximately 4.8 million, including about 3.4 million foreign workers. The country contains the sixth-largest oil reserve globally and is a critical ally of the United States. It's regarded as one of the leading oil exporters worldwide.

The Kuwaiti parliament, with the most legislative powers among the Gulf countries' electoral bodies, often witnesses its opposition MPs openly criticizing the royal family, reports the BBC.

"While Kuwait has struggled with governmental instability for several years, Sheikh Nawaf's assumption of power resolved various local disputes between the governing regime and the opposition," Bloomberg shared.

However, it should be noted that the Sabah family maintains complete control over critical government and administrative positions. The Emir retains the final say in political matters. The head of state also holds the power to dismiss parliament's decisions, dissolve it, and call for elections.