Sheikh Nawaf Al Ahmad Al Sabah

The Emir of Kuwait, Sheikh Nawaf Al Ahmad Al Sabah, died on Saturday, the royal court said, after three years in power. He was 86.

"With great sadness and sorrow, we mourn... the death of Sheikh Nawaf Al Ahmad Al Sabah, Emir of the State of Kuwait," said a statement aired on Kuwaiti state television.

State television had cut its regular programming and switched to a broadcast of verses from Holy Quranic before the announcement.

In November, Sheikh Nawaf was admitted to the hospital "due to an emergency health problem", according to the official KUNA news agency, which did not elaborate on his illness. He was later declared in stable condition.

Given his age, his health has commonly been a concern during his term.

Sheikh Nawaf was named crown prince in 2006 by his half-brother Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad Al-Sabah and took over as emir when Sheikh Sabah died in September 2020 at the age of 91.

He had to steer the economy through a crisis caused by a fall in oil prices in 2020.

Associated Press