The emir of Kuwait, Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, has died aged 91.He had ruled the Kuwait for 14 years .Sheikh Sabah ruled Kuwait since 2006.Kuwait’s Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah will be sworn in as the nation’s new emir on Wednesday.
Sheikh Sabah was admitted to hospital in July and underwent surgery, before traveling to the US for further treatment.
His death brought an ourtpouring of grief and condolences from both the Gulf, the region and beyond.
He served as Kuwait’s foreign minister from 1963 for four decades after holding a number of other governmental posts.
He then became prime minister in 2003.Kuwait announced 40 days of mourning to remember Sheikh Sabah.
The leader was widely respected for his leadership, diplomacy and as a mediator in the region.
He helped steer the country through the devastating invasion by Iraq in 1990 and a number of other crises in the region.
“With deep sadness and sorrow the Emiri Diwan sends its condolences to the people of Kuwait, the Arab and Muslim nations, and our friendly nations worldwide," Royal Court Minister Sheikh Ali Jarrah Al-Sabah said on state TV.Tributes and condolences poured in from across the Arab world for Kuwait’s late ruler Emir Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Jaber al-Sabah as several countries in the Gulf and wider region announced periods of mourning.
The 91-year-old monarch, who died in a hospital in the United States after being there for medical purposes since July, has been hailed as “the emir of humanity” and a “wise leader” by his counterparts.
Saudi Arabia’s King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman were among the region’s leaders to offer their condolences to Kuwait and Sheikh Sabah’s family.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said Sheikh Sabah “was an extraordinary symbol of wisdom and generosity, a messenger of peace, a bridge-builder.”
Donald Trump this month awarded the US Legion of Merit, Degree Chief Commander, to Sheikh Sabah - the first time the honor has been given since 1991.His half-brother, 83-year-old Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf al-Ahmad al-Sabah, has been announced as the new emir by the country’s cabinet.
Having steered Kuwait’s foreign policy for more than 50 years, Sheikh Sabah’s role leader of Kuwait since 2006 was also marked by efforts to calm regional disputes.
He maintained good ties with Iran, which is considered a rival by many nations in the Gulf, and maintained ties to Qatar when several other Gulf nations severed ties dramatically in 2017.
Regional leaders mourned the emir.“Today we lost a great brother and a wise leader … who spared no effort for Arab unity,” Jordan’s King Abdullah said on Twitter as he announced a 40-day mourning period in the kingdom starting on Tuesday.
Leaders of the United Arab Emirates and Egypt also mourned Sheikh Sabah saying he was a great leader, and each announced a three-day mourning period.
“The Arab and Muslim world has lost one of its most valuable leaders,” Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi said in a tweet.Bahrain said Kuwait had lost a “wise leader, an emir of humanity who loved what is good for the people”.
Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani announced a three-day mourning period for his country, with flags to be lowered at half-mast.
Sheikh Tamim described the late Kuwaiti leader as “a great leader who was wise, moderate and long-term oriented, and dedicated his life to serve his country”.
Speaking to Al Jazeera, Qatar’s ambassador to Russia, Fahad Al Attiyah, said the late ruler’s greatest quality was “his integrity and commitment to truth”.
“Sheikh Sabah had demonstrated he was a man who sought to listen to others and give them the time to hear their grievances,” Al Attiyah said, speaking from Moscow. “All these qualities made him the person that people trusted with their issues.”Even Yemen’s rival sides – who have yet to reach a political solution to the years-long war – paid tribute to the emir on Tuesday.
Yemen’s Foreign Minister Mohammad al-Hadhrami offered his “sincere, heartfelt, condolences to our brothers in Kuwait” on Twitter.
Meanwhile, Houthi rebel spokesman Mohammed Abdulsalam tweeted that the rebels “will never forget [the emir’s] position in support of peace negotiations… love for Yemen and keenness to extinguish the fire of war”.
Saudi King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed also mourned the Kuwaiti leader, praising his “achievements and endeavours” to serve his country and the region.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan also wrote a tweet in Arabic expressing his sorrow and condolences for Sabah’s death.
