The Emir of Kuwait, Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Sabah, in 2017. -
Jon Gambrell / AP / SIPA
The Emir of Kuwait, Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Sabah, died Tuesday at the age of 91, announced the royal palace of this rich oil country in the Gulf.
His half-brother, Crown Prince Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, 83, was quickly appointed new emir and is due to be sworn in on Wednesday.
The government has announced 40 days of national mourning.
Prince Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, new Emir of Kuwait, in 2014. - Nasser Waggi / AP / SIPA
After his hospitalization in Kuwait on July 18, the head of state, in power since 2006, had “temporarily” transferred part of his powers to the crown prince.
He died in the United States, where he had gone at the end of July for medical treatment, according to the authorities who had not given any details about his illness.
He had undergone several operations since 2002.
An influential mediator
Sheikh Sabah was considered the architect of modern Kuwait's foreign policy, a great ally of the United States and Saudi Arabia while maintaining good relations with Iran.
Riyadh thus offered its condolences while Tehran praised the “moderation and aplomb” of the deceased.
After the death in January of Sultan Qaboos of Oman, another influential mediator disappears in a region marked by tensions with Iran and the dispute, since 2017, between Qatar on the one hand and Arabia Arabia and its allies on the other.
In this case, Sheikh Sabah played the mediator and called for a de-escalation.
The United Nations hailed a leader "distinguished (...) recognized worldwide for his wisdom, his generosity and his successes in state building and preventive diplomacy".
The United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Lebanon and Qatar have even declared three days of mourning in tribute to the emir.
An ally of peace in Yemen
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson praised the “contribution (of the emir) to regional stability and humanitarian assistance”.
In Yemen at war, the Minister of Foreign Affairs Mohammed al-Hadhrami, offered his "sincere condolences to the brothers in Kuwait".
And rebel spokesman Mohammed Abdelsalam said the Houthis "will never forget the role (of the emir) in favor of the peace negotiations (...) nor his love for Yemen".
His reign was however marked by political unrest, demonstrations and arrests of opponents but also the fall in oil prices, on which Kuwait depends.
Considered a liberal, especially because of the economic and social reforms he introduced, he however ruled out the legalization of political parties.
Politically, his successor should be no different even as two of his neighbors, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain, have decided to normalize their relationship with Israel.
Nothing signals a change in the country's posture on this point, underlines Kristin Diwan, of the Arab Gulf States Institute, based in Washington, for whom "the priority of the leaders will be first of all the internal stability" of Kuwait, where the legislative elections are expected within two months.
World
Iran accuses UAE of 'betrayal' after deal with Israel
By the Web
Women sold on Instagram to be exploited as "domestic workers" in Kuwait
Kuwait
World
Middle East