Kuwait said goodbye to its late Emir, Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, on Sunday, who passed away yesterday. His body was laid to rest after a career that spanned six decades focused primarily on domestic issues.
The deceased's body, wrapped in the Kuwaiti flag, was transferred in a special ceremony broadcast live on Kuwaiti television to the Sulaibikhat cemetery, where he was buried.
The new Emir of Kuwait, Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, aged 83, participated in the funeral prayer for the late Emir at the Bilal bin Rabah Mosque in the Siddiq area.
The funeral prayer was attended by Sheikh Ahmad Nawaf Al-Sabah, the Prime Minister and son of the late Emir, as well as the Speaker of the National Assembly, Ahmad Al-Saadoun, the former Prime Minister, Sheikh Nasser Al-Mohammed Al-Sabah, alongside a gathering of citizens and members of the ruling family.
The late Emir was hospitalized in late November 2023 due to a sudden health setback (AFP).
The late Emir ruled for just over three years, during which he suffered from numerous health issues – a relatively short period given that his predecessor, Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, ruled for about 14 years.
In late 2021, Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad delegated most of his powers to his successor, Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, who has been the de facto ruler of the country since then.
The late Emir was admitted to the hospital at the end of November due to a sudden health episode.
According to the constitution, the new Emir has a year to choose his successor, but traditionally the ruling family plays a role in the consensual decision, which must also be approved by the National Assembly (the parliament).
The new Emir of Kuwait, Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, aged 83, performed the funeral prayer for the late Emir in the presence of the country's top officials (Anadolu Agency).
