83-Year-Old Crown Prince Becomes New Emir of Kuwait

Sheikh Meshal Ahmad Al-Sabah was introduced as the new Emir of Kuwait on Saturday, December 16, following the death of his brother, Sheikh Nawaf Ahmad Al-Sabah. Sheikh Meshal, 83, took on the responsibilities of the Emir in 2021 when the Emir began to relinquish most of his duties, and he is now officially his successor. He spent a significant part of his career building Kuwait's security and defense structures. Sheikh Nawaf ascended to the throne in September 2020 after the death of his brother, Sheikh Sabah, who ruled for over a decade and managed the foreign policy of the Gulf country for more than five decades. Diplomats viewed Sheikh Nawaf as a unifying figure, but much of his reign was marked by conflict between the government and parliament. The first two years of Sheikh Nawaf's rule saw the formation of eight governments and three parliamentary elections, which experts believe hindered significant structural reforms in Kuwait. Kuwait possesses the seventh-largest oil reserves in the world, and since taking power, Sheikh Nawaf has made considerable efforts to engage with neighboring countries. According to Kuwait's constitution, the crown prince succeeds the Emir upon his death but assumes power after taking an oath in parliament. The new Emir has one year to introduce his successor. Analysts and diplomats say that Sheikh Meshal, like his predecessor, prioritizes maintaining close relations with Saudi Arabia. His first contacts after assuming Sheikh Nawaf's duties were with King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, and his first trip abroad was also to Saudi Arabia. Sheikh Meshal may also seek to expand relations with China, possibly looking for Beijing's support in normalizing relations between the Islamic Republic and Saudi Arabia. During his visit to China in September this year for the Asian Games opening ceremony, he signed several economic agreements with the Chinese. A Kuwaiti source stated that Sheikh Meshal is concerned about the regional situation and fears the escalation of war in the area, emphasizing the importance of Kuwait's relations with Saudi Arabia. Before transferring more of his legal duties to his designated heir, Sheikh Nawaf made significant efforts to de-escalate domestic political tensions, including issuing a pardon for opposition figures who had long sought this. However, the political deadlock within the country remained unresolved, and Sheikh Meshal attempted to end political disputes by dissolving parliament and holding early elections in June. Kuwait does not allow political parties to operate but is considered more liberal than its neighbors, having a parliament composed of Sunnis, Shias, liberals, and Islamists. Sheikh Meshal is the seventh son of Ahmad Jaber Al-Sabah, the former ruler of Kuwait, whose three brothers ruled the Gulf country before him. He has five sons and seven daughters. The United States and Kuwait cooperate to counter threats from Islamic Republic-affiliated militias. The activities of the U.S. embassy in Kuwait were limited following threats from an Iraqi militia group. Kuwait will officially exploit the Al-Durra gas field (Arash) by 2029. A Kuwaiti newspaper reported that the Islamic Republic sends weapons to Hezbollah in Lebanon for Syria and Russia. Iraq and Kuwait have resumed negotiations to resolve maritime border disputes. Kuwait and Saudi Arabia have agreed to begin developing the Al-Durra field (Arash) without Iran's involvement.