“With great sadness and sorrow, we mourn… the death of Sheikh Nawaf al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, Emir of the State of Kuwait,” announced a statement aired on state television.
In November, Sheikh Nawaf experienced hospitalization "due to an emergency health problem," as reported by the official KUNA news agency. Details of his illness were not disclosed, but he was later declared to be in stable condition.
Concerns about his health were frequent during his rule, given his age.
Sheikh Nawaf assumed the role of crown prince in 2006, appointed by his half-brother Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad Al-Sabah. He took over as emir following Sheikh Sabah’s death in September 2020 at the age of 91.
In 2020, Sheikh Nawaf grappled with steering the economy through a crisis triggered by a fall in oil prices.
The current crown prince, Sheikh Mishal al-Ahmad al-Sabah, another half-brother, is 83 years old. Speculation now centers on whether the family will appoint a younger ruler.
Around 14 months after becoming emir, Sheikh Nawaf delegated key constitutional duties to Sheikh Mishal.
While Sheikh Nawaf’s reign wasn't the shortest in Kuwait’s history, it stood out for issuing numerous amnesties, earning him the moniker “emir of pardons,” according to Bader al-Saif, an assistant professor of history at Kuwait University.
Last month, Kuwait’s Council of Ministers approved a draft royal decree calling for pardons for political prisoners convicted in the past decade, continuing a trend of pardons in 2021.
Saif noted that Sheikh Nawaf would also "be remembered for his unique personal attributes: soft-spoken, devout, modest, low-profile."
