Kuwait's Sheikh Meshal named as successor of Emir Sheikh Nawaf

After the death of Kuwait's Emir Sheikh Nawaf Al Ahmed Al Sabah, his brother Sheikh Meshal has been declared the new Emir. On 16 December 2023, ‘Amir Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah’ died at the age of 86. He was ill for a long time. Now his brother Sheikh Meshal will take over the responsibility of the new Amir of Kuwait.

About Sheikh Meshal:

• 83-year-old Sheikh Meshaal Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah has been serving as the Emir of Kuwait since 2021. Because the current ruler of Kuwait, Sheikh Nawaf, had handed over most of his tasks to his younger brother.
• Under the Constitution of Kuwait, the Crown Prince becomes Emir if the previous Emir becomes incapacitated. Before becoming Crown Prince, Sheikh Meshal spent much of his time strengthening the security and defence of the Gulf state.
• Sheikh Meshal, the new Emir of Kuwait, was born in 1940. He graduated from the British Hendon Police College in 1960 and held important security positions in the country.
• Sheikh Meshal was the Deputy Chief of the National Guard from 2004-2020.
• Sheikh Meshal was head of state security for 13 years after joining the Interior Ministry in the 1960s.
• During a visit to China in September 2023, Sheikh Meshal attended the opening ceremony of the Asian Olympic Games. During that time, various economic agreements were signed with China.
• Sheikh Meshal's family has ruled Kuwait since 1752.
• In 1991, the Kuwaiti royal family was estimated to be worth US$90 billion. Currently, the value of this family is estimated at around 360 billion US dollars.

About Kuwait:

• Kuwait is located on the western left of the Persian Gulf. Kuwait is bordered by Iraq to the northwest and Saudi Arabia to the southwest.
• The capital of Kuwait is Kuwait City, which is the most major city here.
• As of 2022, Kuwait had a population of 4.4 million. 70% of Kuwait's population are expatriates, while only 30% of the population are Kuwaiti citizens.
• Oil reserves were discovered here in 1938. Following the discovery of oil in Kuwait, the country underwent large-scale modernisation from 1946 to 1982.
• Kuwait was invaded by Iraq in 1990. The Iraqi invasion ended in 1991 following military intervention by coalition forces.
• Kuwait is a constitutional monarchy with a high-income economy supported by the world's sixth-largest oil reserves.
• The Kuwaiti Dinar is considered to be the most valuable currency in the world.
• Kuwait ranks fourth globally in per capita income, as per the World Bank.
• The Constitution was implemented here in 1962.
• The official currency of Kuwait is the Kuwaiti dinar (also abbreviated KD).