Sheikh N. al-Ahmad al-Sabah, Emir of Kuwait, died at the age of 86

State television interrupted its regular program before the announcement and switched to a broadcast of Quranic readings.

Later, national television reported that Kuwait’s Crown Prince Sheikh Meshal al-Ahmad al-Jaber al-Sabah had been appointed as the country’s new emir.

In November, Sheikh N. al-Ahmad al-Sabah was hospitalized due to urgent health problems, the official KUNA news agency reported, which did not elaborate on his illness. He was later declared in stable condition.

Given his age, his health was a concern during his tenure.

N. al-Ahmad al-Sabah, who worked for a long time in the security services, took over power in 2020 after the death of his fake brother, 91-year-old Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Sabah.

Kuwait, a conservative country where sovereign power remains concentrated in the hands of the ruling al-Sabah family, is home to the Gulf’s most active and influential parliament.

But persistent disagreements between elected lawmakers and ministers appointed by the ruling family have hampered development efforts and scared away investors.

After several resigned governments and dissolved parliaments, Kuwait’s current cabinet is the fifth in a year.