Kuwaiti Emir Sheikh Nawaf al-Ahmad al-Sabah was taken to hospital on Wednesday (November 29) after an emergency surrounding his health, state news agency KUNA reported. In its report, KUNA quoted an official who said that Sheikh Nawaf was taken to hospital in order “to receive the necessary treatment and conduct medical examinations”.
It has previously been reported that the emir made a trip to US in March 2021 for medical reasons. There are no details available.
Sheikh Nawaf became the emir of Kuwait in September 2020 after his half-brother, Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Jaber al-Sabah passed away in the US. He was 91 years old.
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Sheikh Nawaf is not new to politics or administration. Before becoming emir, he held high offices for decades. He was named heir apparent in the year 2006. Sheikh Nawaf was defence minister of Kuwait when Saddam Hussein-led Iraq invaded the oil-rich nation in 1990, the Gulf War. When Kuwait was facing challenge from armed groups within the country, Sheikh Nawaf was interior minister.
The emir has a reputation for his modest behaviour and keeps a low profile. He is popular within the ruling al-Sabah family.
Kuwait has seen political dispute during the year Sheikh Nawaf has been the emir, but his rule has largely been without a major issue. Kuwait gets large revenue from oil reserves in the country. It has the sixth largest oil reserves in the world.
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The country has been a staunch US ally since the Gulf War of the 1990s. It hosts 13,500 US troops on its soil. It also houses the US Army's forward base in the Middle East.
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KUNA has reported that the health of Sheikh Nawaf is now stable, though it remains a general topic of concern in media and politics.
(With inputs from agencies)