Kuwait's Emir Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Sabah died on Tuesday aged 91, plunging his country into mourning for a leader regarded by many Gulf Arabs as a savvy diplomatic operator and a humanitarian champion
The cabinet announced his brother and designated successor Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf al-Ahmad al-Sabah as the new ruler, saying that Sheikh Nawaf, 83, would be sworn in on Wednesday.
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Born in 1929, the late ruler who served as Kuwait's foreign minister for nearly 40 years took power in 2006. He was regarded as the architect of modern Kuwait's foreign policy and a respected voice in the Gulf Cooperation Council region and the broader Middle East.
"With hearts filled with pain and sadness for the Kuwaiti people, the Islamic and Arab world and nations of the world, and with faith in the will of God, the cabinet mourns ... Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Jaber al-Sabah who died in the United States on Tuesday," the statement said.
The emir's body will arrive on Wednesday in Kuwait from the United States, where he had been in hospital since July following surgery in Kuwait that month, state media reported on Tuesday, citing the Amiri Diwan –
the emir's office.
The minister of the Amiri Diwan said on Tuesday that in compliance with safety and public health requirements, the burial ceremony for the deceased emir will be limited to relatives only, state media reported.
Flags were flying at half-staff in Kuwait, which announced 40 days of mourning. "Goodbye, Emir of Humanity," read a large banner on a street near the Kuwait Stock Exchange. Kuwait Towers, a seaside landmark normally lit at night, went dark.
Condolences poured in from Arab leaders and several countries in the region announced mourning periods.
Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed issued a statement saying, "May God have mercy on the father and the great Arab leader, Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad, a man of wisdom, tolerance and peace, one of the pioneers of joint Gulf action. His historical policies in the service of his country and his nation and humanity will remain eternal in the memory of generations. [We offer] our condolences to the honorable al-Sabah family and the people of brotherly Kuwait."
Dubai ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum tweeted, "May God have mercy on the compassionate father of Kuwait and the beating heart of the Gulf, the noble prince of humanity, Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah. We belong to Allah and to him we shall return."
The Jordanian Royal Court also announced a 40-day period of mourning for the Emir of Kuwait starting from Tuesday.
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi expressed his condolences to Sheikh Sabah's family: "I mourn with great sadness and sorrow the death of the late Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Jaber al-Sabah, Emir of the State of Kuwait. The Arab and Islamic world lost a leader, one of its most precious men," he said in a statement.
US President Donald Trump said in a statement he was saddened by the death of a dear friend and called Sheikh Sabah an "unwavering friend and partner to the United States."
The great mediator
Sheikh Sabah sought to balance relations with Kuwait's bigger neighbors, forging close ties with Saudi Arabia, rebuilding links with former occupier Iraq and keeping an open dialogue with Iran.
He tried to mediate in a Gulf dispute in which Riyadh and its allies imposed a boycott on Qatar, and made fundraising for humanitarian aid in Syria one of Kuwait's priorities.
Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, in an Arabic-language tweet, lauded Sheikh Sabah for fostering "moderation and balance" in Kuwait and the region.
"Today we lost a big brother and a wise and loving leader ... who spared no effort for Arab unity," said Jordan's King Abdullah, also on Twitter.
United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres praised the emir as "an extraordinary symbol of wisdom and generosity, a messenger of peace, a bridge builder."
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