In a sudden shift in governmental power, a royal decree was issued by Kuwait’s Emir Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, on Sunday, appointing the ruler’s son Sheikh Ahmed Nawaf Al-Ahmed Al-Sabah as the county’s new Prime Minister.
The new Prime Minister is now responsible for forming a new government, by providing the names of potential candidates to the Crown Prince to issue a decree appointing them, with hopes of resolving ongoing political issues that have been transgressing for several years.
Kuwait has been going through a lot of political changes in recent years, With Emir Nawaf Al-Ahmad witnessing four different governments since his succession to the throne in September 2020, with this new one being the country’s 40th overall.
But who is Kuwait’s newest Prime Minister? What makes him a good candidate for his latest role within the government? And how has this issue been affecting the country as a whole?
A Local Past
Born in 1956, Sheikh Ahmed Nawaf is the current Emir’s eldest son at 66. He spent his younger years within the country, going to school and eventually attending university locally, earning a Bachelor’s degree in Commerce from Kuwait University.
Ministries of Defence & Interior
Later in life, he joined the military and the Ministry of Defense, where he received intensive military courses that advanced his career and enabled him to obtain the rank of first lieutenant. His military career would only see improvement, as he advanced to the rank of first lieutenant general until his retirement.
Sheikh Ahmed Nawaf’s governmental roles didn’t stop there, holding the position of Assistant Undersecretary for Nationality and Passports Affairs at the Ministry of Interior, then as Assistant Undersecretary for Education and Training Affairs within the same ministry, showing his love for the security sector.
Post Ministries
In 2014, he left the Ministry of Interior and was appointed the title of Governor of Hawalli based on his hard work; six years later, in 2020, he was appointed as Deputy Chief of the National Guard after his father, Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad, took the throne.
Last March, Sheikh Ahmed Nawaf returned to one of the ministries close to his heart, as he was assigned the role of Minister of Interior after his predecessor resigned. However, all that changed when his father assigned him the role of Prime Minister last night, the highest position he’s held to date.
In addition to his interests in security and military organizations, Sheikh Ahmed Al-Nawaf is known for his interest in sports too. He was a member of the General Assembly and director of football at Al-Arabi Club in 1988. He also served as a member of the Kuwaiti Football Association and was recommended as Chairman of the Board of Directors of the International Police Sports Federation.
It will be interesting to see what Sheikh Ahmed Nawaf will do next since he received a lot of responsibility in one fell swoop, with the hopes of concluding the country’s political strife once and for all.
Current Issues
Kuwait has been going through months of parliamentary uncertainty, leading to many within the country awaiting general elections.
The previous government submitted its resignation in mid-April of 2022, which was accepted by the Crown Prince in May. This action had many hoping that the rift between the parliament a future government would finally come to an end.
The entrenched differences between the legislative and executive authorities have obstructed vital legislation that the country needs, especially in light of the COVID-19 crisis and the decline in the country’s revenues due to the decline in oil prices.
There’s also the problem of issuing laws, or rather the lack thereof, most notably the Public Debt Law, which is essential to improve Kuwait’s credit rating, which was damaged by these disagreements.
Damaging Rift
These current issues put the country in a difficult position, as the constant infighting between the parliament and the rest of the government hindered foreign investment, froze development as well as reform, and put a hold on Kuwait’s ability to diversify its income and not be reliant on oil for revenue.
Hope For The Future
Sheikh Ahmed Nawaf’s appointment in the leading role of Prime Minister has many people optimistic that he’d be able to form a new government that would work together with the parliament and resolve their issues for a brighter future for the country.
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