Kuwait's Emir Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah passed away on Saturday at the age of 86, the Amiri Diwan said in a broadcasted statement. 

Kuwait TV broke into programming with Qur’anic verses just before making the announcement.

In late November, he was admitted to the hospital due to a medical emergency. He was later declared in stable condition.

Sheikh Nawaf was named crown prince in 2006 by his half-brother Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah and took over as emir when Sheikh Sabah died in September 2020 at the age of 91.

He had to steer the economy through a crisis caused by a fall in oil prices in 2020.
Sheikh Nawaf previously served as Kuwait’s interior and defense minister.
Kuwait is home to the most active and powerful parliament in the Gulf.

Following a succession of resigning governments and dissolved parliaments, Kuwait’s current cabinet is its fifth in a year.
The political deadlock has delayed necessary reforms and blocked development projects, leaving infrastructure and education in disrepair.

Born in 1937, Sheikh Nawaf was the fifth son of Kuwait’s late ruler from 1921 to 1950 Sheikh Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah.

He started his political career at the age of 25 as governor of Hawalli province, where he remained until 1978 when he started a decade as interior minister.