Kuwait City: Kuwait’s new emir will be sworn in on Wednesday at 11 am, parliament speaker Marzouq al Ghanim said in a tweet on Tuesday. Crown Prince Shaikh Nawaf Al Ahmad al Sabah was named emir by the cabinet to succeed his brother Shaikh Sabah Al Ahmad al Sabah.
Kuwait’s new ruler may find it harder than his predecessor to uphold his country’s mediating role between Gulf powers, if only because he lacks his late brother’s decades of experience as a conciliator in a polarised region.
Under Nawaf, 83, Kuwait is likely to continue to work for stability by staying on good terms with its powerful neighbours, instead of seeking a leadership role in the region, diplomats say. But he lacks the negotiating skills of the late emir, who spent four decades as Kuwait’s top diplomat, earning the respect of his neighbours for rebuilding ties in the Middle East after Iraq’s 1990 invasion of his small but hugely wealthy country.
While foreign policy is unlikely to change under Nawaf, OPEC member Kuwait may lose gravitas internationally, two sources close to the ruling family and one of the diplomats said.
Shaikh Nawaf largely kept a low profile as crown prince and also during previous roles as defence minister, at the time of the 1990 invasion, and interior minister. He is known as a founder of the country’s national guard and has attempted to build security cooperation with Arab states. He had been widely perceived as a surprise choice by the emir in the succession line in 2006, and a reluctant ruler, who was encouraged to accept the role by senior members of the 250-year-old Al Sabah dynasty, said the diplomat.
Diplomats and analysts expect he will delegate a larger portion of state affairs to his crown prince because of his low-key style and his age. This means that the person nominated by family consensus as his heir, a post which normally also holds the post of prime minister, will be closely watched. Dozens of senior Al Sabah family members have been jostling for position in anticipation of the choice of crown prince, a role that traditionally manages the government’s often difficult relationship with parliament.
Friction between the cabinet and the assembly has led to frequent reshuffles or dissolution of parliament, holding up crucial investment and economic reforms. Shaikh Nawaf’s discreet manner and openness to different points of view will be essential for maintaining balance, diplomats say, adding he could give more space for lawmakers to question senior ministers and allow some top cabinet posts to be held by people outside the Sabah family.
— Reuters
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