Kuwait's Crown Prince Sheikh Meshal named Emir

Move comes after death of Emir Sheikh Nawaf

Sheikh Meshal Al Ahmad Al Sabah was named Kuwait's Emir on Saturday. Photo: Royal Court/Kuwait News Agency

Kuwait's Crown Prince Sheikh Meshal Al Ahmad Al Sabah was named the country's Emir after the death on Saturday of Sheikh Nawaf Al Ahmad Al Sabah.

“Kuwait's cabinet names Crown Prince His Highness Sheikh Meshal … Emir of the State of Kuwait,” the Kuna news agency reported.

Sheikh Meshal was named Crown Prince in 2020 by Sheikh Nawaf, who died on Saturday at the age of 86.

Sheikh Meshal, 83, has spent much of his career helping to build the Gulf Arab state's security and defence apparatus.

He has been deputy chief of the National Guard since 2004 and was head of state security for 13 years after joining the Interior Ministry in the 1960s.

He had previously been offered several senior positions but declined them, analysts said.

Sheikh Meshal, a graduate of England's Hendon Police College, was credited with helping to reform Kuwait's National Guard.

Kuwaiti journalist Faisal Al Qanae once described him as the “biggest enemy” of cronyism and lawbreaking.

In late November, Sheikh Nawaf was taken to hospital for an unspecified illness.

He had been suffering health problems since he was sworn in as Emir in September 2020, following the death of his predecessor, Sheikh Sabah Al Ahmad Al Sabah.

Sheikh Nawaf handed over some constitutional powers to his half-brother Sheikh Meshal two years ago.