Kuwait’s Emir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah has appointed Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah as the country’s new Prime Minister in an official decree, elevating him from his role as foreign minister.
“An Amiri order assigned Tuesday Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah as Prime Minister, abrogating a previous order on Monday, which assigned His Highness Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak to the post,” stated the country’s state media KUNA.
The development comes days after a row emerged over alleged mishandling of public funds between the ruling family and parliament in the Gulf nation, leading to the exit of the previous government. The cabinet resignations followed after lawmakers sought a no-confidence motion against the Interior Minister.
Read: Graft Claim Roils Kuwait’s Government as Ministers Removed
Former Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber Al Sabah declined the Emir’s assignment to reform a government on Monday.
“Out of respect to the invaluable confidence of Your Highness and out of appreciation to the Kuwait people, I find it necessary for me first to prove my innocence,” he said in a letter to the Emir.
The new Prime Minister has been asked to nominate members of the cabinet and present a list of names to the Emir for approval. Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled will execute the order and notify the National Assembly of the process, reported KUNA.
“The order will take effect on the date of issue and will be published in the official newspaper,” it added.
The new government, which is the 36th in Kuwait’s political history, would be Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled’s first-ever since becoming the eighth Prime Minister of the Gulf nation.
Following the appointment, Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah urged the new Prime Minister to crack down on corruption.
“We have given you responsibility .. a big responsibility … fight corruption and the corrupt … Inshallah Allah the Almighty help you for the best interest of the nation and people,’ the Emir told the Prime Minister after swearing-in at Dar Salwa.
“I pledge to you to do all I can to continue the blessed march under the leadership of Your Highness,” said Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled.
Born in Kuwait in 1953, Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled completed his Bachelor in political science from Kuwait University in 1977. He joined the Foreign Ministry in 1978 as a diplomatic attache, serving in the Arab affairs department 1978-1983 and with the permanent Kuwaiti mission at the (UN) 1983-1989.
He has also served as Kuwait’s Ambassador to Saudi Arabia and Envoy at the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) from 1995 to 1998.
He was appointed as the Chief of National Security Bureau with a ministerial status in 1998, Minister Social Affairs and Labor between July 2006 and March 2007, and Minister of Information between May 2008 and January 2009.
In 2011, he was appointed as Foreign Minister, and later as Deputy Prime Minister, Foreign Minister, and Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs in February 2012. In December 2012, he was re-assigned as Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister.
In January 2014, he was made the First Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister and in December 2016, re-assigned as Foreign minister, and appointed as Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister in December 2017, reported KUNA.
