Kuwaiti emir's son appointed as new prime minister

Crown Prince Sheikh Meshal Al Ahmad Al Sabah names Sheikh Ahmad Nawaf Al Sabah to the post in an emiri decree

Sheikh Ahmed Nawaf Al Ahmad Al Sabah attends a parliamentary session at the national assembly in Kuwait City, on March 15. AFP

Kuwait named the emir's son as Prime Minister on Sunday, replacing caretaker premier Sheikh Sabah Al Khalid.

Crown Prince Sheikh Meshal Al Ahmad Al Sabah, who was given key constitutional powers late last year, named Sheikh Ahmad Nawaf Al Sabah to the post in an emiri decree.

Last month the crown prince said he was dissolving parliament and would issue a decree for early elections, a move welcomed by opposition politicians, ahead of a non-cooperation motion in parliament against Sheikh Sabah, who had been premier since late 2019.

Sheikh Ahmad was deputy prime minister and interior minister in the departing government, which had submitted its resignation in April.

In his late 60s, he began his career with the police force and then entered the interior ministry.

After his father, Sheikh Nawaf, became Emir in 2020, Sheikh Ahmad he was appointed deputy head of the National Guard.

He was named interior minister, and a deputy prime minister, in March after his predecessor resigned, along with the then-defence minister, in protest against "arbitrary" questioning of ministers by parliament.