Security, no political background, and the Emir’s half-brother. Who is the new crown prince of Kuwait, who is 80 years old?

Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, Emir of Kuwait, elected the youngest and half brother, Sheikh Meshaal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, as crown prince in Kuwait.

And Sheikh Meshaal Al-Sabah comes from outside the political arena, and his name was exchanged among the most likely candidates to take over as crown prince in Kuwait.

Sheikh Meshaal, the seventh son of Sheikh Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, was born to his wife Maryam Mariet Al-Huwailah, in Kuwait in 1940, and grew up there, then studied in Great Britain, graduating in 1960 from the School of Hendon Police.

After graduating, Kuwait’s 10th Emir took on many security positions, making him one of the country’s top security figures, and he remained relatively far from media exposure.

Among the security positions that Sheikh Meshaal held was the presidency of the General Investigation Department from 1967 to 1980, when this apparatus was transformed by his hands into the Department of “State Security”, which still operates under this name.

Sheikh Meshaal, who is described as one of Kuwait’s most important security men, remained in the Ministry of the Interior, and Sheik Jaber issued an Emiri decree appointing him deputy head of the National Guard with the rank of Minister, a position he still holds to this day.

Sheikh Meshaal enjoys strong influence within the National Guard, which is a military apparatus independent of the army and police forces, and aims to assist the armed forces and public security agencies and contribute to the purposes of national defense. .

Sheikh Meshaal did not assume any ministerial portfolios and stayed away from political battles fought by many members of the ruling family, undermining the chances that some of them would advance to office.

The next crown prince will have to manage the complex relations between the government and parliament in light of an unprecedented situation that is witnessing difficult financial conditions due to the double whammy of falling oil prices and the Corona virus pandemic, while the country is depleting its General Reserve Fund to cover the budget deficit.

Sheikh Meshaal had joined the Ministry of the Interior and rose through the ranks until he became head of the General Investigation at that time with the rank of colonel from 1967 to 1980, and during his reign he was transferred to the Department of State Security, and the late Emir Sheikh Jaber Al-Ahmad appointed him in 1977 as head of the Diwaniya of Nabat poets.

The position of Crown Prince is extremely important because whoever holds this position is considered the future Emir of the country. Article 7 of the succession law of the Emirate establishes that “he will represent the Emir in the exercise of his constitutional powers in the event of his absence outside the country, under the terms and conditions established in articles 61, 62, 63 and 64 of the Constitution. “. According to the same article, the Emir can “seek the help of the crown prince in any matter within the constitutional powers of the head of state.”

This is his bio in short, according to the Kuwait National Guard website:

1. You were born in Kuwait in 1940.

2. He was educated at the Al-Mubarakiya School and the “Hendon” Police College of the United Kingdom of Great Britain in 1960.

* He entered the Ministry of the Interior and rose in positions to become the then head of the General Investigation with the rank of colonel from 1967 to 1980 AD During his reign, it was transformed into the Department of State Security.

3. The late Amir Sheikh Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah was appointed by His Highness in 1977 as head of the Diwaniya of Nabat Poets.

4. He was designated by Decree No. (12/2004) issued on April 13, 2004 as Deputy Chief of the National Guard with the rank of Minister.

5. Honorary President of the Kuwait Pilots Association since 1973.

6. One of the founders and honorary president of the Kuwait Amateur Radio Society.

7. Loves hunting and land travel.