Biden issues statement honoring late Kuwaiti emir

News broke over the weekend that Emir Shiekh Nawaf al-Ahmad al-Sabah of Kuwait died at the age of 86, and President Joe Biden has since issued a statement praising the late leader, as The Hill reports.

According to Reuters, a cause of death has yet to be released, but the emir was known to have been admitted to the hospital last month under what were reportedly emergency conditions.

Sheikh Nawaf dies

With Sheikh Nawaf's passing, Crown Prince Sheikh Meshal al-Ahmad al-Sabah has been named as his successor, and at 83 years of age, he has served as the country's de factor ruler since 2021 due to the now-deceased leader's worsening health.

A 40-day mourning period has been announced across the country, and there will also be a three-day closure of government offices.

The death of al-Nawaf spurred a flood of condolences and tributes from fellow leaders the world over, including Biden.

Biden pays tribute

In a statement issued from the White House, President Biden began his tribute by saying, “Jill and I were saddened to learn of the passing of His Highness Amir Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmed Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, the Amir of Kuwait.”

Biden described the late emir as “a valued partner and true friend of the United States throughout his decades of service.”

“Today we mourn his passing, and we honor his life and the vision we shared for greater peace and stability across the Middle East,” Biden went on.

The statement concluded by declaring, “We will continue to strengthen the longstanding ties between the governments and people of the United States and Kuwait as we pursue that future together.”

Consensus builder during times of tension

Having ascended to the role of emir in September 2020 after his brother's death, Sheikh Nawaf took the reins from someone who had already been in power for over ten years and had been instrumental in shaping foreign policy for half a century.

Though Sheikh Nawaf's tenure saw strife in the form of a standoff between parliament and the government that impeded structural reforms, he was viewed by most observers as someone able to achieve consensus where others could not.

Those qualities were evidenced in a statement released Saturday by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and foreign policy head Josep Borrell, which said that Sheikh Nawaf would be fondly remembered for what they called “unwavering dedication and commitment to serving his country, even in turbulent times.”