Smooth Leadership Transition, Underlines Depth Of Democracy

A week after being sworn in as the new Amir of Kuwait, His Highness Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah named Sheikh Mishaal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah as the new Crown Prince of Kuwait.

Announcing the appointment of Sheikh Mishaal, the Minister of Amiri Diwan Affairs Sheikh Ali Jarrah Al-Sabah said in a statement on Wednesday, 7 October: “The honorable Al-Sabah family has blessed the recommendation of His Highness the Amir, Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, may God preserve and protect him, to appoint Sheikh Mishaal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah as the new Crown Prince of Kuwait.”

His Highness Sheikh Mishaal Al Sabah, (born 1940) is a half-brother to His Highness the Amir, and the seventh son of the 10th ruler of Kuwait, Sheikh Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah. Before being named as Crown Prince, Sheikh Mishaal was, by protocol designation, the Minister and Deputy Commander of the Kuwait National Guard.

On Thursday, His Highness the Amir, welcomed Sheikh Mishaal at the Seif Palace and invited him to take the constitutional oath before him. Following the constitutional oath, His Highness the Amir expressed “great confidence” in Sheikh Mishal and urged him to continue in the service of the nation and to achieve its interest as the new Crown Prince.

The oath-taking ceremony at the Seif Palace was held in the presence of the Minister of Amiri Diwan Sheikh Ali Jarrah Al-Sabah, Head of Diwan of Crown Prince Sheikh Mubarak Faisal Al-Sabah, Deputy Minister of Amiri Diwan Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah Al-Sabah, Amiri Diwan Undersecretary and Director of His Highness the Amir’s Office Ahmad Al-Fahad and head of Amiri Protocols Sheikh Khaled Al-Abdullah Al-Sabah.

The Kuwait Constitution mandates that the appointment to the post of Crown Prince needs the approval of Parliament, and accordingly on Thursday, a special session of the National Assembly was held to ratify the nomination. All 59 members who attended the special session approved the nomination and pledged their support to the new Crown Prince. Sheikh Mishaal then entered the House to take his official oath of office before Parliament.

Pledging to defend the rights of people and the stability of the country in his oath of office, the new Crown Prince said: “I swear by Almighty Allah to respect the Constitution and the laws of the State, to defend the liberties, interests and properties of the people and to safeguard the independence and territorial integrity of the country and be loyal to the Amir.”

In his televised remarks on assuming the post of Crown Prince, His Highness Sheikh Mishaal thanked the Speaker, the Prime Minister and National Assembly deputies for their support and loyalty. “I seek with you to draw a bright future,” with democracy as a source of “stability” and defending national interest within the constitution,” said the Crown Prince. Affirming his commitment to work for the betterment of Kuwait and its people, he said, “I will continue to be  the faithful citizen who works for prosperity of his nation, defending its interests, preserving national unity, seeking progress, committed to our religion and deep-rooted national principles, and keen on meeting aspirations and hopes of the nation and citizens.”

He added that Kuwait would uphold its regional and international commitments and would continue along “its path of peace and democratic approach”. He also  pledged to “raise the banner of popular participation and promote a tolerant spirit that rejects division.” Expressing gratitude to H H the Amir Sheikh Nawaf Al Ahmad Al Jaber Al Sabah for “the honor” of naming him as Crown Prince, and pledging allegiance to him, the Crown Prince promised to work with the Amir to continue the legacy of the late Amir in a “country of constitution, democracy, public participation and credibility in deeds before words.” 

The new Crown Prince, who has shunned public-facing roles and stayed aloof from family feuds and political wrangles in the past, has preferred to work quietly behind the scenes. Though he is reported to have declined repeated offers to take up senior ministerial posts in various previous cabinets, he is nevertheless considered a strong influence and advocate behind many of the government’s recent decisions, especially those related to security and stability of the country. 

A 1960-batch graduate from the acclaimed Hendon Police College in North London, His Highness the Crown Prince has since 2004 been the Deputy Commander of the Kuwait National Guard, under the command of His Highness Sheikh Salem Al-Ali Al-Sabah, the eldest member of the ruling family. Previous to being Deputy Chief of the National Guard, Sheikh Mishaal was the head of State Security Services from 1991. And, prior to the invasion and occupation of Kuwait by Iraqi forces in 1990, he served for many years in the Interior Ministry and was the head of the general investigation department from 1967 until 1980.

During his tenure at the helm of various security apparatuses in the country, His Highness the Crown Prince has been accredited with bringing about transformative reforms to these entities, including restructuring and modernizing the Kuwait National Guard into an independent combat institution, capable of lending efficient support to the country’s armed forces, as well as to its internal safety and security entities. 

With the smooth transition to a new but conventional ‘old guard’ leadership in the country now complete, the predictions by some foreign policy analysts that change at the helm in Kuwait would bring about a sharp slant in its domestic and foreign policies have proven unfounded. The Amir, and his choice of the new Crown Prince, are seen as a circumspect and deliberate selection in a turbulent time, designed to ensure more of continuity and stability in style of leadership, rather than for any radical generational change in the profile of those in saddle of power, as witnessed in some of the other GCC states.

The general consensus among political pundits is that the new Amir and his newly appointed deputy will steer the country along the well-trodden policy path that it has followed in the past. On the domestic side, since both leaders have a background in the state’s security affairs, their focus could more likely be on strengthening internal stability by pursuing economic reforms and aiming for political consensus.

On the foreign policy front, the country is expected to continue its independent, nonpartisan policies on regional issues, and remain committed to solidarity with Arab and global causes on the international stage. It is highly unlikely that both new leaders will be willing to spend time and effort in attempting to patch up recurring regional rivalries, or take on the mantle of the ‘peacemaker’, which was a leitmotif of the late Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah. 

Following the official oath-taking ceremony in Parliament, the National Assembly Speaker Marzouq Al-Ghanim said that Kuwait has shown exemplary consensus in ensuring continuity in the leadership of the country. “The State of Kuwait has once again demonstrated its pioneering, extraordinary and historic example of calm and smooth transfer of the powers for ruling the country,” said Al-Ghanim.

Pointing out that the smooth transition stemmed from Kuwait’s adherence to the principles outlined in the concords written by the wise founding fathers of the nation, the Speaker said: “We are people who have been ruled by the gracious Al-Sabah Family with their support and allegiance, backed up by two documents and solid conventions — the shura (consultative) concord dating back to more than 400 years, and the Constitution concord drafted more than 58 years ago. 

Addressing His Highness Sheikh Mishaal Al-Sabah, who was present in the session along with senior leaders, the Speaker congratulated the new Crown Prince on the confidence bestowed upon him by His Highness the Amir. Noting that Sheikh Mishal used to be close confident of the late Amir, the Speaker lauded the professional leadership shown by the Crown Prince during his tenure as Deputy Chief of the National Guard and underlined his performance on the basis of justice and equality, as well as his renunciation of nepotism.

For his part, His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Sabah Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah voiced his pride on the rapid and trouble-free shift of powers saying the easy process reflected Kuwaitis’ commitment to a “rational and responsible practice of democracy”. He added, “We, as the State of Kuwait, are proud of accomplishing the process of calm and obstacle-free transfer of the authority according to the Constitution, carrying out the measures in a few days, thus depicting the practice of a responsible and conscientious democracy.” 

His Highness the prime minister also called for adherence to national unity and placing all potentials for engaging “in the battle of reforms, construction, development and maintaining our country’s security and stability.” He congratulated the new Crown Prince and the people of Kuwait, and expressed his hope that the country would witness efforts for bolstering its security, stability and prosperity in the years ahead.

 

Source: Timeskuwait

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