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Kuwait’s 91-Year-Old Emir in U.S. for Post Surgery Treatment

Kuwait’s 91-Year-Old Emir in U.S. for Post Surgery Treatment

Kuwait’s 91-year-old ruler Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmed Al-Sabah arrived in the U.S. on Thursday for post-operative medical care after leaving his constitutionally designated heir to help run the key energy producer.

Sheikh Sabah was accompanied to Kuwait airport by Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmed Al-Sabah, the emir’s 83-year-old half-brother who has temporarily assumed some of his functions and duties, according to state-run KUNA. Another of the ruler’s siblings, deputy chief of the National Guard Sheikh Mishaal Al-Ahmed Al-Sabah, traveled with him. The emir is in stable condition, KUNA reported on his arrival to the U.S.

Video footage on social media which couldn’t be independently verified showed a convoy of vehicles, including an ambulance, pulling up near a U.S. military aircraft at Kuwait airport before his departure. Unconfirmed reports said the emir was on his way to the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota.

In line with protocol, nothing has officially been said about the emir’s condition since an announcement on Sunday that he had undergone “successful surgery” a day earlier. Abdullah Al-Shayji, a political science professor at Kuwait University, said events indicated “his health is stable.”

Investors showed some anxiety over the emir’s condition as well as S&P’s decision to lower its outlook for the country’s sovereign rating to negative from stable, citing the impact of oil-production cuts amid the pandemic. The Boursa Kuwait Premier Market Index lost 4% this week, the biggest weekly drop since early April and the most among 93 major gauges tracked by Bloomberg.

Kuwait’s 91-Year-Old Emir in U.S. for Post Surgery Treatment

A small nation strategically placed in the Gulf, Kuwait punches above its weight. The energy-dependent monarchy, whose 1.4 million citizens are among the world’s wealthiest by average per capita income, is home to about 8.5% of global oil reserves, according to the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries. Oil and gas account for about 40% of Kuwait’s economic output and more than 90% of export revenues.

Under Sheikh Sabah, Kuwait has been a staunch U.S. ally and a regional power broker, mediating disputes between Arab nations. A pragmatic diplomat who’s largely revered by Kuwaitis, he served as foreign minister for 40 years and prime minister prior to becoming ruler in 2006. In the last few years, he’s worked to resolve a major rift within the Gulf Cooperation Council. Despite those efforts Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt and Bahrain continue to boycott Qatar over its ties to Iran and alleged funding of terrorism.

News of the emir’s hospitalization sparked deep concern among the vast majority of Kuwaitis, said Al-Shayji. “The response is testament to the affinity of the Kuwaiti people, and those who know him personally, and leaders outside, Arabs, Muslims, and people who know Kuwait and appreciate it as a peacemaker and facilitator.”

According to the constitution, the crown prince ascends to power on the death of the emir. The new leader must then nominate a new heir within six months and the country’s parliament has to endorse the pick.

The constitutionally enshrined mechanism for succession creates an “aura of stability” according to Al-Shayji.

©2020 Bloomberg L.P.