Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah 3393713 225951048 2008-07-16T04:27:33Z WikiDreamer Bot 7221255 robot Modifying: [[fi:Sabah al-Ahmad al-Jabir al-Sabah]] {{Infobox Monarch | name = Sabah IV Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah<br>صباح الأحمد الجابر الصباح | title = [[Emir of Kuwait]] | image = [[Image:Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah and Bush - US State Department.png|300px]] | caption = With [[President of the United States]] [[George W. Bush]] at the [[White House]]. | reign = [[29 January]] [[2006]] – present | coronation = | predecessor = [[Saad Al-Abdullah Al-Salim Al-Sabah]] | successor = | suc-type = Heir-Apparent | heir = [[Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah]] | consort = Fitooh Salman Al-Humoud Al-Sabah <small>(deceased)</small> | issue = Nasser and Hamed | royal house = [[House of Al-Sabah]] | royal anthem = | father = [[Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah]] | mother = Munira Al-Ayar | buried = }} {{Infobox Prime Minister | honorific-prefix = <small>[[His Highness]] [[Sheikh]]</small><br> | name = Sabah IV Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah<br>صباح الأحمد الجابر الصباح | order = [[List of Prime Ministers of Kuwait|Prime Minister of Kuwait]] | monarch = [[Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah]]<br>[[Saad Al-Abdullah Al-Salim Al-Sabah]] | term_start = [[13 July]] [[2003]] | term_end = [[29 January]] [[2006]] | predecessor = [[Saad Al-Abdallah Al-Salim Al-Sabah]] | successor = [[Nasser Al-Mohammed Al-Ahmed Al-Sabah]] | birth_date = {{bda|1929|06|06|df=y}} }} [[His Highness]] Sheikh '''Sabah IV Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah''' ([[Arabic]]: صباح الأحمد الجابر الصباح ''Sabāh al-Ahmad al-Jābir as-Sabāh;'' born [[June 6]], [[1929]]) is the [[List of emirs of Kuwait|Emir]] of [[Kuwait]]. He was sworn in on [[January 29]], [[2006]] after confirmation by the [[National Assembly of Kuwait]]. He is the fourth son of the late [[Sheikh]] [[Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah]], a former [[Emir of Kuwait]]. He is the head of the Ruling [[Al-Sabah]] family. He received his primary education at Al Mubarakya School during the 1930s and then completed his education under tutors. He is the half-brother of the previous Emir, [[HH Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah]], who appointed him Prime Minister in July 2003, replacing then [[Crown Prince]] [[HH Saad Al-Abdullah Al-Salim Al-Sabah]]. He had previously been [[Foreign Minister]] for 40 years, from 1963 to 2003, making him one of the longest-serving foreign ministers in the world. HH Sheikh Sabah is a widower. His wife, [[Sheikha Fitooh]], died before the [[Iraqi invasion of Kuwait|Iraqi invasion]] of August 1990. He has two sons, [[Sheikh Nasser]] (Minister of the Ruler's Court "Diwan Amiri"), and [[Sheikh Hamed]]. Sheikh Sabah also has two other children who have died. His daughter, [[Sheikha Salwa]], died from [[breast cancer]] in July 2002. The Emir loved his daughter so much that he named his [[palace]] "Dar Salwa" which means "The Palace Of Salwa" in honour of her. Sheikh Ahmed died as a teenager in a car accident in 1969. His Highness Sheikh Sabah's hobbies are [[photography]] and [[fishing]]. ==Dynastic crisis of January 2006== [[Image:CHENEYMID.jpg|thumb|left|Vice President [[Dick Cheney]] meets with Kuwaiti Prime Minister Sheikh [[Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah]] to deliver condolences on the death of the [[Emir of Kuwait]] in 2006.]] On January 15, 2006 [[Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah|Sheikh Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah]] died, which placed [[Saad I Al-Abdullah Al-Salim Al-Sabah|Sheikh Saad]], who was then the crown prince, into the position of Emir. With the accession of Sheikh Saad, he was likely to become the new Crown Prince, retaining his function of Prime Minister. However, the Constitution requires that the Emir be sworn in before Parliament, and the oath of office is complex; soon the word began to spread that Sheikh Saad was unable to take the oath in full. Some reports suggested that he suffers from [[Alzheimers]] or some other debilitating disease; it seems generally agreed that he was unable to speak, at least at any length<ref>The Estimate: ''[http://www.theestimate.com/public/022706.html The Kuwait Succession Crisis and the New Leadership]'', retrieved on Dec 7, 2006</ref>. However, after a power struggle within the ruling family, Sheikh Saad Al Abdallah Al Salem Al Sabah agreed to abdicate as the new Emir of Kuwait on 23 January 2006 due to his illness. The ruling family then chose HH Sheikh Sabah Al Ahmad as the new Emir of Kuwait. On January 24 2006, Kuwait’s [[National Assembly of Kuwait|parliament]] voted Emir Saad out of office, moments before an official letter of abdication was received<ref>[[CNN.com]]: ''[http://edition.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/meast/01/24/kuwait/ PM set to become new Kuwait emir]'', retrieved on Dec 7, 2006</ref>. The Kuwaiti Cabinet nominated Sheikh Sabah to take over as emir. He swore himself in on January 29, 2006 with the National Assembly's approval, ending that crisis. ==Government crisis of March 2008== Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah dissolved the [[National Assembly of Kuwait]] on [[March 19]] [[2008]] and called for early elections on [[May 17]] [[2008]], after the Cabinet resigned in the week of [[March 17]] [[2008]] following a power struggle with the government.<ref>[[CNN.com]]: ''[http://edition.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/meast/03/19/kuwait.parliament/index.html Emir steps in to stem Kuwait's conflict]'', retrieved on Mar 19, 2008</ref> ==Significant laws passed during his reign== * Women's suffrage (Kuwait currently has one female cabinet minister, but no women won seats in the last [[parliamentary elections]]). * Repeal of law against public gatherings. * A law increasing the amount of licenses available for privately held newspapers and television stations. * An increase of the ruling family's stipend from 8 million KD (approximately $25 million) to 50 million KD (approximately $171 million) annually. * A new media law that is one of the strongest press freedom laws in the Arab world.<ref>[http://blog.washingtonpost.com/worldopinionroundup/2006/03/arab_press_on_trial_again_1.html Washington post]</ref> <ref> [http://www.arabtimesonline.com/arabtimes/breakingnews/view.asp?msgID=11317 Arab Times] </ref> ==Other Positions Held== * Member of the [[Central Committee Municipality Council]] from 1954 to 1955. * Member of the Building and Construction council. * Chairman of the Social Affairs and Labour Authority in 1955. * Member of the Higher Council of Country Affairs in 1956. * Chairman of the Printing and Publishing Authority from [[1956-09-09]] to [[1962-01-17]]. * Minister of Information - in the first cabinet that took power after independence in the period of the late Sheikh [[Abdullah III Al-Salim Al-Sabah|Abdullah Salim Al-Sabah]], on [[January 17]], [[1962]]. * Foreign Minister since [[28 January]], [[1963]]. * Deputy Prime Minister on February 16, 1978 in addition to his post of Foreign Minister. * First Deputy [[Prime minister]] and Foreign Minister on October 18, 1992. * Member of the Supreme Council of Planning in 1996, headed by His Highness the Crown Prince Sheikh [[Saad Al-Abdullah Al-Salim Al-Sabah]]. * Chairman of the Cabinet's Joint Ministerial Committee on Priorities of Governmental Work. * Prime Minister from [[July 13]], [[2003]] to [[January 29]], [[2006]]. ==See also== * [[List of Prime ministers of Kuwait]] * [[List of national leaders]] ==References== {{reflist}} {{start box}} {{s-hou|[[House of Al-Sabah]]|06 June|1929}} {{s-reg}} {{Succession box | title = [[List of emirs of Kuwait|Emir of Kuwait]] | before = [[Saad Al-Abdullah Al-Salim Al-Sabah]] | years = 2006 | after = Incumbent<br><small>''Designated heir:<br>[[Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah]]''</small>}} {{s-off}} {{Succession box | title = [[List of Prime Ministers of Kuwait|Prime Minister of Kuwait]] | before = [[Saad Al-Abdullah Al-Salim Al-Sabah]] | years = 2003 – 2006 | after = [[Nasser Mohammed Al-Ahmed Al-Sabah]] }} {{end box}} {{KuwaitPMs}} {{Persondata |NAME=Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah |ALTERNATIVE NAMES=صباح الأحمد الجابر الصبا (Arabic); Sabāh al-Ahmad al-Jābir as-Sabāh |SHORT DESCRIPTION=[[Emir]] of [[Kuwait]] |DATE OF BIRTH=1929 |PLACE OF BIRTH= |DATE OF DEATH= |PLACE OF DEATH= }} [[Category:Rulers of Kuwait|Sabah IV Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah ]] [[Category:Reigning monarchs]] [[Category:Current national leaders]] [[Category:Kuwaiti politicians|Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah]] [[Category:1929 births|Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah]] [[Category:Living people|Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah]] [[Category:Prime Ministers of Kuwait]] [[Category:House of Al-Sabah]] [[ar:صباح الأحمد الجابر الصباح]] [[bg:Сабах IV ал-Ахмад ал-Джабер ал-Сабах]] [[de:Sabah al-Ahmad al-Dschabir as-Sabah]] [[et:Şabāḩ al-Aḩmad al-Jābir aş-Şabāḩ]] [[el:Σαμπάχ αλ-Αχμάντ αλ-Τζαμπέρ αλ-Σαμπάχ]] [[es:Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah]] [[fr:Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah]] [[gl:Sabah al-Ahmad al-Jabir al-Sabah - صباح الأحمد الجابر الصبا]] [[hr:Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Džabir Al-Sabah]] [[id:Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah]] [[he:סבאח אל-אחמד אל-ג'אבר א-סבאח]] [[nl:Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah]] [[pl:Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah]] [[ru:Сабах аль-Ахмед аль-Джабер ас-Сабах]] [[fi:Sabah al-Ahmad al-Jabir al-Sabah]] [[sv:Sabah al-Ahmad al-Jabir al-Sabah]] [[tr:Sabah IV Al-Ahmet Al-Cabir Al-Sabah]] [[zh:萨巴赫·艾哈迈德·贾比尔·萨巴赫]]