Dr. Khalid Al-Shafi
The news of the death of His Highness Sheikh Sabah Al Ahmad Al Jaber Al Sabah descended like a thunderbolt on the peoples of the region and the rest of the world. There is no objection to Allah’s judgement and destiny, but his departure as an Arab hero created a kind of confusion and shock for many of his fans around the globe.
His Highness was not only a leader of Kuwait but for the Arab and Islamic world and a global figure. He was a peace-loving leader having distinctive international stance on a number of issues. He strove to support international organisations and bodies concerned with humanitarian work thus was a pioneer in good deeds.
Thanks to his insightful vision and statesmanship, he was able to preserve the status and role of the sisterly State of Kuwait amidst the most complex global issues, the latest of which was the pressure his country faced pushing it towards normalisation with the Zionist entity occupying Palestine.
In the State of Qatar, we will not forget his brave and genuine stance confronting the unjust blockade imposed on us by three Gulf states, with which we are bound by brotherhood, neighbourliness and joint work in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC).
The shuttle trips he made on the second day of the siege and during the blessed month of Ramadan, are one of many attempts he made to find a solution to the crisis and heal the rift and disagreement. It was not easy for him to see the GCC — that he built with his brother Gulf leaders — collapsing before his eyes, despite the great hopes that people held for its establishment.
He was a peace-loving Amir, therefore, he was always keen to stress the importance of the cohesion of the GCC countries and worked to strengthen ties between them and to preserve the unity of the council as the last Arab union that could be relied upon in the region. This came in his last speech to the Kuwaiti National Assembly.
The State of Kuwait enjoyed peace and stability during his reign, at the time the region witnessed many crises, some of them still continuing. However, Sheikh Sabah, due to his long experience and political skills, overcame all these crises in a spirit of serenity and success.
We miss you, the Amir of humanity and your soul rest in His spacious gardens, Allah willing. Your long history will be a witness to you, not against you, Allah willing. There is no fear for Kuwait as there are leaders who will continue the journey, and H H Sheikh Nawaf Al Ahmad Al Jaber Al Sabah is the best successor to the best predecessor, and we are confident that His Highness will continue the march to achieve the aspirations of the people of Kuwait and the entire region. May Allah protect Kuwait and its people from all harms and make it an oasis of security and peace.
