The Middle East has lost a peacemaker

Kuwait’s emir, Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Jaber al-Sabah, known as the “Wise man of the region” was born in 1929. He dedicated his life to his people and has always been an ambassador to humanity and peace.

"With great sadness and sorrow, we mourn to the Kuwaiti people, the Arab and Islamic nations, and the friendly peoples of the world, the death of the late His Highness Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Jaber al-Sabah, Emir of the State of Kuwait who moved next to his Lord".

The royal palace said in a statement, according to Kuwaiti state television.

Not only Kuwaitis were sad about this surprising news, Arabs, youth and adults, from all over the region expressed their sorrows regarding the news, all over social media platforms.

An influencing political figure

Sheikh Sabbah was the 15th ruler in Kuwait’s Al Sabah dynasty, which dates to 1752. He was the fifth emir since Kuwait gained independence.

He served as Kuwait’s foreign minister for nearly 40 years, until he took power in 2006. Aside from being a respected voice in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region and the broader Middle East, he was also regarded as the architect of modern Kuwait’s foreign policy.

Before and during his rule, he worked to mend fences with Iraq, fractured since the 1990 Gulf War.

His humanitarian and peaceful personality were always something all Arabs saw and appreciated. He hosted donor conferences to raise money for Iraq, Syria and other war-torn countries. He also worked to ease continuing tensions between Qatar and the rest of GCC countries.