Kuwait Emir Accepts Resignation of Deputy PM

Sheikh Ahmad Fahad al-Sabah was first appointed
to the cabinet in 2001.

(AFP) – 6 hours ago

KUWAIT CITY — The ruler of the Gulf state of Kuwait on Monday accepted the resignation of deputy premier Sheikh Ahmad Fahad al-Sabah, a senior royal who quit following a dispute with the prime minister.

"An emiri decree was issued accepting the resignation of Sheikh Ahmad," who is also minister of housing and development, said state minister for cabinet affairs Ali al-Rashed, cited by the official KUNA news agency.

Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammad Al-Sabah was asked to oversee Sheikh Ahmad's duties until a new minister is appointed.

No reason was given for Sheikh Ahmad's decision to quit, but local media have said he was locked in a power struggle with Prime Minister Sheikh Nasser Mohammad al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, another senior royal.

During a parliamentary session on May 31, MPs said to be close to the premier voted against a request by Sheikh Ahmad to refer a grilling against him to a parliamentary panel to investigate whether it breached the constitution.

The panel ruled on Saturday that his grilling, in which Sheikh Ahmad would be accused of corruption and mismanagement, was in line with the constitution and should be debated in parliament on Tuesday.

Sheikh Ahmad, 48, was first appointed to the cabinet in 2001 as information minister. In 2003, he was moved to the energy portfolio and two years later was elected president of the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries.

In July 2006, Sheikh Ahmad was dropped from the cabinet following a showdown with the opposition in parliament, but he was reinstated three years later and given the post of deputy premier for economic affairs.

For the past two years, Sheikh Ahmad has been responsible for implementing a $112-billion four-year development plan of mega projects to transform Kuwait into a regional financial and trade hub.

However, implementation of the projects has faced delays, mainly because of continued political crises in Kuwait which has amassed surpluses nearing $300 billion thanks to high oil prices.

The prime minister and Sheikh Ahmad are cousins and nephews of the emir, Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad Al-Sabah.

Analysts and MPs blame the constant political crises in Kuwait on infighting within the Al-Sabah family which has ruled the Gulf state for more than 250 years.

Sixteen opposition MPs on Friday signed a document calling for the removal of the prime minister and Sheikh Ahmad, holding them both responsible for political instability. Parliament has 50 members.

Youth activists have also staged rallies every Friday for the past four weeks to press for the removal of the prime minister, accusing him of failing to fight corruption and failing to run the country.

For the past five years since Sheikh Nasser was appointed premier, six cabinets have been forced to resign and parliament was dissolved three times.

Opposition MPs are due to question the prime minister on Tuesday over allegations that he favoured good ties with Shiite non-Arab Iran over relations with Kuwait's partners in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC).