The passing of the Emir of Kuwait, Sheikh Sabah Al Ahmad Al Sabah, on Tuesday marked the loss of a beloved national leader, who spent nearly six decades skilfully guiding his country's interactions on the regional and international stage. It also, perhaps, marked the end of an era of Arab leadership, whose strategic vision relied more on collective engagement and inherently incremental consensus building, and drew on the protective umbrella of larger powers.
This was a sensible and viable approach given Kuwait's challenging geopolitical situation – small, wealthy and surrounded by ambitious states – and the inherently intimate nature of Kuwaiti society and its unique social compact between the ruling family and the people, not to mention the added dynamic of a vocal National Assembly. Sheikh Sabah's deft handling of the various elements that might threaten (and in one instance nearly destroyed) the safety, comfort and well-being of his Kuwaiti "family" over so many years led in some ways to a sense of permanence, that his presence and wisdom would be there forever.
Faced with the enormity of their loss, grieving Kuwaitis must now step up to ensure that the things they most cherish about their society endure: the relative openness of their social media and press; the freedom to give voice to their social and political concerns in their renowned diwaniyyas and the National Assembly; the prosperity and generous social welfare state; its outsized international humanitarian role; and the historically progressive nature of this merchant society, with room for religious minorities and its important advances in women's rights. Indeed, this will be the most important means of honouring Sheikh Sabah's legacy.
It has been said that diplomacy is the art of concealing all turbulence behind a smile. If this is the case, then Sheikh Sabah was the master of all diplomats.
Born into a Kuwait decidedly different from the one he left behind, the future Emir witnessed territorial rivalries, impoverishing economic blockades, sudden oil wealth, independence, super-power rivalries, regional wars, an invasion that threatened to destroy Kuwait, terrorist attacks, the creation (at his instigation) of a regional security bloc – the GCC – and its challenges, unwelcome agreements between Kuwait’s allies and hostile neighbours, splits in regional approaches to security, difficult negotiations with important partners on Kuwait detainees, nagging – albeit well-meaning – from my own country on women’s issues and their political inclusion, boisterous – often obstreperous – criticism from the National Assembly.
All this he took in stride, until he didn’t.
Most generally, however, he avoided open conflict and knew well when to either engage in traditional Khaleeji “nose kissing", as a way of conciliation and smoothing things over or, quite literally, to “go fishing” – removing himself entirely from the scene, often in the company of his beloved friend, the late Sultan of Oman, Qaboos bin Said. By nature pragmatic and judicious, Sheikh Sabah was a master consensus builder who made room in the Kuwaiti house for all its family members.
It was my honour and privilege to serve as US ambassador to Kuwait – and the first female in that role – from 2008-11. The Emir welcomed me warmly. Upon arriving in Kuwait, I received a word of wise advice from a Kuwaiti friend: “As the American ambassador, you will be welcomed everywhere, but never forget that you are a guest who must be invited.” In fact, I never experienced more literally the words “ahlan wa sahlan” (“now you are as family in a place that is smooth”). If not a blood relative, I certainly came to feel I was an adopted child.
I grew to love Kuwait and the deep sense of Kuwait identity, strengthened even further in the crucible of the Iraqi invasion, as well as the machbous and the pickles. I had first visited Kuwait in 1984, making a shopping visit from war-torn Baghdad, where I was then assigned; it delighted me to find the traditional souk still thriving alongside world-class shopping malls, with a lively art scene and young people animatedly engaged in the universities. And of course, observing sessions of the National Assembly and Kuwait’s raucous elections, as well as enjoying what was then the unique privilege as a woman of engaging with the many diwanniyas, were experiences I shall never forget. It also gave me equal pleasure to learn that Sheikh Sabah also loved to spend time at his vacation home outside of New York City, where he often did his own grocery shopping and enjoyed cooking for his friends.
Finding new avenues for buttressing Kuwait's security and prosperity will remain a principal task of those who follow in Sheikh Sabah's footsteps
The US and Kuwait enjoy a close relationship, forged in the 1991 liberation, but it is not without its challenges.
I have often quipped that being friends with the US is in some ways like inviting an elephant to be your house guest: there are, of course, the clear assets of strength, security and loyalty, but the care and feeding can create unique demands. Sheikh Sabah fully understood that Kuwait’s vulnerability lay in its geopolitical setting, and its strength in coalition and partnership; his was the hand that guided the creation of the GCC in 1981, following the 1979 Iranian revolution, and he worked tirelessly to preserve it throughout his life. He was also among the first to reach out to a post-Saddam Hussein Iraq to discuss resolving boundary disputes and reviving its economy.
Finding new avenues for buttressing Kuwait’s security and prosperity will remain a principal task of those who follow in Sheikh Sabah’s footsteps. Meanwhile, as Kuwaitis – and others – look back on his life and legacy, it should serve as both guide and goad for them to recommit to advancing his vision of a society that is prosperous and generous, open and respectful of its institutions and leaders, tolerant, progressive and inclusive, and committed to dialogue over division, no matter how difficult.
His example is one from which all of us can learn.
Deborah Jones was the US ambassador to Kuwait from 2008 to 2011. She is currently chairwoman of the board at Amideast
PFA Team of the Year: David de Gea, Kyle Walker, Jan Vertonghen, Nicolas Otamendi, Marcos Alonso, David Silva, Kevin De Bruyne, Christian Eriksen, Harry Kane, Mohamed Salah, Sergio Aguero
How to watch Ireland v Pakistan in UAE
When: The one-off Test starts on Friday, May 11
What time: Each day’s play is scheduled to start at 2pm UAE time.
TV: The match will be broadcast on OSN Sports Cricket HD. Subscribers to the channel can also stream the action live on OSN Play.
How it works
Each player begins with one of the great empires of history, from Julius Caesar's Rome to Ramses of Egypt, spread over Europe and the Middle East.
Round by round, the player expands their empire. The more land they have, the more money they can take from their coffers for each go.
As unruled land and soldiers are acquired, players must feed them. When a player comes up against land held by another army, they can choose to battle for supremacy.
A dice-based battle system is used and players can get the edge on their enemy with by deploying a renowned hero on the battlefield.
Players that lose battles and land will find their coffers dwindle and troops go hungry. The end goal? Global domination of course.
How to wear a kandura
Dos
- Wear the right fabric for the right season and occasion
- Always ask for the dress code if you don’t know
- Wear a white kandura, white ghutra / shemagh (headwear) and black shoes for work
- Wear 100 per cent cotton under the kandura as most fabrics are polyester
Don’ts
- Wear hamdania for work, always wear a ghutra and agal
- Buy a kandura only based on how it feels; ask questions about the fabric and understand what you are buying
Conflict, drought, famine
Estimates of the number of deaths caused by the famine range from 400,000 to 1 million, according to a document prepared for the UK House of Lords in 2024.
It has been claimed that the policies of the Ethiopian government, which took control after deposing Emperor Haile Selassie in a military-led revolution in 1974, contributed to the scale of the famine.
Dr Miriam Bradley, senior lecturer in humanitarian studies at the University of Manchester, has argued that, by the early 1980s, “several government policies combined to cause, rather than prevent, a famine which lasted from 1983 to 1985. Mengistu’s government imposed Stalinist-model agricultural policies involving forced collectivisation and villagisation [relocation of communities into planned villages].
The West became aware of the catastrophe through a series of BBC News reports by journalist Michael Buerk in October 1984 describing a “biblical famine” and containing graphic images of thousands of people, including children, facing starvation.
Band Aid
Bob Geldof, singer with the Irish rock group The Boomtown Rats, formed Band Aid in response to the horrific images shown in the news broadcasts.
With Midge Ure of the band Ultravox, he wrote the hit charity single Do They Know it’s Christmas in December 1984, featuring a string of high-profile musicians.
Following the single’s success, the idea to stage a rock concert evolved.
Live Aid was a series of simultaneous concerts that took place at Wembley Stadium in London, John F Kennedy Stadium in Philadelphia, the US, and at various other venues across the world.
The combined event was broadcast to an estimated worldwide audience of 1.5 billion.
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What are NFTs?
Are non-fungible tokens a currency, asset, or a licensing instrument? Arnab Das, global market strategist EMEA at Invesco, says they are mix of all of three.
You can buy, hold and use NFTs just like US dollars and Bitcoins. “They can appreciate in value and even produce cash flows.”
However, while money is fungible, NFTs are not. “One Bitcoin, dollar, euro or dirham is largely indistinguishable from the next. Nothing ties a dollar bill to a particular owner, for example. Nor does it tie you to to any goods, services or assets you bought with that currency. In contrast, NFTs confer specific ownership,” Mr Das says.
This makes NFTs closer to a piece of intellectual property such as a work of art or licence, as you can claim royalties or profit by exchanging it at a higher value later, Mr Das says. “They could provide a sustainable income stream.”
This income will depend on future demand and use, which makes NFTs difficult to value. “However, there is a credible use case for many forms of intellectual property, notably art, songs, videos,” Mr Das says.
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Messi at the Copa America
2007 – lost 3-0 to Brazil in the final
2011 – lost to Uruguay on penalties in the quarter-finals
2015 – lost to Chile on penalties in the final
2016 – lost to Chile on penalties in the final
The specs: 2017 Ford F-150 Raptor
Price, base / as tested Dh220,000 / Dh320,000
Engine 3.5L V6
Transmission 10-speed automatic
Power 421hp @ 6,000rpm
Torque 678Nm @ 3,750rpm
Fuel economy, combined 14.1L / 100km
Essentials
The flights: You can fly from the UAE to Iceland with one stop in Europe with a variety of airlines. Return flights with Emirates from Dubai to Stockholm, then Icelandair to Reykjavik, cost from Dh4,153 return. The whole trip takes 11 hours. British Airways flies from Abu Dhabi and Dubai to Reykjavik, via London, with return flights taking 12 hours and costing from Dh2,490 return, including taxes.
The activities: A half-day Silfra snorkelling trip costs 14,990 Icelandic kronur (Dh544) with Dive.is. Inside the Volcano also takes half a day and costs 42,000 kronur (Dh1,524). The Jokulsarlon small-boat cruise lasts about an hour and costs 9,800 kronur (Dh356). Into the Glacier costs 19,500 kronur (Dh708). It lasts three to four hours.
The tours: It’s often better to book a tailor-made trip through a specialist operator. UK-based Discover the World offers seven nights, self-driving, across the island from £892 (Dh4,505) per person. This includes three nights’ accommodation at Hotel Husafell near Into the Glacier, two nights at Hotel Ranga and two nights at the Icelandair Hotel Klaustur. It includes car rental, plus an iPad with itinerary and tourist information pre-loaded onto it, while activities can be booked as optional extras. More information inspiredbyiceland.com
