Ministry of Defense (Kuwait)
The Kuwait Ministry of Defence (Arabic: وزارة الدفاع الكويتية) is one of the governmental bodies of Kuwait. Its minister in charge is a member of the Cabinet of Kuwait. The current caretaker Minister of Defense is Talal Khaled Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, having assumed the role of while Defense Minister Sheikh Abdullah Ali Abdullah Al-Sabah is on leave,.[1][2]
Coat of arms of Kuwait | |
| Ministerial Department overview | |
|---|---|
| Formed | 17 January 1962 |
| Preceding Ministerial Department | |
| Jurisdiction | Government of Kuwait |
| Headquarters | Kuwait City |
| Motto | الله والوطن والامير God, Country and The Emir |
| Minister responsible |
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| Child Ministerial Department |
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| Website | |
Minister
On 1 July 1961, when the ministry was not of birth yet during Operation Vantage; the Kuwait Army was the de facto command leadership of the available armed forces since establishment and acted as official minister advising the Emir of Kuwait on course of action. The Kuwait Army redesignated in 1953 was founded 13 years before the enacting of the Kuwait ministry, mainly by Field Marshal Sheikh Abdullah Mubarak Al-Sabah (youngest son of Mubarak Al-Sabah) in 1949.
| Name | Portrait | Rank | Tenure | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Abdullah Mubarak Al-Sabah | Field Marshal | 1949–1961 | General Commander of Kuwait Army and the Directorate of Public Security Force (1942–1961) until the two split in 1953. Founder and patron of Kuwait Army and Kuwait Air Force. |
List of ministers of defense and deputy prime ministers (1962–present)
The ministry has been headed by the following people since its inception in 1962:
| # | Name | Portrait | Title | Tenure | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mohammed Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah | Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence | 1962–1964 | Mohammed Al-Ahmad Kuwait Naval Base is named after him. | |
| 2 | Saad Abdullah Al-Salem Al-Sabah | Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence | 1964–1978 | 14th Ruler and 4th Emir of Kuwait (2006) Saad Al-Abdullah Academy for Security Sciences which is in charge of training personnel of the Kuwait Police is named after him[3] | |
| 3 | Salem Sabah Al-Salem Al-Sabah | Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence | 1978–1988 | ||
| 4 | Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah | Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence | 1988–1991 | Crown Prince of Kuwait (2006–2020), 16th Ruler and 6th Emir of Kuwait | |
| 5 | Ali Sabah Al-Salem Al-Sabah | Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence | 1991–1994 | Ali Al-Sabah Military College which is in charge of training personnel of the Kuwait Armed Forces excluding the Kuwait Police is named after him. | |
| 6 | Ahmad Al-Homoud Al-Sabah | Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence | 1994–1996 | ||
| 7 | Salem Sabah Al-Salem Al-Sabah | Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence | 1996–2001 | ||
| 8 | Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Hamad Al-Sabah | Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence | 2001–2011 | Prime Minister of Kuwait (2011–2019) | |
| 9 | Ahmad Al Homoud Al Sabah | Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence | 2011 | ||
| 10 | Ahmad Al Khalid Al Sabah[4] | Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence | 2012–2013 | (ret) Lieutenant General and Chief of the General Staff of the Kuwait Armed Forces (2009–2012) | |
| 11 | Khaled Al Jarrah Al Sabah[5][6][7][8] | Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence | 2013–2016 | (ret) Lieutenant General and Chief of the General Staff of the Kuwait Armed Forces (2012-2013) | |
| 12 | Mohammad Al Khalid Al Sabah | Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence | 2016–2017 | ||
| 13 | Nasser Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah | Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence | 2017–2019 | ||
| 14 | Ahmad Mansour Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah[9] | Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence | 2019–2020 | ||
| 15 | Hamad Jaber Al-Ali Al-Salim Al Sabah | Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence | 2020–2022 | [10] | |
| 16 | Dr. Ahmad Nasser Al-Mohammad Al-Sabah | Minister of Defence (Acting) | 2022 | [11] | |
| 17 | Talal Khaled Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah | Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence | March 9, 2022–October 2, 2022 | [1] | |
| 18 | Abdullah Ali Al-Abdullah Al-Salem Al-Sabah | Minister of Defense | October 5, 2022–Present |
General functions
The major function of the ministry is to implement the government's defence policy and to govern all branches of the Kuwait Armed Forces.[12] It is also responsible for the production, transfer, use, storage, and coordination of mines; and for mine clearance.[12]
The ministry publishes a monthly magazine called Homat Al Watan.[13]
References
- ^ a b "Amiri Decree for appointing new interior, defense ministers". Kuwait News Agency. 9 March 2022. Retrieved 9 March 2022.
- ^ "Kuwait appoints interior minister to caretaker defence post". Reuters. 19 December 2022. Retrieved 20 December 2022.
- ^ Official Website Sector of Saad Al-Abdullah Academy for Security Sciences, Kuwait Ministry of Interior, (in Arabic)
- ^ Habib Toumi (14 February 2012). "Kuwait announces new cabinet". Gulf News. Retrieved 16 October 2013.
- ^ . The Diwan. Archived from the original on 16 January 2012. Retrieved 16 October 2013.
- ^ "Seven Al-Sabah family members in new Kuwait cabinet". Middle East Online. 4 August 2013. Retrieved 16 October 2013.
- ^ . Kuwaiti Government. Archived from the original on 16 January 2012. Retrieved 9 September 2013.
- ^ . Global Post. AFP. 4 August 2013. Archived from the original on 4 August 2013. Retrieved 9 September 2013.
- ^ "Profiles of new cabinet ministers in Kuwait". Kuwait News Agency. 17 December 2019. Retrieved 17 December 2019.
- ^ "Kuwait: Sheikh Hamad Al-Jaber, new Defense Minister". 17 December 2020.
- ^ "Amiri Decree issued accepting resignations of Defense, Interior ministers". Kuwait News Agency. 17 February 2022. Retrieved 17 February 2022.
- ^ a b "Ministry of Defense (Kuwait)". Epicos. Retrieved 12 October 2013.
- ^ "Kuwait". Press Reference. Retrieved 10 September 2014.