His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan declared a three-day period of national mourning over the death of Kuwait's Emir Sheikh Nawaf Al Ahmad Al Sabah on Saturday.

In an advisory on the state news agency Wam, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed ordered that flags be flown at half-mast at all government departments within the country, as well as the UAE's embassies and diplomatic missions abroad.

A post by the President on the social media platform X expressed the leadership's heartfelt condolences to Kuwait and its royal family:

Also expressing condolences was His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai.

The Dubai Ruler wrote that Sheikh Nawaf Al Ahmad Al Sabah served his country for six decades and fulfilled his role with all sincerity.

Sheikh Nawaf Al Ahmad Al Sabah was born in 1937, the fifth son of Kuwait's late ruler from 1921 to 1950, Sheikh Ahmad Al Jaber Al Saba. He started his political career at the age of 25 as governor of Hawalli province, where he remained until 1978 when he started a decade as interior minister.

Sheikh Nawaf was sworn in as Emir following the 2020 death of his predecessor, the late Sheikh Sabah Al Ahmad Al Sabah.

Sheikh Meshal Al Ahmad Al Jaber, now 83, is the world's oldest crown prince. He is in line to take over as Kuwait's ruler.