The Kuwaiti royal court mourned the passing of the Chief of the Kuwaiti National Guard, Sheikh Salem Al-Ali Al-Sabah, announcing that his funeral will take place today, Monday, after the Maghrib prayer. Who is he? The late Sheikh was born in 1926 in Fereej Al-Shuyukh in the central area of present-day Kuwait City. Throughout his life, he held several official and honorary positions. In the mid-1950s, Sheikh Salem Al-Ali began his career associated with Sheikh Fahad Al-Salem Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah, serving as the deputy chairman for Sheikh Fahad, who was the head of the Municipality and Public Works Departments.
In 1959, he chaired the Construction Council, contributing to the renaissance and development of Kuwait. In the early 1960s, the late Sheikh served as the Chairman of the Municipal Council, and after Kuwait's independence in 1961, he was a member of the Constituent Council responsible for drafting the constitution, taking on the role of Minister of Public Works in the first government post-independence under the late Amir Sheikh Abdullah Al-Salem Al-Sabah.
In the second government formed in 1963, Sheikh Salem Al-Ali continued as Minister of Public Works until 1964, and in 1963 he became the first honorary president of the Kuwaiti Engineers Association. In recognition of his national contributions, the late Sheikh was appointed the Chief of the National Guard in 1967, where he worked to establish it as a vital national entity responsible for enhancing security and stability in the country and developing its personnel and facilities.
During his presidency of the National Guard, Sheikh Salem Al-Ali focused on enhancing its roles in supporting the army in defending the nation and assisting police forces in maintaining security and protecting vital facilities in the country. Alongside his duties as head of the National Guard, he held several security and military positions, being a member of the Supreme Defense Council since 1969 and a member of the National Security Council since 2005.
In recognition of the significant efforts made by the late Sheikh for the nation's progress and enhancement of its stature, the late Amir Sheikh Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah issued a royal decree on December 1, 2004, granting him the title of "His Highness."
