Prince Khalifa bin Salman al-Khalifa, world‘s oldest prime minister, has died aged 84
Manama, Bahrain:
Bahrain’s Crown Prince Sheikh Salman bin Hamad al-Khalifa was appointed prime minister on Wednesday after the death of his great-uncle, who had held the post since independence in 1971.
Prince Khalifa bin Salman al-Khalifa, the world‘s oldest prime minister, has died aged 84 while undergoing medical treatment in the United States, state media reported.
Prince Khalifa has been a controversial figure during his five decades in power, accused of opposing reforms and cracking down on activists. He was also deeply unpopular with the Shia population of the Sunni-dominated kingdom.
When Shiite protesters occupied Manama Pearl Square for a month in 2011, before being driven out by Saudi-backed security forces, their main demand was for Prince Khalifa to resign.
His successor, from a new generation of Western educated Gulf leaders, instead tried to build bridges with opponents.
After studying in the United States and Britain – including a master’s degree from the University of Cambridge – he served as First Deputy Prime Minister and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Bahrain Defense Forces.
King Hamad issued a royal decree appointing his son as head of the Council of Ministers with immediate effect, the Bahrain news agency said.
Prince Khalifa’s funeral will take place after his remains have been transported to his home and, in accordance with new coronavirus restrictions, only a limited number of relatives will attend.
The country will organize a week of official mourning, during which the flags will be half-masted. Government ministries and departments will be closed for three days.
Gulf leaders paid tribute, praising the long career of the veteran leader “who has shaped Bahrain’s recent history,” according to Dubai ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al-Maktoum.
– Targeted by protesters –
Prince Khalifa has played a key role in Bahrain’s political and economic affairs, including paving the way for a referendum that ended the Shah of Iran’s claims to the tiny Gulf archipelago.
Born on November 24, 1935, he began to attend his father’s royal court at the age of seven with his older brother, Prince Issa.
He was appointed in 1970 to head the Council of State, the executive branch of government which became the Council of Ministers after independence from Britain.
He conducted difficult negotiations with the Shah of Iran, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, before independence, over the claims of Shia Iran on the Bahrain chain of islands.
A referendum to determine the country’s future resulted in an overwhelming vote for independence under the rule of the Sunni Al-Khalifa dynasty, despite the large Shia population, whose size is contested by the government to this day .
Prince Khalifa has strived for many years to make Bahrain a regional financial center. Unlike the other Gulf States, the kingdom has only modest oil resources.
Working closely with his brother, the late Emir Sheikh Issa bin Salman Al-Khalifa, he fostered close ties with Washington.
These relations continued to develop, with Bahrain now home to the US Navy’s Fifth Fleet, one of Washington’s most trusted allies in the region.
– History of the troubles –
Political unrest has simmered in Bahrain since independence, but after Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait in 1990, it witnessed new pro-democracy protests coupled with pressure from the United States and Britain. .
Shiite-led protests intensified in 1994, with protesters calling for the restoration of an elected parliament, the return of political exiles and a more equitable distribution of wealth.
The unrest, which left at least 38 dead, lasted until 1999, when King Hamad – the son of Sheikh Issa – ascended to the throne and launched reforms that transformed Bahrain into a constitutional monarchy and reestablished the elected parliament.
But the demonstrators were back in the streets in February 2011, drawing inspiration from the uprisings of the Arab Spring, demanding a “real” constitutional monarchy, with a prime minister elected to replace Prince Khalifa.
Although the government cracked down on protests after a month, the country continues to face political repression, with several opposition leaders behind bars. At least 89 people have been killed in the unrest.
(Except for the title, this story was not edited by GalacticGaming staff and is posted from a syndicated feed.)
