Manama: Kuwait's Emir Shaikh Sabah Al Ahmad Al Jaber Al Sabah on Tuesday accorded the honourary title of "His Highness" to Prime Minister Shaikh Jaber Al Mubarak Al Hamad Al Sabah.
Kuwait News Agency (Kuna) said that the Emiri decree that changes the title from His Excellency to His Highness was with immediate effect.
Shaikh Jaber, 70 next month, has been Prime Minister of Kuwait since December 4 after he was appointed by the Emir to replace Shaikh Nasser Al Mohammad who stepped down in November.
He had served as First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence. He was social affairs and labour minister (1986-1988) and information minister (1988-1990).
In 2001, he was appointed Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence and in 2006, he became First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior and Minister of Defence. The following year, he was named First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence.
In 2009, Shaikh Jaber became the first Arab to be awarded Japan's highest honour conferred on foreigners.
The Imperial Decoration of "Grand Cordon of the Order of the Rising Sun" was bestowed by Japan's Emperor Akihito at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo.
The distinction was in recognition of Shaikh Jaber's significant contribution to promoting mutual understanding as well as political, diplomatic, and environmental relations between Kuwait and Japan
