2020 in Kuwait

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Decades:	2000s 2010s 2020s
See also:	Other events of 2020 List of years in Kuwait Timeline of Kuwaiti history

Events of 2020 in Kuwait.

Incumbents

• Emir: Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah (until 29 September), Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah (from 30 September)
• Prime Minister: Sabah Al-Khalid Al-Sabah

Events

Ongoing – COVID-19 pandemic in Kuwait

January

• 7 January – Canada's Chief of the Defence Staff General Jonathan Vance announces that some of its military personnel in Iraq will be moved to neighboring Kuwait for safety reasons. ^[1]
• 8 January – Kuwaiti state news agency KUNA says its official Twitter account was hacked after it spread a fake news report that the United States Army would withdraw from Camp Arifjan within three days. ^[2]

February

• 24 February – The country, along with Iraq, Afghanistan, Oman and Bahrain, confirmed its first cases of COVID-19. ^{[3] [4] [5]}

April

• 4 April – The first death from COVID-19 is reported in the country as cases reach 479. ^[6]

July

• 6 July – Kuwait surpasses 50,000 infections after reporting 538 new cases in the past 24 hours. Its death toll jumps to 373. ^[7]
• 18 July – Emir Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah is admitted to hospital for what aides described as "routine" medical tests. Crown Prince Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, the Emir's 83-year-old half-brother and designated successor, will temporarily carry out some of the Emir's duties. ^{[8] [9]}
• 19 July – Emir Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, age 91, undergoes successful surgery and medical treatment. Crown Prince Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, who is 83, temporarily assumes some of the powers and will maintain such powers until "the health event is over." ^[10]
• 23 July – The 91-year-old Emir of Kuwait Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah flies to the United States to seek further medical treatment after undergoing successful surgery days ago. ^[11]

August

• 1 August – The Kuwaiti Directorate General of Civil Aviation bans flights to 31 countries as Kuwait International Airport resumes operations at reduced capacity. ^[12]

Deaths

Sabah Al-Ahmad

• 29 September – Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, the 15th Ruler of Kuwait and the 6th Emir of the State of Kuwait, (b. 1929) ^[13]
• 20 December – Nasser Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, first Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense, (b. 1948)

See also

• List of years in Kuwait
• 2020 in Kuwait

References

1. "Canada says some troops in Iraq to be moved temporarily to Kuwait for safety". Reuters. 2020-01-07. Retrieved 2020-08-28.
2. "Kuwait says state news agency was hacked to say U.S. troops withdrawing". Haaretz. Retrieved 2020-08-28.
3. "Bahrain and Kuwait confirm first cases of coronavirus disease". gulfnews.com. Retrieved 2020-08-28.
4. "Coronavirus: Iraq, Oman confirm first cases, halt flights to Iran". The Straits Times. 2020-02-24. Retrieved 2020-08-28.
5. Farber, Madeline (2020-02-24). "Afghanistan sees first coronavirus case as numbers spike in neighboring Iran". Fox News. Retrieved 2020-08-28.
6. "Kuwait reports first death from coronavirus outbreak: state news agency". Reuters. 2020-04-04. Retrieved 2020-08-28.
7. "Qatar coronavirus cases exceed 100,000; Kuwait tops 50,000". www.aljazeera.com. Retrieved 2020-08-28.
8. "Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Sabah: Kuwaiti emir hospitalised for medical checks". BBC News. 2020-07-18. Retrieved 2020-08-28.
9. "Kuwait's Sheikh Sabah admitted to hospital for medical checks". www.aljazeera.com. Retrieved 2020-08-28.
10. "Kuwait's ruler, 91, undergoes a 'successful' surgery". AP NEWS. 2020-07-19. Retrieved 2020-08-28.
11. "Kuwait emir, 91, flies to US for medical care after surgery". AP NEWS. 2020-07-22. Retrieved 2020-08-28.
12. "Kuwait bans flights to 31 'high risk' countries due to coronavirus". Reuters. 2020-08-01. Retrieved 2020-08-28.
13. The Associated Press (September 29, 2020). "Alert: Kuwait state television says its 91-year-old ruler, Sheikh Sabah Al Ahmad Al Sabah, has died". San Francisco Chronicle .^{[ permanent dead link ]}

External links

• Media related to 2020 in Kuwait at Wikimedia Commons