Prince Al-Khalifa, The World’s Longest-Serving Prime Minister Is Dead—–After serving the people of Bahrain for 49 years as their Prime Minister, Prince Khalifa bin Salman al – Khalifa has died on Wednesday at the age of 84.
The nations news agency announcing his death said: “ The Royal Court mourns His Royal Highness … who passed away this morning at Mayo Clinic Hospital in the United States of America .”
A week of official mourning will be held in his honour, during which flags will be flown at half -mast and government ministries and departments closed for three days .
The burial ceremony will take place after the body has been transported home from the United States , and will be limited to a “ specific number ” of relatives in line with coronavirus restrictions.
The royal was a controversial figure during his long time in office — and deeply unpopular with the Sunni -ruled kingdom ’ s Shiite majority.
When Shiite- led protesters occupied Manama ’ s Pearl Square for a month in 2011 , before being driven out by Saudi -backed security forces , their main demand was for Khalifa to step down .
