NEOM — Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman and Crown Prince Muhammad Bin Salman, deputy premier and minister of defense, made separate phone calls on Wednesday to Sheikh Meshaal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, congratulating him on being named as Kuwait’s new crown prince, Saudi Press Agency reported.

Sheikh Meshaal Al-Sabah expressed his deep thanks and appreciation to King Salman and Crown Prince Muhammad Bin Salman for their warm feelings toward Kuwait and its people, commending the depth of the solid relations between the two countries.

Earlier in the day, Kuwait's new Emir Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah named Sheikh Meshaal as the new crown prince.

Sheikh Meshaal is deputy chief of the National Guard and a brother of the late emir who died last Tuesday.

The Kuwaiti parliament is expected to approve Sheikh Meshaal’s nomination during a special session on Thursday.