Qatar’s former ruler, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, has died at the age of 74, the government announced on Sunday.
Sheikh Hamad, who led the Gulf state from 1995 to 2013, was described by officials as a pivotal figure in Qatar’s transformation into a major regional and global player.
“With hearts steadfast in faith in God’s decree and destiny, the Bureau of the Emir mourns the great loss to the nation of the late — may God have mercy on him — His Highness the Father Amir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani,” the emir’s office said in a statement shared on social media.
Qatari authorities announced that funeral prayers would be held on Sunday evening, followed by several days of national mourning. Government offices and public institutions will be closed during the mourning period, while flags will be flown at half-mast.
Sheikh Hamad came to power in June 1995 after removing his father, Sheikh Khalifa bin Hamad Al Thani, in a bloodless coup while he was abroad.
He inherited a small Gulf emirate with limited financial resources but oversaw a dramatic transformation driven by Qatar’s vast natural gas wealth and ambitious international investments.
Under his leadership, Qatar became one of the world’s largest exporters of liquefied natural gas, attracting major international partnerships and rising to among the world’s wealthiest countries by GDP per capita.
During his rule, Qatar’s population remained relatively small, at around two million people, most of them foreign nationals.
Sheikh Hamad’s era also saw the launch of Al Jazeera in 1996 after a decree establishing the broadcaster, which later became one of the most influential media organisations in the Arab world.
He also established the Qatar Investment Authority, a sovereign wealth fund that invested billions of dollars internationally, including in German carmaker Volkswagen, London’s luxury department store Harrods and French football club Paris Saint-Germain.
The former emir was in power when Qatar won the right to host the 2022 FIFA World Cup in 2010. The decision was followed by allegations of corruption in the bidding process and widespread criticism over the treatment of migrant workers involved in construction projects.
During his reign, Qatar also provided hundreds of millions of dollars in aid to the Gaza Strip, including funding for infrastructure projects. A hospital in Gaza City was named after him.
In June 2013, Sheikh Hamad made a rare voluntary transfer of power, stepping down in favour of his son, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, in what was an unusual move in modern Arab politics.
Qatar, one of the world’s smallest Arab states, has a population of about three million people, most of whom are foreign workers. The country was a British protectorate for 55 years before gaining independence in 1971 and has been ruled by the Al Thani family since the mid-19th century.
AFP
