Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani: The Architect of Modern Qatar Who Founded Al Jazeera, Championed LNG, Won the 2022 World Cup and Handed Power Peacefully to His Son in 2013 Has Passed Away
Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, the Father Emir of Qatar who transformed the small Gulf state into one of the world’s most influential nations, has died at the age of 74, the Amiri Diwan announced on Sunday. Al Jazeera
“With hearts steadfast in faith in God’s decree and destiny, the Amiri Diwan 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, who passed away this morning,” the official statement read.
Qatar announced a four-day period of national mourning, with flags lowered to half-mast and all government work suspended. World leaders including Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari and UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan offered their condolences.
Sheikh Hamad ruled Qatar from 1995 to 2013, overseeing the country’s transformation from a relatively modest Gulf emirate into a global force. He founded Al Jazeera in 1996, promulgated Qatar’s first permanent constitution in 2004, and steered Qatar to become the world’s largest exporter of liquefied natural gas. He secured the bid to host the 2022 FIFA World Cup; a milestone that placed Qatar at the centre of the sporting world.
In 2013, at the height of his reign, he made the rare decision to abdicate in favour of his son, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, then 33, a peaceful transfer of power almost unheard of among hereditary Gulf Arab rulers.
Sheikh Hamad did not merely lead Qatar. He invented the version of Qatar that exists today; its media reach, its energy wealth, its diplomatic weight, its sporting ambition. There will be no separating his name from the country he built.
The Trusted Times extends sincere condolences to the Al Thani family, the Qatari people, and all those who knew and admired Sheikh Hamad’s extraordinary legacy.
Check out our previous coverage of Qatar and Gulf affairs on The Trusted Times.
