Doha, Qatar. Qatar’s former emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani has died at the age of 74, the country’s Amiri Diwan said on Sunday. Sheikh Hamad ruled the gas-rich Gulf state from 1995 until his abdication in 2013.
Official announcement
“The Amiri Diwan announced the death of HH the Father Amir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani on Sunday morning. May Allah have mercy on his soul and grant him the best reward for what he achieved for his homeland and nation,” the Diwan said.
Rule and succession
Sheikh Hamad took power in a bloodless coup against his father in 1995. He handed authority to his son, then crown prince Sheikh Tamim, in June 2013 in a rare abdication by a hereditary Gulf Arab ruler, aiming to ensure a smooth succession.
Sheikh Tamim remains Qatar’s current leader.
Qatar’s development
During Sheikh Hamad’s rule, Qatar expanded its regional and global profile through the development of the Al Jazeera television network and its successful bid to host the 2022 soccer World Cup.
Qatar, a U.S.-allied state with a population of more than 2.5 million, is the world’s largest exporter of liquefied natural gas and has become a major global investor, as well as an influential player in Middle East diplomacy and international media.
