Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, who led the transformation of Qatar into a major global player, has died at the age of 74.
“The Amiri Diwan announced the death of His Highness the Amir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani on Sunday morning,” Qatar’s top government body said.
Sheikh Hamad ruled Qatar from 1995 to 2013, when he became one of the first modern Arab leaders to voluntarily step down from power, handing power to his son, the current Emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani.
Who was Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, the former Emir of Qatar?
Sheikh Hamad was born in 1952 into the Al Thani family, which has ruled Qatar since the mid-19th century.
He attended the United Kingdom’s Military Academy, Sandhurst, and became Commander of the Qatar Armed Forces and Minister of Defence.
In the late 1970s, he was named Crown Prince and came to power in a bloodless coup in 1995, deposing his father while he was abroad.
Transformation of modern Qatar
It was under Sheikh Hamad that Qatar transformed from a small, largely marginal emirate with an almost empty coffers into a regional powerhouse.
Sheikh Hamad oversaw Qatar becoming one of the wealthiest countries on the planet in terms of GDP per capita, taking advantage of its large natural gas reserves to become one of the top producers and exporters of liquefied natural gas (LNG).
It was under Sheikh Hamad that the emirate launched the Al Jazeera news network and expanded the country’s global influence through investment and diplomacy.
During his reign, Qatar Airways also became a top international carrier, while Qatar’s capital, Doha, became a major transportation hub.
Sheikh Hamad is also named after a hospital in Gaza City. Under his reign, Qatar began committing hundreds of millions of dollars to finance projects in the Gaza Strip.
World Cup criticism and diplomatic isolation
He also predicted Qatar’s successful bid to host the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
The 2010 bid was marred by corruption allegations, while ahead of the tournament Qatar faced criticism over its treatment of migrant workers who built the stadium and other infrastructure for the competition.
During Sheikh Hamad’s reign, Qatar was diplomatically isolated from its neighbors for many years.
Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Bahrain and Egypt boycotted Qatar, closing diplomatic channels and blocking Qatar’s land, sea and air routes through the Gulf region.
The group accused Doha of supporting terrorism through its support of the Muslim Brotherhood’s political Islamist movement.
Edited by: Carl Sexton
Don’t let algorithms hide news. If you rely on our team for reliable reporting, please take a moment to choose us as your Preferred source on Google by clicking here And press the “Star” or “Favorite” button, so you always see our verified news first.