Former Qatari ruler Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani has died at the age of 74, according to an announcement by the country’s government.
The office of the Emir confirmed his death on Sunday, expressing condolences to the nation and describing his passing as a significant loss for Qatar.
Funeral prayers were scheduled to take place later the same day, while the government declared several days of national mourning. Public institutions and government offices will remain closed during the mourning period, and national flags will be flown at half-mast.
Sheikh Hamad served as Emir of Qatar from 1995 until 2013, overseeing one of the most significant periods of transformation in the country’s history.
He assumed power in June 1995 after peacefully removing his father, Sheikh Khalifa bin Hamad Al Thani, while he was overseas.
At the time, Qatar was a relatively small Gulf state with limited international influence. During Sheikh Hamad’s leadership, however, the country developed into one of the world’s leading energy exporters and an increasingly influential player in regional and global affairs.
Central to that transformation was Qatar’s vast natural gas wealth. Under his leadership, the country invested heavily in developing its gas resources and expanding liquefied natural gas (LNG) production. Long-term partnerships with international energy companies helped establish Qatar as one of the world’s largest LNG exporters, strengthening its economy and boosting its global importance in energy markets.
The rapid expansion of the energy sector contributed to substantial economic growth, making Qatar one of the world’s wealthiest nations on a per capita basis. Although its population remained relatively small, much of the country’s economic development relied on a large expatriate workforce.
Beyond energy, Sheikh Hamad sought to increase Qatar’s international profile through media, finance and sport. In 1996, the government launched Al Jazeera, which grew into one of the Middle East’s most recognised international news organisations.
His administration also created the Qatar Investment Authority, the country’s sovereign wealth fund, which invested billions of pounds in international businesses and high-profile assets. These included stakes in major companies as well as well-known properties and sports organisations across Europe.
During Sheikh Hamad’s time as ruler, Qatar secured the right to host the 2022 FIFA World Cup after winning the bidding process in 2010.
The tournament later attracted worldwide attention, alongside continued scrutiny over the bidding process and concerns surrounding the treatment of migrant workers involved in infrastructure projects.
Qatar also expanded its financial assistance to the Gaza Strip during his rule, funding infrastructure and development projects, including road construction and healthcare facilities.
In June 2013, Sheikh Hamad stepped down voluntarily, handing power to his son, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani. The peaceful transfer of authority was regarded as an unusual move among modern Arab monarchies and marked the beginning of a new chapter in Qatar’s leadership.
Qatar, which gained independence from Britain in 1971 after decades as a British protectorate, has been governed by the Al Thani family since the mid-19th century. Today, the country has a population of around three million people, with foreign workers making up the majority of residents.
Sheikh Hamad’s leadership is widely associated with Qatar’s emergence as a major global energy producer and a country with growing diplomatic and economic influence. His policies helped reshape the Gulf state from a relatively modest economy into one of the world’s most prominent exporters of liquefied natural gas, leaving a lasting impact on both Qatar and the wider energy industry.
