Sunday July 12, 2026
Qatar announced on Sunday that Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, the Father Emir and former ruler who transformed the tiny emirate into a global energy and diplomatic player, has died at 74, the Amiri Diwan said.
“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 Amiri Diwan said in a statement on Sunday.
Qatar declared a four-day period of public mourning beginning Monday, ordering government agencies and public bodies to suspend work and directing that flags be flown at half-mast.
Sheikh Hamad, who led Qatar from 1995 until abdicating in 2013, was widely credited as the principal architect of the country’s rapid modernization and rising international profile.
Under his leadership, Qatar underwent sweeping economic, social and cultural change that helped cement its standing on the world stage.
He presided over heavy investment in the economy and cultivated broad international partnerships as Qatar grew into the world’s largest exporter of liquefied natural gas.
Today Qatar’s political reach extends across North Africa, the Middle East and Asia. In 2022 the country hosted the men’s FIFA World Cup, drawing global attention; Sheikh Hamad received enthusiastic applause at the tournament’s opening match.
It was during his rule that Al Jazeera launched in 1996 and, within a few years, emerged as one of the planet’s most influential media outlets.
His tenure also produced Qatar’s first permanent constitution in 2004 and introduced municipal elections that allowed women both to vote and to stand as candidates.
In 2013 Sheikh Hamad handed power to his son, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, then 33 — a rare voluntary transfer of authority by a hereditary Gulf ruler.
Abdulla Banndar el Etaibi, an assistant professor in international affairs at Qatar University, told Al Jazeera that Sheikh Hamad had turned Qatar into “an extraordinary country.”
“We’re talking about someone who left a legacy all over the world, not only on Qatar. He worked really hard to turn Qatar from a normal country into a prominent and extraordinary country,” he said. “He had so many dreams of so many things. He invested a lot in LNG. This helped Qatar develop even more.”
Tributes pour in
Leaders across the region and beyond offered condolences following the announcement.
“Deepest condolences and sympathies to the sisterly State of Qatar, to its Amir, government, and people, on the passing of the late, by God’s permission, His Highness the Father Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani,” Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi wrote on X.
Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari expressed “deep grief” at the news, offering his “heartfelt condolences to His Highness Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, the Government and the brotherly people of Qatar.” His office paid tribute to Sheikh Hamad’s “visionary leadership and his valuable contributions to the progress and development of Qatar, as well as to regional peace and cooperation.”
United Arab Emirates President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan also conveyed his sympathies.
“I extend my sincere condolences and sympathy to my brother @TamimBinHamad and his family on the passing of his father, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani. May God grant him mercy, rest his soul in eternal peace, and bring comfort to his family during this difficult time,” he wrote on X.
