The former emir of Qatar, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, has died at the age of 74. The country’s emiri office confirmed his death in an official statement on Sunday.
The statement said Sheikh Hamad breathed his last on Sunday morning. Expressing deep grief at his death, the emir’s office said the nation had lost a visionary leader.
Sheikh Hamad came to power in Qatar in 1995 and ruled the country for 18 consecutive years until 2013. Under his leadership, the gas-rich Qatar made rapid progress in its economy, infrastructure, education, culture and foreign relations, which is why he is considered one of the chief architects of modern Qatar. He was the father of the current emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani.
Under Sheikh Hamad, Qatar became one of the world’s richest and most influential states, and its active role in various diplomatic issues in the Middle East, North Africa and Asia carried particular weight on the international stage.
By hosting the 2022 FIFA World Cup, Qatar came to fresh global attention, and Sheikh Hamad, present at the opening ceremony, received a warm welcome and applause from spectators.
In 2013 he set a rare example of voluntarily handing over power, passing the office of emir to his son Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, who was then just 33.
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