Former Emir of Qatar Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani Dies Aged 74

Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, the former Emir of Qatar, died at the age of 74, the country's government announced on Sunday. A statement from the Emir's bureau mourned the loss to the nation.

Sheikh Hamad was a key mastermind behind modern Qatar. He took power from his father in a bloodless coup in June 1995 while his father was abroad. He is credited with transforming the economy into a wealthy global powerhouse through its vast natural gas reserves. He voluntarily abdicated in 2013 in favor of his son.

Funeral prayers will be held on Sunday evening, followed by several days of public mourning. Flags will be flown at half-mast, and government offices and public institutions will be closed.

When Sheikh Hamad came to power 31 years ago, Qatar was struggling financially with dwindling oil reserves. Under his leadership, it became a leading producer and exporter of liquefied natural gas through international partnerships. In 1996, Al Jazeera was launched, later becoming a major international broadcaster. He also founded the Qatar Investment Authority, which invested in foreign businesses including Harrods and Paris Saint-Germain.

Football brought one of his biggest and most controversial triumphs: Qatar was awarded the 2022 World Cup in 2010, despite allegations of corruption—later cleared. The country hired 30,000 foreign labourers to build stadiums. In 2021, it was reported that about 6,500 migrant workers from India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka had died since the World Cup bid win. The Qatari government said not all deaths were related to the tournament. There was also criticism over Qatar's human rights record and laws against same-sex relationships.

Qatar was a British protectorate until 1971, with the Al Thani family ruling since 1851.