Sheikh Hamad is renowned for his leadership, which saw Qatar undergo sweeping economic, social, and cultural changes, and for establishing the country as a prominent global player in diplomacy and investment.
The Amir’s Diwan, Qatar’s official administrative body, announced his death on Sunday morning and issued a statement: “With hearts filled with faith in divine predestination and destiny, the Amir’s Diwan mourns the loss of the nation’s great leader.”
Sheikh Hamad is the father of Qatar’s current ruler, Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, and served as Emir from 1995 to 2013.
He is remembered as the man who led Qatar through major economic, social, and cultural transformations, cementing the country’s status as a global player in diplomacy and investment.
Born in 1952 in Doha, Sheikh Hamad continued his education at the Royal Military College Sandhurst. He then joined the Qatar Armed Forces and later became Minister of Defense. In the late 1970s, he was declared Crown Prince.
